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Dear Friend,
 On the day after the elections last November, while everyone was focused on the Democrats’ Congressional victory, USA Today ran a story that began with this sentence: “Democrats scored big gains in state legislatures Tuesday, a movement that could have implications in state policy and national politics.” How right that was!
That’s why Focus on the Family Action™—with your support—is busier than ever in the states. And that’s also why I want to give you an unvarnished view this month of what’s happening at the state level. Let me be candid: Much of it is very troubling. In fact, the short-term trend is downright alarming. But there’s good news as well, and I believe you’ll also see how Focus Action’s long-term investment in the states is yielding dividends.
And none of it would have been possible without your help.
Frankly, much of the chaos at the state level can be summed up in three words: Elections have consequences. Consider a few examples:
A Rocky Mountain Low
Prior to last fall, Democrats had already taken control of the Colorado legislature for the first time in 30 years. But a Republican governor had tempered their impact by issuing a record 91 vetoes in two years. Last November, however, Democrats scored a trifecta by winning the governor’s office as well as the House and Senate. That emboldened liberals and made them even more aggressive. As a result, they were able to pass a foursome of new, anti-family laws:
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One legalized gay adoptions by allowing any two adults to adopt a child!
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Another redefined a family as two or more persons “who live or expect to live together.”
Gone is the “blood, marriage or adoption” language that has always defined a family. Instead, liberal politicians recreated God’s institution of the family according to their own misguided worldview.
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A third added “sexual orientation” and “religion” to employment discrimination laws in a way that will very likely force some Christian businesses to hire practicing homosexuals or even atheists!
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A fourth new law flatly prohibits public schools from teaching abstinence-only sex
education—similar to bills in several other states.
It’s a breathtaking assault! And unfortunately, Colorado is just the beginning.
Civil Unions . . . From Coast to Coast
One of the most dramatic turnabouts of the ’06 elections took place in New Hampshire, where liberal Democrats took control of both houses of the legislature, including the 400-member House of Representatives. As a result, pro-family citizens in the Granite State have been repeatedly rebuffed and a liberal agenda has been aggressively advanced. This spring, New Hampshire—once the most conservative New England state—approved homosexual civil unions.
Across the country in Oregon, a handful of votes in a few districts gave Democrats control of the state House last fall. With conservative leadership gone, the liberal dam has burst. Pregnancy resource centers have been targeted for regulation and possible closure, and domestic partnerships—another name for homosexual civil unions—were recently signed into law. Yet that may not be the worst of it. Churches are being severely threatened by a homosexual non-discrimination law that will let courts decide what the “primary purpose” of a church is. Lawmakers passed this new law, despite the fact that nearly 500 pastors signed a statement calling it “the most sweeping and culturally devastating law in Oregon history.”
And just up the coast in neighboring Washington state, the legislature and governor approved their own version of domestic partnerships.
More Mischief Around the Country
Meanwhile, plans to send a marriage amendment to the people of Indiana went up in smoke after Democrats narrowly took over the state House last fall. By one vote in a key committee, the will of the Hoosier people was thwarted for now.
In California, legislators continue their assault against all things rational. There is a serious possibility that the Golden State could become the first to legislatively enact same-sex marriage, despite the fact that the people of California voted strongly to protect marriage in 2000. In addition, California parents are under the gun with bills to ban spanking and to require school textbooks to promote homosexuality. There is even a bill to permit HIV-infected men to become sperm donors!
And in Minnesota, where Democrats gained 19 House seats last fall, a slew of anti-family bills looked certain to pass. One that did is a law that threatens parental rights by setting government norms for all children from birth to age five in areas like mental health, gender issues and diversity training. Fortunately, thanks to incredible work by the Minnesota Family Council (our associated family policy council), most of the other threats were defeated.
Investing in States for the Long Haul
There is much more all over the country that could fill up pages, but you get the picture. Amazingly, though, that picture could have been much worse. Thanks to your support, Focus on the Family Action has been active in dozens of state battles all over the country in 2007. By God’s grace, we’ve been able to beat back numerous liberal schemes and, in some cases, pass new pro-family legislation.
But what encourages me the most is that we continue to make strategic, long-term advances at the state level through the development of state-based family policy councils (FPCs).
