Podcasts about disapproving

Welcome back to the High Heels and Tea Podcast! This is Crystal Lee and Reonda Hunt, and we're excited to bring you another solo episode in 2024. Today, we're diving into a girl chat about a hot topic in our group chat: Would you date a man with a butt tattoo? Click the play button to join in on our girl chat. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: 1. Would you date someone your kids don't like? 2. What would you do? CONNECT WITH US: - Follow the High Heels and Tea Podcast on social media platforms: High Heels and Tea Podcast - Email: book@highheelsandteapodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/high-heels--tea-podcast/support

Disapproving mothers, a 13-year-old comic, an Avengers stuntman, internal beer brewing, and smooch cabins on German trains are among the minutiae discussed by Rick and Dave. [Ep352]

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Join us in this insightful episode as we delve into the challenges Catholic moms face when met with family criticism, especially during holiday gatherings. Discover effective strategies to navigate these situations and regain confidence in your parenting decisions. Holiday Boundaries Scripts:  Grab yours here Want some time-freedom coaching?  Book a call with Kelsey  HERE Key Points: Embracing Imperfections: As Catholic moms, acknowledging imperfections is pivotal. Parenting involves experimentation without a one-size-fits-all approach. Confidence in Choices: Reaffirming confidence in intentional decisions, emphasizing that parenting choices are personal and not subject to external opinions. Boundaries and Respect: Differentiating healthy disagreement from disrespect. Setting boundaries when conversations turn disrespectful is crucial for maintaining self-respect and teaching healthy interaction to kids. Taking Time for Consideration: Highlighting the importance of not feeling pressured to make instant decisions. Taking time to reflect and consider advice shows thoughtfulness. Modeling Emotional Maturity: Illustrating the value of modeling emotional maturity to inspire positive change in family dynamics. Dive Deeper into True Presence: NEW!! Join our Facebook Group for Challenges and Community! NEW!! Instagram/threads: @truepresencepodcast NEW!! Facebook: True Presence Podcast Well-Ordered Week newsletter: weekly inspiration and journal prompts Too much to do and don't know where to start? Grab our Free mini-workbook, Unstuck and On Task.      

Your life has a powerful purpose and realizing that at the end, completing the journey is extremely important to you and all those you impact and leave to carry the torch when you're finished. Most of us don't know that purpose or why we encounter what we see as setbacks along the way. That's true for me, I get frustrated when my plan doesn't play out. My message to myself and Gary's Gulch today is that we're not playing out our plan, we're living out God's plan and recognizing that is key to a life of peace, abundance, joy and Agency.   Highlights How problems escalate regardless of one's wealth Why you should consider the challenges as learning opportunities instead of mistakes The intersection of faith and science, and how believing in things beyond physics is essential for growth Disapproving the belief that resources are diminishing How Gary miraculously survived the accident and how it appeared to be inexplicable on the basis of physics Having the belief that there was a divine intervention that paved the way for his survival The analogy of an archeological dig to find "golden nuggets" or lessons in life Dangers of overconfidence and complacency in life and investing The need to continue contributing to the world and living up to one's potential   Links and Resources from this Episode Connect with Gary Pinkerton https://www.paradigmlife.net/ gpinkerton@paradigmlife.net https://garypinkerton.com/     Review, Subscribe and Share If you like what you hear please leave a review by clicking here Make sure you're subscribed to the podcast so you get the latest episodes. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Audible Subscribe with Listen Notes Subscribe with RSS

