Day of Prayer for Marriage

February 27, 2009

Dear Friend,

Proposition 8 was put before the people of California, and by a wide margin of 600,000 votes became a part of the California Constitution (Article 1, Section 7.5). Next Thursday, March 5, the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments to determine whether the sovereign will of the people should be upheld, and whether marriage between only a man and a woman will stand.

This is the most important legal issue impacting families in a generation. The outcome of this case is “do or die” for traditional marriage. If the California Supreme Court were to overrule the vote of the people (for the second time) it would not be long before homosexual marriage is the law of the land across this country.

ProtectMarriage.com, the committee responsible for enacting Prop 8, urges you and all our supporters to take action. We are declaring this Sunday, March 1, to be a Day of Prayer for Marriage.

Proposition 8 was supported by over 7 million voters, and we call on those who support traditional marriage to pray for it to be upheld. Please ask the Lord for wisdom for the Justices of the California Supreme Court. Pray, also, for those who oppose this amendment to our Constitution, that they would understand our motivation is to affirm traditional marriage, not to offend any person or group.

Activists who oppose Prop 8 are organizing a candlelight vigil in several cities for March 4, followed by a rally on the steps of the Supreme Court building in San Francisco on March 5. Organizers against Prop 8 are calling for a march of 100,000 people to the Court building (click here to view their events list). It has come to our attention that many Prop 8 supporters are also making plans to appear at the steps of the Supreme Court building on the morning of March 5. We welcome your participation, but request that all messages on homemade signs affirm traditional marriage, avoiding offensive statements regarding alternative lifestyles. If you are in close proximity to San Francisco, plan to arrive by 8 a.m. at the court, located at 350 McAllister. We do not wish to provoke or permit any kind of confrontation with our opponents. Please avoid any such activity carefully. Our only purpose is to remind the media, Californians and Americans everywhere that support for traditional marriage is the majority position in the state. Twice now voters have supported traditional marriage and rejected gay marriage. We won the Prop 8 election. The constitution has been amended. The will of the people should now prevail.

ProtectMarriage.com is the only group that will appear before the Supreme Court to uphold the vote of the people enacting Prop 8 and affirm traditional marriage as the law of the land. The upcoming Day of Prayer will provide a vehicle for all our supporters to express their own support for traditional marriage and to call on God, the author of marriage, to bless the arguments our attorneys will present to the Court and to grant the justices wisdom as they consider the arguments.

Thank you for your support of Proposition 8. Please participate in the Day of Prayer this coming Sunday and, if you are in proximity to San Francisco, come to the steps of the Supreme Court building at 8 a.m. on March 5 to show your support for Prop 8.

To make a financial contribution to the Proposition 8 Legal Defense Fund, click here.

Thank you so much for your attention and support.

Very truly yours,

Ron Prentice
Chairman
ProtectMarriage.com, Yes on 8

www.protectmarriage.com

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Trade and Protectionism

Tonight I saw a bit of a news report on CNN regarding the "Buy American" provisions in the stimulus package before the Senate. The reporter stated that the Senate has betrayed American labor by caving in to special interest groups and foreign governments, softening the requirement for new infrastructure projects to rely on American steel.

This isn't central to my argument, but I would just like to point out, exactly why are those who promote free trade "special interest groups" while labor is not?

Also, apparently living up to the treaties we have made with other countries is not important when it comes to steel. Bush is lambasted by the media for hurting America's standing in the eyes of the international community by placing American needs first, but then the Senate is lambasted for "giving into foreign governments" by trying to abide by treaties. So which is it? Respect in the international community or placing America first? Thankfully in this case, we can have both. We can live up to our agreements and grow our economy.

There is a fairly simple mathematical argument regarding trade. This argument is called comparative advantage. It states that when two countries specialize and trade with one another, they will both end up with more than if they tried to produce it all themselves. This is not something anyone can argue. It is a logical proof. Trying to prove it wrong is like trying to disprove 2+2=4. It is always true in our world.

Adam Smith stated, "If a foreign country can supply us with a commodity cheaper than we ourselves can make it, better buy it of them with some part of the produce of our own industry, employed in a way in which we have some advantage." The fact is, we can get cheaper, better steel from foreign countries. With the money saved, we will be able to build up other industries. If we really want to create jobs, we need to pour our resources into industries in which we have a relative advantage. Steel may not benefit, but overall, the economy will create more jobs. We will use our resources more efficiently.

In addition, by buying foreign steel, we inject money into foreign economies. More specifically, we inject American dollars. What can they do with American dollars? Not much in their own country. They have to eventually spend that money to buy American goods.

We buy their steel. We don't waste our resources on a product we aren't very good at producing. The money that is not wasted is invested in things we are good at building, such as computers and airplanes. Foreign countries are helped by the money pouring into their steel industry. They expand and their economies recover as well. With a more stable economy and American dollars, they buy our goods. Everyone benefits.

Granted, it's not this rosy and it wouldn't happen quick. But to cut this off would result in losses we simply cannot afford. To put it bluntly, protectionism is economically stupid. It is one of the major factors in the severity of the Great Depression. We cannot recover from this quickly if we do not allow people to trade. If economic recovery comes from people buying products, why make it harder and more expensive for them to do so. Where is the sense in that?

Thankfully, the Senate has softened these restrictions. There is some sense out there.

Calvin and Hobbes

One of the many reasons Calvin and Hobbes is my favorite comic strip.

A Twit?

I've been called a twit. Too bad the person had no argument or anything. Just a name to call me. An intelligent argument would be welcome. My reasoning needs refining.