These independent groups—started and fostered by Focus on the Family®—are getting larger and stronger every day. And since the advent of Focus Action, they have become even more important partners when it comes to state legislation. Because Focus Action has none of the stringent limitations on lobbying that Focus on the Family has, we are able—through your help—to invest greater resources in state battles.
Take South Carolina, for instance, where pro-family legislators were attempting to pass a bill requiring that a woman be able to see an ultrasound of her baby before it’s aborted. You may have seen some of the major national coverage on this bill, much of it unfriendly.
When significant opposition arose, Focus Action went to work. Partnering with the state FPC, the Palmetto Family Council, we contacted our South Carolina friends and urged them to take action. Once again, people like you responded in great numbers. But this time, the state’s largest newspaper (The State) took note. Here’s what the paper said:
About the same time as Bryant was giving TV interviews on his bill, the Focus on the Family database began to work its magic in South Carolina. “I got dozens of e-mails,” said state Rep. Gary Simrill, R-York. “And they were all from people in my district.”
That type of involvement is becoming almost a daily occurrence here at Focus Action. And a big key to its effectiveness is the strategic partnership with the nearly three dozen state FPCs. That’s why we continue to develop and assist these organizations in state after state. In fact, we are on the verge of officially launching and associating with new FPCs in the key states of Washington, Missouri and Idaho; and we have active start-up efforts in several other states, including Alaska and West Virginia.
Backhanded Compliment from the Bay State
Our involvement with state FPCs recently got attention from an unlikely source—the Boston-based homosexual newspaper Bay Windows. They noticed a portion of our strategic work in Massachusetts and began to try to put the pieces together. Although they got some details wrong and failed to report other major aspects of our work, it was an interesting perspective from our opponents. Here is one key excerpt:
In 2004, involvement by Focus on the Family [Action], the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based evangelical Christian ministry and education center, was central to passage of 11 of the 13 marriage amendments on state ballots that year. One of the keys to the group’s strength is stealth. Much of the grassroots political organizing is run by state-based policy councils [FPCs] that are affiliated with Focus on the Family and much of their grassroots organizing, in turn, takes place in conservative evangelical churches—well outside the mainstream public eye.
The article goes on to describe how we coordinate with FPCs, the Family Research Council and various supporting arms at Focus on the Family, including Pastoral Ministries and our Love Won Out® ministry. Frankly, there’s even more that they don’t know about, but that’s just fine with us!
Moving Forward
As I said at the start, the short-term view around the country is pretty grim and largely the result of a one-sided election. But that in no way diminishes our enthusiasm or determination for the task at hand. Win or lose, it’s vital that pro-family citizens be educated and mobilized so that they can hold the politicians accountable at the next election. The point is not whether politicians have a D or an R behind their name, but what they stand for and how they vote!
Certainly, the last few months should serve as a wake-up call to some in the pro-family movement, and it reminds us of two principles we must always remember. First, God is still in control. We must seek His guidance and intervention for our nation as never before.
Second, we must persevere. Defending truth and righteousness in our society is a struggle that will not end until Jesus returns to rule and reign. This arena is a lot like the ups and downs of the stock market—just because you win or lose today doesn’t mean you’re going to get the same result tomorrow. Our opponents’ stock has been rising for several months, but that won’t last forever. By God’s grace, our investment in the pro-family infrastructure around the country is going to reap big dividends.
My friends, let me share a deeply felt thank you from Dr. Dobson and our entire team for responding to the calls to action (such as the one I mentioned in South Carolina) in such a big way. The impact that you make is profound!
Let me also thank you for continuing your financial support, which makes all of this work possible. Your commitment to this cause— and your willingness to back that up with your hard-earned financial resources—gives me renewed hope, even in the midst of the attacks that we’ve been facing.
Finally, I cherish your prayers on behalf of Focus on the Family Action. Please pray that God will grant us wisdom, endurance and a redemptive spirit—even as we aggressively defend what is good and right.
Sincerely,
Tom Minnery
Senior Vice President
Government and Public Policy
P.S. Your gift right now will help Focus on the Family Action prepare strongly and strategically for the critical election season just over the horizon in 2008. We promise to regard your contributions as blood money.
One more thing. Please take a moment to look at the information about the Washington Briefing this coming October. I’d love to have you attend this very significant “values voter” event. | 