Listen to Erika L. Sanchez and the No Chingues crew talk about all of the day's chingaderas:  ·      Roddy's Hatred of Jake From State Farm ·      Maybe Scared White People Have a Point (The OG Jake From State Farm Was a White Man And He Was Usurped By a BIPOC) ·      Shameless: The Crew Insults State Farm and Progressive, Then Invites Them to Advertise With Us ·      Let's Talk About Debbie! (and Erika's Filthy Uneducated Mouth) ·      Martin and Roddy Love Debbie!... ·      ...Oh Wait, No We Don't (Why Did You Drag The Dudes Into This, Debbie?) ·      Fuck Code Switching  ·      Always Be Yourself! (Unless You Suck as a Person, Then, Be Someone Else!) ·      Mike Johnson, The New Speaker of the House, is a Weird Weird Dude ·      Appeasing Sensibilities and Whatnot ·      Courageous Dog Vs. Vacuum ·      Funky Ass Cheeses ·      Jorge Misses Another Episode ·      A Big No Chingues Shake-Up? ·      The Patriarchy Lives! ·      The Ghosts of Your Creepy Ancestors ·      Nuts.com ·      RIP Victory Auto Wreckers ·      Rap City ·      Erika Hates Dads ·      No Chingues is Filmed In Front of a Live Studio Audience ·      Bad Dudes! ·      Only 7-Year Old Bad Dudes Smoke Malboros and Read Alarma Magazine ·      Writing Advice ·      Roddy and Kev Kos, Bad Dude Pals Forever ·      I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is Heading to LA Theater Scene ·      Martin's Family Should Expect to See Him After the NBA Season is Over ·      Roddy Thinks Music is Cool   We have no idea what we're doing... but we're keeping it moving with the unearned confidence of a mediocre White man! ¯_(ツ)_/¯ Listen, subscribe, share, and leave a five-star review! (or go to hell). Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads, Instagram⁠⁠⁠, --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nochingues/message --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nochingues/message

Newsly.me -- Have the news read to you by downloading the Newsly app on iOS and Android. To get 1-MONTH free from their PREMIUM service put in our code when you set up the account, NERD1N10N -- Written & Directed By: Rian Johnson -- Starring: Daisy Ridley-- John Boyega-- Oscar Isaac-- Mark Hamill-- Carrie Fisher-- Adam Driver-- Lupita Nyong'o-- Andy Serkis-- Domhnall Bleeson-- Anthony Daniels-- Gwendoline Christie-- Kelly Marie Tran-- Laura Dern-- Benicio Del Toro-- Frank Oz-- Billie Lourd-- Joonas Suotamo-- Amanda Lawrence-- Mark Lewis Jones-- --Following the battle of Starkiller Base, General Leia Organa leads Resistance forces to flee D'Qar when a First Order fleet arrives. Poe Dameron leads a costly counterattack that destroys a First Order dreadnought, but after the Resistance escapes to hyperspace, the First Order tracks them and attacks the Resistance convoy. Kylo Ren, Leia's son, hesitates to fire on the lead Resistance ship after sensing his mother's presence, but his wing-men destroy the bridge, killing most of the Resistance leadership and incapacitating Leia, who survives by using the Force. Disapproving of new leader Vice Admiral Holdo's passive strategy, Poe helps Finn, BB-8, and mechanic Rose Tico embark on a secret mission to disable the First Order's tracking device.-- Give us a follow on Twitter & Instagram @nerdinion And, give a 5-star review anywhere you can! Cheers!

Gay Men & Mental Health WITH Jarred Denzel: Gay Men Mental Health Challenges, Hard Family Dynamics Growing Up, Mending Fences with Disapproving Parents In this week's episode of The Queerly Blax Show, I had a conversation with Jarred Denzel. We talked about living with disapproving parents, addressing mental health struggles, learning that a friend was battling depression and committed suicide, living with mental health challenges and so much more! Check it out! 01:19 – Jarred Introduction02:21 – Crushes in grade school06:31 – Parents found out about sexuality through a note in his backpack11:42 – Trying to love parents while being proud to be a gay man16:22 – Mending fences with parents about sexuality20:11 – Getting started in Mental health21:17-friend killed himself23:02 – Talking about his personal mental health journey26:02- Living with depression and mental health struggles daily30:49 – Taking pride in the small wins33:13 – Being public about personal challenges online40:29 – Advice for someone on their own queer journey Social MediaQueerly Blax IG: @queerlyblaxQueerly Blax Podcast: https://pod.link/1602328143Queerly Blax Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbTFH1KU4zjauIBMlxhxHVQ/videosJarred IG: jarred.denzel

