Category: Legislative Issues

Legislative Issues

SUNACRW pass Marriage Resolution

On September 1st SUN Area Council of Republican Women unanimously passed the following resolution is support of traditional marriage.  We have submitted the same resolution to PFRW for consideration at next week’s annual convention.

MARRIAGE

Whereas throughout the history of the world marriage has been recognized exclusively as between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and

Whereas by the recognition of marriage the state grants special benefits for spouses, and

Whereas the institution of marriage provides society with the specific benefit of its stable continuation, and

Whereas the institution of marriage is highly regulated; and as such, it is not now, nor has it been a universal right for all persons, and

Whereas sexual love has never been accepted as the sole criteria for defining marriage, let it be

Resolved that the Pennsylvania Federation of Republican Women promotes marriage as the union of one man and one woman as husband and wife, and be it further

Resolved that the Pennsylvania Federation of Republican Women confirms its support for the Republican Party position on marriage as articulated in the 2008 Republican Party platform, “Because our children’s future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it. In the absence of a national amendment, we support the right of the people of the various states to affirm traditional marriage through state initiatives.”

“Republicans have been at the forefront of protecting traditional marriage laws, both in the states and in Congress. A Republican Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states. Unbelievably, the Democratic Party has now pledged to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which would subject every state to the redefinition of marriage by a judge without ever allowing the people to vote on the matter.We also urge Congress to use its Article III, Section 2 power to prevent activist federal judges from imposing upon the rest of the nation the judicial activism in Massachusetts and California.”

SUNACRW attend Right to Work Hearings (HB 50-51)

The SUN Area Council of Republican Women traveled to Harrisburg on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 and toured PA Federation of Republican Women headquarters where they had a light lunch and then attended the Right to Work hearings; seeing our State Representatives in action.

PFRW Headquarters
State Rep Fred Keller & State Rep Lynda Schlegel Culver at HB 50-53 hearings

If you get the chance, we encourage to attend bill hearings.  Although it is not something we would want to do everyday it was very interesting to view and see how the process works.

The Transparent Times is a monthly publication of the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee. The committee is chaired by Representative Daryl Metcalfe.

August 2011 – Transparent Times – Reducing the Size of the State Legislature
On August 9, the House State Government Committee will be holding a public hearing in Harrisburg regarding legislation to reduce the size of the state legislature.

To read the full text of this publication, click here.

Join Susan Staub from PA Right to Work

A hearing on the PA Open Workforce Initiative (House Bills 50, 51, 52, and 53) will be held on Tuesday, August 16th from 1 – 4 PM in 205 Ryan Office building. Come out and support Susan as she attends and fights for a change in PA.  PA needs job!!!!

For more information about PA Right to Work visit http://www.parighttowork.org


Support Representative Metcalfe, one of the most conservative State Representatives, as he introduces a bill to expand Castle Doctrine

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Remember all of three months back when Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head during an assassination attempt in Tuscon and the political world reacted with, oh, half an hour of deceny and reflection and urged a new level of respect and less fiery rhetoric during political debate?

Well, apparently, state Rep. Margo Davidson, D-Delco, does not.

During House debate yesterday on a bill to expand the “Castle Doctrine,” a state law allowing lethal self-defense by an armed citizen who feels threatened, Davidson dragged her institution’s already sagging reputation down a peg.

In fact she shot holes in the notion of reasoned civility and suggested once again that Pennsylvania politicians are far from role models for anyone thinking of elective office.

In rendering scenarios in which the new law might excuse the killing of a person perceived as a threat, Davidson stood on the House floor and asked a question that included a reference to the chamber’s most conservative member and maybe strongest pro-gun advocate, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler County.

“If the gentleman from Butler County stood yelling, knowing that he’s a gun-toter, and I felt threatened, would I be protected under court law if I blew his brains out?”

Amid audible gasps, she then giggled.

House Speaker Sam Smith banged the gavel and ordered Davidson’s remarks stricken from the record.

Now maybe Davidson is a wonderful person and a fine legislator who just had a momentary (and despicable) lapse in judgement. Maybe because the Philly native is only in her first term she doesn’t understand that Pennsylvania is a big state represented by a men and women with various views that don’t diminish them as people.

But can you imagine the outrage if this moment was reversed and a white male rural Republican lawmaker suggested blowing the brains out of a black female Democratic lawmaker?

For that matter, can you imagine the hue and cry of liberals if any conservative said something like this during a public debate? Because, you know, it’s only the political right that infuses its rhetoric with vile language, venom and references to “lock and load” or “re-arm,” right?

This instance is a profound embarrassment to Pennsylvania, its state House and Davidson, whether her remarks are stricken from the record or not.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/growls/Blow-His-Brains-Out.html