An Open Letter to My U.S. Senator Re Abortion, Rights, and Our Own Bodies

On June 5, 2022June 6, 2022 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political9 Comments

Dear Senator Murray:

In a recent email to your constituents addressing what you call the “right to abortion,” you ask, “do you support a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her own body?” I regret that I cannot answer that question with the simple “yes” or “no” requested as the way it is presented constitutes a false premise.

The trouble is that we’re not talking about the woman’s “own” body, but another body that happens to be inside the woman at the time. This is a body with its own unique DNA that is distinctly different from that of the woman and therefore is clearly not the woman’s “own” body. The body we’re discussing aborting has its own genetic markers that distinguish it from the woman’s body as certainly as if a car parked in my driveway had a VIN number different from the one I hold title to – even if it happens to be in my driveway, it’s not my car and not mine to dispose of.

Whether a body is inhabited by a person at conception as some believe, or at birth as others might believe, it is nevertheless a unique human body that is clearly not that of either the mother or the father as it has DNA that is distinct from each. A human body can only be the possession of the one to inhabit it and no one not inhabiting that body may rightly claim it as their own.

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Why COVID Orders Are Not Law and the Many Ways They Could Be Stopped

On October 12, 2021 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political2 Comments

When news of COVID lockdown orders began to be reported back in early 2020, my immediate concern was not over the virus but the lawfulness of the orders. Yes, the virus matters and should be researched by doctors so they can advise their patients as to the best methods of prevention and/or treatment. However, without the rule of law, we have no protection of our God-given rights, including the right to life. Therefore, rights and the rule of law are paramount, even above COVID.

I quickly observed that the lockdown and shutdown orders being issued violated God-given rights, were not constitutionally authorized, and therefore lacked the force of law. As the orders that were promised to be for only a few weeks dragged on into months, it became clear we’d been lied to and that action needed to be taken to restore the rule of law.

I had already been pondering the many ways such violations could and should be stopped and how the usurpation of power by governors could be put in check. However, neither elected officials, political leaders, political parties, nor the big-name organizations of the right seemed ready to step up to the plate and provide the bold and decisive action needed. Without such leadership, the rank and file were effectively sheep without a shepherd, able only to bleat out a modicum of disapproval at their rights being violated by executive orders.

Before discussing the actions that could and should have been taken to put an immediate stop to the violations, there needs to be an understanding of God-given rights and the rule of law that lie at the foundation of this matter.

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An Open Letter to My U.S. Representative – Hypocrisy is Not a Virtue

On July 30, 2021June 5, 2022 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political2 Comments

Dear Representative McMorris Rodgers:

I am taken aback by the hypocrisy of your July 21 newsletter entitled, “Inflation Hits Home in Eastern Washington.”

In the newsletter, you rightly point out that, “Hardworking families in Eastern Washington and across the country are being crippled by widespread inflation.”

Yes, inflation is harming hardworking families. Prices always increase whenever deficit spending necessitates creating new money at a rate greater than the increase in real goods and services in the economy. That inflating of the money supply always decreases the value of the dollar and diminishes its purchasing power for American workers, families, and the elderly on fixed incomes.

You go on to state that, “President Joe Biden and the Democrats’ out-of-control spending has caused prices on everyday goods to skyrocket, and our families are paying the price.”

Yes, this is true, but you fail to mention that prices began to skyrocket in the spring and summer of 2020 as the result of out-of-control spending under Donald Trump. In fact, debt actually increased more under the last six months of President Trump than the first six months of President Biden.

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Socialism and a Tale of Two Countries – What Will We Do?

On April 10, 2020June 17, 2020 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political2 Comments

In his 2019 State of the Union Address, President Donald Trump said, “America was founded on liberty and independence – not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free… America will never be a socialist country.” Republicans in the chamber cheered the remarks and the political right lauded the President for weeks after as the confirmed, and now certified, champion of conservative values they had already told us he was.

Around that same time, Americans were being shown pictures of empty store shelves in Venezuela and told it was the result of socialism. Threats of possible military intervention were being made as a means by which the U.S. might rescue the people of Venezuela from the horrors of socialism and the deprivation resulting from its draconian, totalitarian, central control. Continue reading “Socialism and a Tale of Two Countries – What Will We Do?” →

Foreign Aid, Usurpation and Treachery: A Real Case for Impeachment

On February 27, 2020 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political4 Comments

Though conservatives cheered the recent acquittal of Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, treating him as now fully vindicated of any wrongdoing, we should understand that the President actually did commit what should be deemed an impeachable offense. The President participated, together with Congress, in a usurpation of power not granted to the federal government under the U.S. Constitution, thereby violating his oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” and committing an act of treachery, a “violation of allegiance.” Of course Congress itself stands equally indicted.

The United States Constitution is not a document whereby limits are placed on an otherwise all-powerful central government. Rather, it is a document whereby specific, enumerated powers are granted to an otherwise powerless central government. Continue reading “Foreign Aid, Usurpation and Treachery: A Real Case for Impeachment” →

Qasem Soleimani, Iran, and the Rule of Law

On January 13, 2020January 13, 2020 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political4 Comments

As with most political issues, there are those who praise the United States assassination of Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, and those who decry it. And, as per usual, the division is mostly along party lines, with some calling it wise, virtuous, and a necessary act that will prevent war with Iran, while others call it foolish, evil, and an unnecessary act that will lead to war with Iran.