Lindsay Moran is a former clandestine officer for the Central Intelligence Agency. She is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today. In 2005, she published her memoir Blowing My Cover, My Life As A Spy, in which she wrote about her experiences as a case officer from 1998 to 2003. After graduating from Harvard and submitting an application that included her language skills and her time living in Eastern Europe as a Fulbright scholar, Moran was recruited to work for the CIA. She began her orientation in the Directorate of Operations (DO), the clandestine branch of the Agency, after which she was sent to "The Farm", the field academy for clandestine officers. at a base Her year of training included paramilitary exercises, mock ambushes, parachute jumps, car crashes, and driving powerboats.  She completed the training course in December 1999, a year after the CIA's director George Tenet declared war on Al-Qaeda.  After graduating from "The Farm", Moran was deployed under the official cover of a foreign diplomat. As a case officer for the CIA, Moran's primary job was to spot, assess, develop, and recruit foreigners willing to sell secrets, as well as maintaining the agents who were already under her control. Her interest in spy work gradually diminished because of the pressure her career had put on her personal life, and her growing disillusionment with the CIA's bureaucracy, especially after the September 11th attacks.  She was also disappointed with the agency itself since she felt that her career advancement as a case officer, in general, depended not so much on the quality of agents that she recruited, but rather on the quantity. The more recruits they had, the better. Disapproving of the war in Iraq, she worked on the Iraq desk at headquarters during the Iraq invasion and resigned from the CIA after five years there.

Tonight, Joe Biden is set to give his State of the Union Address, here on The Benny Show we will bring you THE REAL State of the Union, A New Poll Shows a Career-low 37% of Americans Approve of Biden's Job Performance, with 55% Disapproving and the Number of House Democrats Jumping Ship Before the Midterms has Risen to 31!

On a quick hit of best bits, we look at some of the best segments throughout the year with Hughesy, Ed and Erin!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karel Cast Big Bird Must Die, Disapproving Nation Big bird gets a vaccine on TV and the opposition party's heads explode on live TV. Why? Kids get vaccinated all the time. Then, Biden and Kamala's approval ratings are in the tanks, why? Because they are a disapproving nation. We simply don't like anything or anybody anymore. Plus, how many people really watch sports, attend plays, watch a TV network. The numbers may shock you. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe at YouTube.com/reallykarel @ReallyKarel is all social media and website reallykarel.com https://youtu.be/_5JsEHaA5iw

Karel Cast Big Bird Must Die, Disapproving Nation Big bird gets a vaccine on TV and the opposition party's heads explode on live TV. Why? Kids get vaccinated all the time. Then, Biden and Kamala's approval ratings are in the tanks, why? Because they are a disapproving nation. We simply don't like anything or anybody anymore. Plus, how many people really watch sports, attend plays, watch a TV network. The numbers may shock you. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe at YouTube.com/reallykarel @ReallyKarel is all social media and website reallykarel.com

Karel Cast Big Bird Must Die, Disapproving NationBig bird gets a vaccine on TV and the opposition party's heads explode on live TV. Why? Kids get vaccinated all the time. Then, Biden and Kamala's approval ratings are in the tanks, why? Because they are a disapproving nation. We simply don't like anything or anybody anymore. Plus, how many people really watch sports, attend plays, watch a TV network. The numbers may shock you. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe at YouTube.com/reallykarel @ReallyKarel is all social media and website reallykarel.com

Hell has officially frozen over when Patty, Jen's mother, reluctantly agrees to be a guest on this weeks episode. This is one for the history books! She hates her podcast in a big way and isn't afraid to tell her why for everyone to hear... Sh*t gets real while they talk about Jen's ex boyfriends, what she was like in high school, and other embarrassing stories.

On September 17, 1787, Benjamin Franklin wanted to deliver a closing speech to the Convention prior to the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Physically unable to give the speech himself, Franklin had fellow Pennsylvanian James Wilson deliver the speech he had prepared. It is considered one of his finest and most important speeches ever written.

One of the best ways to track cultural changes is to look at the new words that make their way into the dictionary each and every year. Back in January, the Merriam-Webster dictionary added a two-word phrase that is worth pondering for the simple reason that it describes what I believe to be a character flaw that can very easily become a habit. The phrase is “performative disapproving”. It refers to a kind of online digital human interaction where a person posts a meme, a picture, or a statement that communicates a dislike for or an objection to something. Last year's political, Covid, and racial divisions created an environment where performative disapproving was widespread. But when the stated objections are made purely as an act of show to bolster one's image or to make a positive impression on others, it is not an act rooted in conviction, but in dishonesty. The Scriptures tell us that we are to tell the truth. And, we are not to find our identity, value, or worth in the approval of others. 

Join your hosts Crystal North and Kimberly Romanoff as we talk tiredly about life, love, support, family and mommy issues.

