CPAC 2009 was a great experience. At a time when the conservative movement was feeling “down and out,” the conference was the perfect remedy to unite and recharge the movement. CPAC was the place of several speeches and meetings, some of the “MUST SEE” speeches include: Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Mike Huckabee.
These two weren’t bad either, check them out:
For the second day in a row, the 2009 edition of CPAC focused the conversation on the economy. Barack Obama’s plan to save the economy was discussed and many conservative alternatives to the president’s plan were offered. Rep. Jason Chaffetz from Utah submitted to the conference that the United States cannot continue to run the country on a credit card. Former Governor Mitt Romney and other business minds floated the idea of cutting all taxes in half, while eliminating the capital gains tax for the middle class. The economy aside, the family was mentioned by several speakers.
Dr. Larry Eastland, a man who has held several positions from White House staffer to statistical analyst to author and U.S. Marine, shared that of all the jobs he has had, the job of grandfather has been his favorite. Dr. Eastland spoke of the importance of his family in his life and in his success. He also spoke of the need to preserve freedoms, while holding individuals accountable for their actions.
Rep. Ron Paul, a medical doctor who has delivered over 4,000 babies spoke on abortion. Rep. Paul, who is pro-life, stated that the decision of abortion should be a state decision, not a federal one. He said that state legislatures should have the power to pass their own abortion legislation and that if the courts were needed, the State Supreme Court, not the U.S. Supreme Court should make the ruling.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney delivered one of the better speeches of the day. In the speech, Gov. Romney denounced liberal activist judges who seek to legislate from the bench. He spoke of the disregard for democracy as non-elected judges re-write the constitution. Gov. Romney pleaded with conservatives everywhere to stand up for their values as several important principles come under fire.
UFI added several signatures for the U.N. Petition to Protect Life, bringing the total number of signatures gathered at CPAC to just under 400.
SEE ALSO: UFI at CPAC: February 26 Update
When I think of Fargo, North Dakota I think of cold, snow and ice; a place where only the very hearty would survive. Today, Carol Soelberg and Laura Knaperek experienced first hand the cold and snow…but were warmed by the enthusiasm of the people and their commitment to preserve the family.
Lisa McKee and Lynn Park have consented to direct the efforts of United Families in North Dakota and Minnesota respectively. They hosted a “get acquainted” meeting tonight in Moorhead, MN on the university campus where Carol, UFI’s Chapter Development Director, presented on “Issues that Threaten the Family and Strategies to Strengthen the Family”. Carol and Laura will be holding chapter leadership training with the two groups all day Friday and Saturday. And, on Friday night, Laura – former AZ State Representative, will facilitate an interactive mock legislative hearing – with role playing of lobbyists and legislators. Not only will those attending learn how to affect change at the state level, they will have fun doing it!
SEE ALSO: PRESS RELEASE: Speakers to Address New Chapters of UFI: North Dakota and Minnesota
The largest CPAC in history kicked off today in Washington, D.C. with more than 8,500 attendants. A large youth presence is noticed as nearly half of those 8,500 CPAC goers are college students. Much of the conversation was dominated by the current economic condition, the “Fairness Doctrine”, and discussion of ways to advance the conservative movement. One of the more humorous comments made about the economy was made during tonight’s banquet when the Emcee said, “we know with the current president, a penny saved is a penny taxed.” Between the humor and financial speak, the family was also mentioned.
Rep. Mike Pence criticized the Mexico City Policy, saying that it is shameful that the tax dollars of Pro-Life Americans goes toward the promotion of abortion abroad. He also called for action to reduce the amount of federal funding that the pro-abortion group, Planned Parenthood receives. Rep. Pence cited the breakdown of accountability and integrity as a major reason for the current economic downturn.
Gov. Mike Huckabee advocated the family as a means of reducing government’s involvement in the lives and business of Americans. Gov. Huckabee said, “It is when families fail that government is forced to take over.” In his speech, the former Arkansans governor also refereed to the fact that in all 30 states that have allowed citizens to vote on the definition of marriage, traditional marriage has won every time…including states like California and Florida, states that Barack Obama won.
At the UFI booth in the exhibit hall, we gathered nearly 200 signatures for the UN Petition to Protect Life. If you will be attending CPAC tomorrow or Saturday, please come by and add your name!
