Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Double Your Donation!
We're making progress in our matching gift campaign, but we still have a long way to go to meet our goal!
Your $10 gift will become $20.
$25 will become $50.
$100 will become $200.
$1,000 will become $2,000!
Whatever you can afford will be wisely used to defend our shared values of faith, family and freedom!
Gates Questions Vaccine
I know a significant number of Americans have serious questions about vaccines generally, including concerns about ingredients and long-term impacts.
Generally, however, most Americans get most vaccines, and vaccinations have been central to eliminating many childhood diseases and saving lives, whether its polio or measles, which still kills more than 100,000 people around the world every year.
The "anti-vaxxers," as they have been called, have been excoriated and mocked for decades. Social media has been censoring them. They have been laughed at as the equivalent of "flat-earthers," which brings us to where we are today.
There's no vaccine for hatred. And the hatred of the left knows no bounds. Progressives are mortified at the possibility that the American people could have access to a vaccine in the next six week or may clearly know before then that President Trump has supervised what is likely to be the fastest, safest vaccine ever produced.
So today, we have Bill Gates, "Mr. Vaccine," who is now joining the mainstream media, which usually mocks anti-vaxxers, in spreading doubts about the COVID-19 vaccine. This CBS News headline says it all, "Bill Gates Questions FDA's Credibility on COVID-19 Vaccine."
Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb hit back at Bill Gates for "eroding confidence" in the production of a vaccine. In a Wall Street Journal column published Sunday, Dr. Gottlieb and Dr. Mark McClellan, who also led the FDA, strongly defended the rigorous development process that vaccines go through before they are approved.
Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is developing plans to distribute the coronavirus vaccines once they are approved and available. The plans include giving priority to essential workers and vulnerable populations, and making it free.
And in related news, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh announced a potential breakthrough therapy.
This is good news. But don't hold your breath expecting the evening news to cover any of it.
Negative Nancy
While the world applauded yesterday's signing of the Abraham Accords, the first Middle East peace deal in more than 25 years, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was dismissive.
Asked whether the president deserved any credit for the agreement, Pelosi pivoted back to the coronavirus, saying, "Good for him for having a distraction on a day when the numbers of people who are . . . dying from this virus only increases."
Just a reminder, when Trump was moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and getting us out of the Obama/Biden Iran nuclear deal and taking out terrorist mastermind Qassem Soleimani, Pelosi and others warned that Trump was being reckless and would get us into a war.
Well, that didn't happen. Instead, we're signing historic peace deals that they dismiss as "a distraction."
An Incredible Day
I provided a brief summary of the White House event yesterday, but it's impossible to describe just how exciting it was to be there, along with the Christians United for Israel team, and hundreds of Jews, Christians and Muslims.
As many of you know, Christians United for Israel (CUFI) is a wonderful organization founded by Pastor John Hagee that has grown to more than eight million members. I am extremely proud of my affiliation with CUFI, including serving as a founding board member and as the director emeritus of CUFI Action Fund.
From the beginning of the Trump/Pence Administration, CUFI has played a major role providing grassroots support on every significant issue -- from getting out of the Iran deal to moving the embassy, promoting pro-Israel legislation and critical steps to promote peace.
It is a testament to the power of one individual, Pastor John Hagee, to make a difference on such a tremendously important issue. And I know CUFI will be making an impact for many more years to come!
Time To Get Concerned About Russia
As many of you know, I serve as a Trump-appointee on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). My fellow Commissioner Nury Turkel and I have an opinion piece at Newsweek highlighting the growing religious persecution that is occurring in Russia.
In fact, USCIRF is urging the State Department to designate Russia as a "country of particular concern," which can result in sanctions against regimes that violate religious freedom. Needless to say, Russia under Vladimir Putin has been moving in the wrong direction on many fronts for many years now, including religious freedom. You can read more in our Newsweek column here.