One of the best ways to track cultural changes is to look at the new words that make their way into the dictionary each and every year. Back in January, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary added a two-word phrase that is worth pondering for the simple reason that it describes what I believe to be a character flaw that can very easily become a habit. The phrase is “performative disapproving”. It refers to a kind of online digital human interaction where a person posts a meme, a picture, or a statement that communicates a dislike for or an objection to something. Last year’s political, Covid, and racial divisions created an environment where performative disapproving was widespread. But when the stated objections are made purely as an act of show to bolster one’s image or to make a positive impression on others, it is not an act rooted in conviction, but in dishonesty. The Scriptures tell us that we are to tell the truth. And, we are not to find our identity, value, or worth in the approval of others. 

VOTT: In Southeast Asia, Filipinos the most disapproving of govt Covid response | Feb 12, 2021#TheManilaTimes#VoiceOfTheTimesSubscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribeVisit our website at https://www.manilatimes.netFollow us:Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebookInstagram - https://tmt.ph/instagramTwitter - https://tmt.ph/twitterDailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotionSubscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digitalCheck out our Podcasts:Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotifyApple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcastsAmazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusicDeezer: tmt.ph/deezerStitcher: tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: tmt.ph/tuneinSoundcloud: tmt.ph/soundcloud Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

H.Res. 517 – Supporting the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and its Sixth Replenishment, as amended (Rep. Engel – Foreign Affairs)  fight AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria is an effective partnership of governments, the private sector, civil society, and affected communities to transform the response to these epidemics. Agreed to by voice vote H.R. 3460 – End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act (Rep. Smith (NJ) – Foreign Affairs) To facilitate effective research on and treatment of neglected tropical diseases through coordinated international efforts Agreed to by voice vote S. 178 – UIGHUR Act of 2019, as amended (Sen. Rubio – Foreign Affairs) to direct United States resources to address human rights violations and abuses, including gross violations of human rights, by the People’s Republic of China’s mass surveillance and internment of over 1,000,000 Uighurs and other predominantly Turkic Muslim ethnic minorities in China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region  Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): Roll no. 644). H.Res. 546 – Disapproving the Russian Federation’s inclusion in future Group of Seven summits until it respects the territorial integrity of its neighbors and adheres to the standards of democratic societies (Rep. Sires – Foreign Affairs)  Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 339 – 71 (Roll no. 643). H.Res. 585 – Reaffirming support for the Good Friday Agreement and other agreements to ensure lasting peace in Northern Ireland (Rep. Suozzi – Foreign Affairs)  urges the United Kingdom and the European Union to ensure that any exit from the European Union by the United Kingdom supports continued peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, objectives, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 4803 – Citizenship for Children of Military Members and Civil Servants Act, as amended (Rep. Nadler – Judiciary)  To facilitate the automatic acquisition of citizenship for lawful permanent resident children of military and Federal Government personnel residing abroad,  Agreed to by voice vote H.R. 565 – AMIGOS Act, as amended (Rep. Cicilline – Judiciary)  This bill makes Portuguese nationals eligible for E-1 and E-2 non-immigrant visas if the government of Portugal provides similar non-immigrant status to U.S. nationals. An E-1 visa is for individuals entering the U.S. to engage in international trade, while an E-2 visa is for individuals investing a substantial amount of capital in the U.S. Both are limited to nationals from countries that have a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States.  Agreed to by voice vote H.R. 4018 – To provide that the amount of time an elderly offender must serve before being eligible for placement in home detention is to be reduced by the amount of good time credits earned by the prisoner, and for other purposes, as amended (Rep. Deutch – Judiciary) to provide that the amount of time that an elderly offender must serve before being eligible for placement in home detention is to be reduced by the amount of good time credits earned by the prisoner  Agreed to by voice vote H.R. 2534 – Insider Trading Prohibition Act (Rep. Himes – Financial Services) (Subject to a Rule)  To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to prohibit certain securities trading and related communications by those who possess material, nonpublic information.  Scheduled H.Res. 326 – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding United States efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated two-state solution (Rep. Lowenthal – Foreign Affairs) (Subject to a Rule)  only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel, Palestinians, and their neighbors can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own  Scheduled S.151– Pallone-Thune TRACED Act, as amended (Sen. Thune – Energy and Commerce)To deter criminal robocall violations and improve enforcement of section 227(b) of the Communications Act of 1934  Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 97 – 1…..On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 417 – 3 (Roll no. 647). H.R. 1138 (To reauthorize the West Valley demonstration project, and for other purposes. Passed by unanimous consent).  To reauthorize the West Valley demonstration project.  House agreed by voice vote. Senate agreed by unanimous consent Support the show.