From The Exception Magazine: Since 1978 United Families International (UFI) has protected the family as the fundamental unit of society. As a non-denominational, non-partisan, non-profit organization, UFI is an internationally recognized pro-family voice. Through social science research, UFI works to strengthen the family by promoting the traditional family, marriage between a man and a woman, the sanctity of life, the right and obligation of parents to love, protect, provide for and teach their children, and the right of nations to determine their own laws and customs.
The chapter development program at UFI creates grass roots involvement by educating and advocating in behalf of family policy on national, state and local issues. Through this program UFI is building an army of unified voices in support of the traditional family.
UFI also participates at the United Nations in negotiations to produce key outcome documents that set family policies throughout the world. UFI representatives make several trips to the UN each year. In fact, from March 2nd through March 13th of this year UFI will be at the UN to protect families from the liberal agenda in the 2009 Commission on the Status of Women.
On 21 June 1946, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was established as a full-fledged United Nations Commission dedicated to ensuring women’s equality and to promoting women’s rights. Its mandate was to “prepare recommendations and reports to the Economic and Social Council on promoting women’s rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields” and to make recommendations “on urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women’s rights.”
UFI began attending CSW to monitor the documents that were being produced and adopted by this Commission and offer support to delegates and missions that shared our views. Over the years UFI has played an increasingly important role as a strong voice in favor of the family as the fundamental unit of society. At this time, UFI is part of a coalition that lobbies on behalf of the pro-family position. The UFI team will travel to CSW equipped with resources that can help bolster the position of like-minded individuals engaged in negotiations. The resources, information and moral support offered to the pro-family negotiators is incredibly helpful and gives them the strength they need to stand against the rising tide of anti-family sentiment at CSW.
UFI is dedicated to informing and educating on key issues affecting the family. UFI publishes its Family Issues Guides, which are peer-reviewed scientific research, expert commentary and sound logical arguments pertaining to several topics including: the benefits of traditional marriage, the harms of pornography, the consequences of divorce, sexual orientation, abortion, and the differences between cohabitation and marriage. UFI compiles the publications after reviewing a vast number of social science studies, books, and other sources that cover the topics of each Family Issue Guide. The publications are used by several pro-family organizations and other non-governmental organizations to educate lawmakers and government officials on the various issues.
UFI has been a part of several pro-family victories at the UN. UFI’s Negotiating Guide is used by pro-family NGOs around the world as the leading resource for UN family language needed for negotiations.
The organization uncovered and exposed UNICEF’s agenda to provide to children explicit sexual education materials promoting sexual behaviors too perverse to mention. UFI then presented these materials, along with proof that UNICEF was promoting abortion, to U.N. delegates in the heat of negotiations at the U.N. World Summit on Children. This helped overturn the abortion language in the outcome document.
UFI was also an instrumental in stopping the U.S. funding of $34 million to the U.N. Fund for Population activities (UNFPA), which supports forced abortion and sterilizations in China. UFI’s memorandum was instrumental in helping to defeat the funding proposal for UNFPA on the floor of the US Senate.
Last December UFI, along with a coalition of social conservative groups from around the world, presented a petition of 340,000 names requesting that all member nations and states interpret the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to mean that:
The right to life, liberty and security is for every person; that each child born or unborn, has the right to birth and a full, natural life. That a child has the right to a mother and a father, of full age, within the bonds of marriage defined as between a man and a woman. And, that the parents have the right to raise and educate their children without any limitation due to race, religion, culture or nationality.
The petition was a response to opposition petition efforts by pro-abortion groups International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International that demanded that the UDHR be interpreted to include that access to abortion is a human right and the UDHR should be interpreted as such. This opposition petition was signed by a mere 651 individuals.
Through their Family Issues Guides, social and scientific research, more than 30 years of experience, and a passion for defending the definition of family and the rights of parents and the unborn, United Families International is a well-armored stronghold and a leader on the front lines in the war on the family. UFI provides a safe haven for families across the globe who seek a place to raise their voices in defense of the family. For this generation of families and the next, United Families International will continue fighting for families, marriage, parental rights, and national sovereignty for the next 30 years and beyond.
United Families International will be attending the 2009 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), held in Washington, D.C. from February 26-28.
From Wikipedia: CPAC is an annual political conference attended by conservatives, activists, and elected officials from across the United States. CPAC began in 1973 as a small gathering of dedicated conservatives but has since grown into a large event attracting members of Congress, college activists, and other political celebrities. It is hosted by the American Conservative Union in association with sponsors Human Events and the Young America’s Foundation.
