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On Watch in Washington / The Informer

August 24, 2016 

With voter approval rates for Hillary Clinton averaging a negative 10.9 percentage points and those for Donald Trump at a negative 28.6 percentage points, it's conceivable that their vice presidential choices will tip the scales for undecided voters in November

The press and commentators analyzing both parties (except for some die-hard Bernard Sanders acolytes) generally agree that popular Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia is Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's ideal running mate - a well-mannered, modulated moderate from a key swing state. The press and political sages have called Mike Pence the perfect ticket mate for Mr. Trump because he has stood firmly on the right in the U.S. House and in his current role as Indiana governor.

Vice-presidential candidates are chosen for political reasons. It's called "balancing the ticket." Sen. Tim Caine fully matches Hillary Clinton's extreme liberalism and the Democrat platform. Gov. Mike Pence, a conservative evangelical, reflects the Republican platform. Pray that values voters will examine both party platforms and consider voting pro-life. The platform contrasts could not be more stark.

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live...." (Deut. 30:19)
 

ADMINISTRATION LOOKS TO TWEAK CONTRACEPTIVE MANDATE
Three months after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered both sides to seek out a compromise on Obamacare's birth control mandate , religious nonprofits that oppose it are mobilizing to win the fight, while the administration is saying it's ready to tweak the rules.

The Health and Human Services Department has asked the public to weigh in through next month on ways to ensure women get access to contraceptives including the morning-after pill and accommodate faith-based schools, hospitals and charities that refuse to pay for something they consider sinful.

This is "the problem that will not go away." Pray for Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life and all those who are standing fast against government opposition to sacrosanct religious convictions. Such convictions will not allow them to dispense contraceptive materials. The administration is determined to overcome. Pray for clear-cut victory, that religious freedoms will prevail.

"And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'" (Mark 12:17)
 
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Socialism is still in vogue, regardless of its sorry record all over the world for the last century. The Free Stuff Army is on the march, especially in the United States.

There's something about deploying the government as a mugger to obtain the fruits of someone else's labor that appeals to the worst in us. But it invariably leads to poverty, dishonesty and even tyranny.

Years ago, I visited Jamaica when it was under a socialist government. Things had deteriorated. Trying to fool the people, the government ordered imported goods to be repackaged as locally produced.

This is a good warning article. Let us "watch and pray." But we also acknowledge that America is close to succumbing to out-and-out socialism, if not communism, where the state rules and our U.S. Constitution is all but obliterated. This is not pessimism, but a call to much prayer. We urge all readers to study the political issues and platforms, then vote for the values you believe.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things." (Phil. 4:8)

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Hillary Clinton will have to give testimony about her secret email server and account, but it will be in writing rather than in person, a federal judge ruled Friday, delivering a partial victory to the Democratic presidential candidate.

Mrs. Clinton will have until the middle of November - after the election - to answer those questions, Judge Emmet G. Sullivan ruled.

But the State Department must quickly process and release any of the emails the FBI has recovered from Mrs. Clinton's accounts that are sought in the open-records lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch. Judge Sullivan said those must be released by Sept. 30.

Please pray fervently for our nation. We ask each reader to work with your church, your prayer group, and with us to "Get Out the Prayer." America's major issue is not Mrs. Clinton or her email reporting practices. Our country's challenges are first spiritual. Mrs. Clinton's truth issues are a symptom not a cause. Pray for national spiritual renewal and revival in the Church.

"Seek the   Lord   while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the   Lord , and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isa. 55:6-7)



 
Growing up, I watched a lot of Westerns. In addition to the cowboy hero, the town sheriff was almost always a model of integrity. He stood for law and order against bank robbers, cattle rustlers and horse thieves all trying to disrupt the peace.

A contemporary and real-life version of those fictional characters is Sheriff David Clarke of Milwaukee County, Wis.

Sheriff Clarke has been trying to restore law and order after several nights of rioting following the shooting death of 23-year-old Sylville Smith by a Milwaukee police officer. Smith had a lengthy criminal record, longer than some people's resumes. He should have been in prison.

Please pray fervently for our nation. We ask each reader to work with your church, your prayer group, and with us to "Get Out the Prayer." America's major issue is not Mrs. Clinton or her email reporting practices. Our country's challenges are first spiritual. Mrs. Clinton's truth issues are a symptom not a cause. Pray for national spiritual renewal and revival in the Church.

"Seek the   Lord   while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the   Lord , and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isa. 55:6-7)


 

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