This morning we talk dreams involving celebrities, we talk plasters and we talk animals in love songs. Enjoy!

Find out why Carolyn's mom is a diva and why Sandy's photog let out a HUGE sigh in the middle of the shoot!

Today we answer your questions about premarital advice, share our thoughts on the Bachelorette and figure out what to do about an overly disapproving and critical boyfriend.  Today’s show is brought to you by Audible, get your FREE Audiobook when you visit http://audibletrial.com/anatomyofmarriage

Leslie and her mom have a hard time connecting. Her mom says hurtful things to her when she disapproves. Megan's family doesn't support her goal of joining the National Guard. Sarah is 15 and wants to get married. Her dad thinks it's a bad idea. Tiffany's use to bottling up her feelings due to past abuse. Her boyfriend's getting frustrated. Katrina's ex broke her heart. He married someone else and now says he's miserable. Listen & talk live with Dawson McAllister on Sunday nights at 7pm CT at DMLive.com.  

Exactly what it reads

It seems everything gets a gritty remake these days, but did LM Montgomery’s classic book series ANNE OF GREEN GABLES really need the Batman Begins treatment? Disapproving of the recent remakes, this week Dave and Ashley review the original, Kevin Sullivan’s 1985 adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (yes we realize there is a 1934 film as well). Ashley tries and (perhaps) fails to be somewhat objective about her pick and one of her childhood favorites. And Dave waxes poetic about the joys of watching Anne (Megan Follows) find her chosen family and make a place for herself in the world. Subscribe in iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Visit our site: shutupwatchthis.wordpress.com Send your feedback to shutupwatchthis@gmail.com Please consider leaving a review or a star rating on iTunes, so other folks can find us. © 2019 Ashley Carr & Dave Wilson

Ted Dinard. He had a passion for the arts. He was also deeply in love with Steven Carrington (Al Corley). After a confused Steven returned home to Denver, leaving Ted and New York far behind, a distraught Ted followed pursuit to win him back. Disapproving of their relationship, oil tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) demanded Steven end his involvement with Ted. Steven, realizing he was indeed unsure of his feelings, broke things off with Ted. Unfortunately, Blake walked in as they embraced, not aware they were actually saying goodbye - and went into a rage throwing Ted down. Sadly, Ted was killed upon hitting his head, resulting in a high profile trial. Don't miss this amazing interview that goes in-depth with the man behind Ted Dinard, the tremendously talented Mark Withers! We will be discussing DYNASTY, Ted Dinard, and if this storyline was way ahead of its time. Over one hour and 14 minutes in length with carefully selected clips from DYNASTY!! Also his amazing career and personal background is all shared. Scene Clips featuring: DYNASTY - ABC DYNASTY theme by: Bill Conti                                                                                                                                                                      Aaron Spelling Productions / ABC Meaningful, in-depth, and fun interviews on Hollywood and Beyond with Steven BrittinghamProduced, Created and Hosted by: Steven Brittingham Contact Steven: hollywoodandbeyondshow@gmail.com Show Greeting by: Actress Anna Easteden  Hollywood and Beyond Theme by: Dario Saraceno  Be sure to visit Hollywood and Beyond with Steven Brittingham on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter today for upcoming guest and show news