UFI will be an exhibitor at the conference and UFI representatives will attend the various meetings that CPAC offers. UFI will write daily from the conference here on the UFI blog and will post updates on the UFI Twitter page.
It was 3:00 a.m. A small group of pro-family activists, including several from United Families International, were sitting in the basement of the United Nations. Behind the closed doors of the adjacent conference room were dozens of delegates who were trying to finalize the language for the final document of the Commission of the Status of Women. The debates had been going on since 6:00 p.m. Delegates would leave the room for quick trips to the food machines or restrooms. Each time they would look quizzically at the small group sitting outside their room. “Why are you still here?” some would ask.
Inside the conference room, the delegates who were supporting the pro-family cause were being attacked by those who wished to insert language that would mandate that abortion be legalized in all countries. “Why won’t you just give up?” they yelled at the group! “It is no use to continue fighting this! Just give up!” But the small group of pro-family delegates stayed firm and in the end they prevailed because they would not give up.
When the delegates began leaving the room at 5:00 a.m., many gave looks of contempt and disgust at the small group still sitting outside the room. When the majority were gone, the leader of the pro-family delegates walked over to the group and said, “Thank you for staying. If you had not stayed, I am not sure we would have prevailed. The fact that you were here, is what gave our group the ability to stand strong. We told them that we could not face you if we were to give up.” That was the 2008 Commission on the Status of Women.
The 2009 Commission on the Status of Women begins on March 2. Delegates from countries around the world will come to the United Nations to produce another document that will attempt to guarantee new rights to women. Attempts will be made to have abortion made a human right. Treaties with innocuous names like the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child will be pressed for acceptance. Despite their titles, these treaties present very real threats to families, parental rights, marriage and religious liberty.
United Families will be there once again. We will be staying up all night when necessary to provide support to those member states who have the willpower to stand up against the opposition who seeks to undermine the value of the family. We will be providing pro-family language that can be introduced to replace the destructive language inserted by the other side. We will be educating delegates against the dangerous elements that will come to the country if they choose to side with the anti-family forces.
We will represent all families across the globe. Wherever you live, you may think that the United Nations is far away and has little impact on you, your life or your family. That is not true. While it may be far away, the impact it has on your family is huge. You need an advocate there. You have one – United Families International. We will be working long hours over those two weeks to ensure that your right to raise your children, practice your faith, and protect your family will still be intact when CSW is completed. We will provide you with reports of our efforts. Please help us in this endeavor. Please donate $20 to show your support for the work we will be doing. We cannot do it without you. We do this work for your families and for ours. Please show your support for this great work by donating $20 now.
Beverly Rice, UFI President
UFI has established a blog specifically for CSW 2009. This blog will keep UFI supporters updated on the happenings inside the UN during the 2 weeks of CSW. Click here to go to the CSW blog.
Lina Hatch, the now former Director of United Families Arizona, introduces new State Director, Tricia Groe:
As former director of United Families Arizona, I am excited to announce a recent change in leadership. Tricia Groe, a former member of the Arizona House of Representatives from Legislative District 3, is our new Arizona director!
Trish has the experience and ability to take UFAZ to greater heights. She knows legislation, she is masterful with technology, and her enthusiastic and positive support has blessed United Families Arizona from the first time she joined our team. I am pleased that Trish has accepted this position. I have full confidence in her and the future of UFAZ.
United Families Arizona successes
Successes of United Families Arizona this past year include:
I pledge my continued support and urge your support of UFAZ! With our continued participation we will keep a watchful eye on proposed public policy that impacts families throughout the state…including yours!
To all of you, our friends of Arizona families, I express sincere appreciation for your supportive efforts in behalf of United Families Arizona and for me as director. It has been my privilege and great blessing to rub shoulders with and learn from many of you.
I realize there are great challenges ahead and therefore, I call upon each of us to continue to focus our efforts in defense of Arizona families.
Sincere Warm Regards,
Lina Hatch
From The Minnesota Independent:
The office of state Sen. Paul Koering, a gay Republican representing a district near Brainerd, Minn., is responding by e-mail to criticisms over his decision not to vote for the Marriage and Family Protection Act, a bill that would make gay marriage legal in Minnesota.
The gist? Legislators can’t “waste their time” with “pointless legislation.” The mass e-mail, penned by an impassioned Ken Swecker, Koering’s legislative assistant, concludes with the punchline: “I’ve already wasted too much time in responding to you.”