What is also as per usual is the fact that most are merely arguing for or against the act, but few are asking questions and even fewer are discussing matters of principle and the rule of law. My friend, Jake MacAulay, of the Institute on the Constitution, was the first that I’m aware of to actually drag the U.S. Constitution into the debate in his weekly commentary.

The first questions that Christian people committed to honoring God, upholding the U.S. Constitution, and maintaining the rule of law must always ask are, 1) What does the word of God say? 2) What does the U.S. Constitution say? 3) What will limit the power of government and maximize liberty? To fail to ask these three questions is to throw ourselves open to Godlessness, lawlessness, and tyranny. Continue reading “Qasem Soleimani, Iran, and the Rule of Law” →

You Can’t Just Legalize “Some” Forms of Immorality

On December 13, 2019 By Robert W. PeckIn Blog, Christian, Political2 Comments

My friend, Riley J. Hood, published the following article today. Riley gets to the core of the matter when he says, “The fact is you lost the war when homosexual acts were decriminalized.” The point is that once you decriminalize something on any level whatsoever, you forfeit the moral grounds for criminalizing it on any level at all. Once you decriminalize the camel sticking its nose under the tent, you forfeit the moral grounds for criminalizing any other part of the camel being in the tent and it’s only a matter of time before you’re sleeping with the whole camel. Continue reading “You Can’t Just Legalize “Some” Forms of Immorality” →

Some Points We’re Missing About the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act

On March 8, 2019March 8, 2019 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Christian, Political4 Comments

Democrat blockage of the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” has prompted plenty of commentary, from the right decrying Democrats as baby killers, to the left labeling it a win for women’s reproductive rights, to some calling the whole affair a brilliant strategy by Republicans to secure victory in 2020. However, some of the most important aspects of this matter are being overlooked.

The subject is S. 130, a bill in the U.S. Senate that would have prohibited, and prescribed punishment for, the killing of a child who survives an attempted abortion and is “born-alive,” living and breathing outside the womb. It also would have prescribed penalties for failing to provide medical care to such a child, thereby causing the child to die by means of neglect. Democrats blocked the bill from coming to a vote by means of a filibuster which Republicans failed to override.

It should be noted that this legislation is nothing new, having already been introduced three times in the last session of Congress when Republicans held full control of the legislative process. H.R. 37 and S. 220 appear to have both died somewhere in the committee process with H.R. 4712 actually passing in the House, but failing to receive any action in the Senate. The most recent iteration of this legislation appears to be the only to actually suffer defeat at the hands of Democrats, which defeat has caused quite the uproar among conservatives, though the previous failures under Republican control seem to have gone unnoticed by the right. Continue reading “Some Points We’re Missing About the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” →

Blaming Third Parties for Major Party Losses Ignores the Elephant in the Room

On November 14, 2018November 14, 2018 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, PoliticalLeave a comment

In the wake of Republican losses in the recent election, I ran across an article suggesting that third party candidates may have contributed to the defeat of some Republicans. Everyone’s entitled to an opinion. However, to simply blame third parties and independents for major party losses is to miss a much bigger point.

First – third party and independent candidates very rarely take enough votes to be the deciding factor in an election. Even when a third party candidate takes as many votes as the difference between the two major party candidates, the third party candidate’s votes do not come exclusively from voters who would have all voted for the same major party candidate had the third party candidate not been in the race. Some who typically vote D will on occasion crossover to vote R, while an R might vote for a D under certain circumstances.

Then there’s the 39 percent of the public who identify as independent. Some of those people will vote for the D, some for the R, and some for a third party or independent candidate. Continue reading “Blaming Third Parties for Major Party Losses Ignores the Elephant in the Room” →

Will We “Vote for Principle” or Choose to “Just Win Baby!”

On November 4, 2018November 4, 2018 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political7 Comments

Is everyone else’s mailbox getting stuffed with as many campaign mailers as what I’ve received this year? At the beginning of the election season I was tossing some of the mailers in the garbage, but then I decided to start a collection. I now have a pile of over 40 mailers on the table, 14 of which are for a single candidate, and it’s not over yet.

Last week, I was about to comment that the incumbent Republican U.S. House candidate was sending me a mailer every day, but this week I have to update that as they’ve picked up the pace and I actually received two mailers the same day. I can’t imagine how much money it takes to so saturate a Congressional district with advertising. I’m sure it’s well beyond what ordinary citizens and mere voters can comprehend.

While counting up the mailers for the incumbent Congressional candidate, it occurred to me to look at the “paid for by” section. To my surprise, all but one was paid for by the state Republican Party. The other one was from the NRA.

I haven’t made a habit of looking at sponsor ID in the past, but I really can’t remember ever receiving campaign mailers paid for by the Republican Party. Continue reading “Will We “Vote for Principle” or Choose to “Just Win Baby!”” →