State of the Union, the Pope, and Secular Leaders

On Tuesday, January 20th, Secular Policy Institute staff attended a traditional State of the Union viewing party with Senate Staff of the Glass Caucus in DC. ┬áIn his sixth State of the Union, President Obama called for a $500 tax credit for married couples who each hold jobs and increased the child care credit to $3,000. ┬áThe total cost of these new provisions and others — including two free years of community college to qualified students — is $235 billion. ┬áObama’s proposals will need to be approved by both Republican-led House and Senate.

President Obama also asked Congress to approve the use of force against the terror group ISIS.  Congress will need to pass a resolution to authorize the use of force.  The President also addressed cybersecurity.  The kinder and gentler Republican response came from Iowa Senator Joni Ernst.  Senator Ernst outlined the Republican agenda for this Congress.

US Congress – House – ┬áIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin┬áNetanyahu accepted House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to address Congress┬áon February 11, 2015.
Boehner invited Netanyahu to speak on the issue of Iran. Congressional leaders are considering a proposal to increase sanctions while international negotiators try to reach an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. ┬áIn his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said he would veto any new sanctions bill.

Congress will receive the CBO director next week and will receive the President’s budget┬áon February 2nd┬áand will hold a hearing in the House Budget Committee┬áon February 4th┬áon the President’s budget.Senate – The Senate is in a four week work session. ┬áBy the week end there would had been amendment roll call votes on 10 pieces on legislation for 2015. ┬áLast year there were only 18 such votes under Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. ┬áMitch McConnell has promised s more democratic process in the Senate. ┬áThe Senate is addressing the Keystone pipestone legislation that the President plans to veto. ┬áNext, the Senate will address bills that have passed the House and in particular the Department of Homeland Security’s appropriation bill before the deadline.

The Pope will visit Philadelphia, New York and DC in September.  This was announced shortly after the Pope declared on January 15 that there are limits to Freedom of Expression when it comes to insulting faiths when referring to events surrounding the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris.  The Pope is wrong on limiting freedom of expression.  Further, the Pope stated that good Catholics do not need to breed like rabbits.  Well he got this one right.

Point being, left to our own devices, most of us police our own speech quite effectively. We don’t need threats or law to respect one another. We give respect as a matter of course.

Shout back at them, if you must. Laugh them off or ignore them, if you want. But to censor them by force of law because you fear violence? Few things could be more antithetical to freedom ÔÇö or more counterproductive.