Here’s the full letter:
My name is Ken Swecker, Senator Koering’s Legislative Assistant. Senator Koering and I both would like to respond to the e-mails we’ve been receiving regarding his intention to not vote in favor of Senate File 120. I am currently responding to the e-mails to give you the Senator’s home phone number so that you might call him over the weekend and speak with him personally on the matter. This much he asked me to do.
To add to that, as a personal statement, is to say that SF 120 is something that the majority of the People of Senate District 12, the People that he was elected to represent, do not favor this piece of legislation. In case you have forgotten, we are a government of the People, by the People, and for the People. He was not elected serve his personal interests. I personally believe that instead of sending e-mails full of threats and hateful words you should take his example to heart and congratulate him on being a legislator who cares more about what the People of his district want than what he may want personally. You and I both know that this is a rare quality to find, and just because this is contrary to how you wish for him to vote, you must remember and respect he is here to represent the interests of his rural Minnesota constituents who voted him into office. As a constituent of his myself, I am happy to see him take non-personal votes on several issues. After all, I would not want another politician taking another vote that would serve his or her personal interests more so than the People’s, would you?
I can testify all day long about how much Senator Koering cares for the People of Senate District 12. He ran three consecutive times, being defeated the first two, and why did he put himself through so much hard work? Do you think it was because he needed another job? Absolutely not! He did it because he believed he was the best person to serve the People that he calls neighbors, friends, and family. And especially now, in a time like this, we are being bogged down with this completely pointless issue. There are People in Morrison and Crow Wing Counties, and across the State who are losing their jobs, their homes, their insurance, and were you to ask them if this is an issue that should take one second of precedent over these conditions they’re facing every day, do you believe, do you honestly believe that they would say to you, ‘Yes, please, waste the time of the State Legislature with a piece of legislation that will not help, but in fact, overshadow the current situation we’re living in? Please, waste their time with this piece of legislation while I tell my son and daughter that mom and dad aren’t hungry tonight?’
I know very well that you will respond to this e-mail of mine with some probably quirky, snide, and very thoughtless comment that will make me out to be a bad person and threaten the Senator even more just as most of the absolutely tactless and disrespectful e-mails we’ve received have been written, but really, don’t waste your time. We’ll just put your e-mail where it belongs, in the trash.
The Senator’s home number is
xxx-xxx-xxxxHe’s free on the weekends.
Very Sincerely, every word of it,
Ken SweckerP.S.
I hope you do not believe that this e-mail was written specific to the one that you sent, this is a blanket e-mail, being sent to everyone who has e-mailed us on this issue and I’ve already wasted too much time in responding to you. Good day.Senator Paul Koering
District 12
131 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
Phone:651-296-4875
Moorhead, MN – On February 26th and 27th, United Families International (UFI) representatives, Laura Knaperek and Carol Soelberg, will hold a series of meetings as UFI launches two new chapters, the North Dakota chapter and the Minnesota chapter.
Mrs. Soelberg is a past president of UFI and has addressed many audiences from the UN to the World Congress of Families. She will speak on Feb. 26th in room 227 of Comstock Memorial Union at MSU-Moorhead, her speech is titled, “Issues that Threaten the Family: How to Protect and Strengthen the Family.” Carol Soelberg serves UFI as the Chapter Development Director.
The Honorable Laura Knaperek served in the Arizona State Legislature for ten years. During her tenure as a State Representative, she established herself as an advocate for children, families and the disabled. Mrs. Knaperek will give a training presentation on Feb. 27th entitled, “How to Work with Your Legislature to Effect Policy and to Strengthen the Family.” Laura Knaperek is the International Policy Director at UFI. The events on the 26th and the 27th are free and open to the public.
United Families International was created in 1978 to protect the family as the fundamental unit of society. As a non-denominational, non-partisan organization we are an internationally recognized pro-family voice. UFI participates at the United Nations in negotiations to produce key outcome documents that set family policy throughout the world.
Our chapter development program creates grassroots involvement by educating and advocating in behalf of family policy on national, state, and local issues. Through this program we are building an army of unified voices in support of the traditional family. The Minnesota and North Dakota chapters will be the newest chapters in our international organization.
Our Stay Alive humanitarian program has taught consequential thinking skills to nearly one million children in several African nations revealing an impressive rate of success in decreasing teen pregnancies and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Through social science research, we strengthen the family by promoting family, marriage, life, parents, and sovereignty.
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