Our duty as voters is to judge the job performance of our members of Congress and decide whether or not they deserve to be re-hired or fired from their positions as lawmakers. In this episode, Jen summarizes 20 controversial bills and laws that passed during the 115th Congress which you can use to judge whether your Representative and two Senators have voted in your best interest. Links to all of the votes are listed in this episode's show notes on www.congressionaldish.com Please Support Congressional Dish - Quick Links Click here to contribute a lump sum or set up a monthly contribution via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Use your bank’s online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North Number 4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD174: Bank Lobbyist Act CD163: Net Neutrality CD157: Failure to Repeal CD151: AHCA - The House Version (American Health Care Act) CD129: The Impeachment of John Koskinen CD069: Giving Away Your Land CD048: The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) Bills S.2155: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, introduced Nov 16, 2017, enacted May 24, 2018. Outlined in detail in CD174: Bank Lobbyist Act First significant re-writing of the banking laws since Dodd-Frank in 2010 Most significant change: Kills a Dodd-Frank requirement that banks with more than $50 billion in assets undergo stress tests to ensure their stabilityr. Bank Lobbyist Act changed that so stress tests will only be required for banks with over $250 billion. This exempts 25 of the 38 largest US banks from important regulations. Passed the Senate 67-31 Passed House of Representatives 258-159   H.R.1628: American Health Care Act of 2017, introduced March 20, 2017, passed House May 4. 2017. Outlined in detail in CD151: ACHA The House Version (American Health Care Act) There were quite a few versions of bills that would have ripped up the rules placed on insurance companies by the Affordable Care Act, but every version - including this one - eliminated the requirements that health insurance cover “essential health benefits”, which include: Ambulances Emergencies Hospital stays Maternity and newborn care Mental health Prescription drugs Rehab Lab work Preventative visits Dental and vision for children Would have also allowed - in some circumstance - insurance companies to charge us more for “pre-existing conditions” Passed the House of Representatives 217-213 All Democrats no's 20 Republicans no’s   S.Amdt. 667 (McConnell) to H.R. 1628: Of a perfecting nature., July 28, 2017. The “Skinny Repeal” is a wildly irresponsible 8 page bill, which was only available to read for a few hours before the vote, which also would have allowed the sale of health insurance that doesn’t cover the essential health benefits. This vote was the famous, dramatic moment when John McCain turned his thumb down and killed the bill. Get the full story in CD157: Failure to Repeal Failed Senate 49-51 All Democrats and Independents voted no   S.J.Res. 34: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to "Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services." introduced March 7, 2017, enacted April 3, 2017. Regulation overturned: Killed a regulation that applied the privacy requirements of the Communications Act of 1934 to internet access and telecommunications providers. Required them to: Provide privacy notices that clearly and accurately inform customers Get opt-in or opt-out customer approval to use and share customer information Require opt-in’s when the company is making money from selling our information Secure our information Notify customers of data breaches Not condition service upon the customer’s surrender of privacy rights Passed Senate 50-48 All Republicans yes All Democrats and Independents no Passed House 215-205 - All Democrats no   H.R. 21: Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017, introduced January 3, 2017, passed House January 4, 2017. Allows Congress to bundle rules that they want to prevent into one bill so there is a single vote on a joint resolution of disapproval. This means that each one will not be carefully considered as is required now. Passed the House of Representatives 238-184 Every Democrat voted no Has not been voted on in the Senate   H.R. 26: Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017, introduced January 3, 2017, passed House January 5, 2017. Changes the Congressional Review Act to require Congressional review of major agency regulations before they can go into effect. Passed the House 237-187 all Republicans voted yes Has not been voted on in the Senate   H.J.Res. 38: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule, introduced January 30, 2017, enacted February 16, 2017. Regulation overturned: Killed the “Stream Protection Rule”, which required permits to specify when coal mining would reach a damaging level for ground and surface water quality. Stricter water quality monitoring requirements in streams. Required land disturbed by mining be restored to a condition similar to what it was before the mining. Passed Senate 54-45 Passed House 228-194   H.J.Res. 41: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule submitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to "Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers." introduced January 30, 2017, enacted February 14, 2017. Regulation overturned: Kills a regulation requiring fossil fuel companies to annually report any payments made by the company or a subsidiary to a foreign government or the Federal Government for the commercial development of oil, natural gas, or minerals. Passed Senate 52-47 All Republicans yes All Democrats and Independents no Passed House 235-187   H.J.Res. 44: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior relating to Bureau of Land Management regulations that establish the procedures used to prepare, revise, or amend land use plans pusuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, introduced January 30, 2017, enacted March 27, 2017. Regulation overturned: Kills a regulation that enhanced opportunities for public involvement during the preparation of resource management plans by increasing public access to plans in earlier stages of the process, allowing the public to submit data and other information. Passed Senate 51-48 All Republicans yes All Democrats and Indepedents no Passed House 234-186   H.J.Res. 40: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, introduced January 30, 2017, enacted February 28, 2017. Regulation overturned: Kills a regulation that required Federal agencies to give the Attorney General information on more people for inclusion in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). People who would be added include people collecting disability benefits due to mental instability. Passed Senate 57-43 All Republicans voted yes Passed House 235-180   H.J.Res. 83: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to Clarification of Employer's Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness, introduced February 21, 2017, enacted April 3, 2017. Regulation overturned: Kills a regulation that made clear that the requirement to record work-related injuries and illnesses is an ongoing obligation; the duty does not expire if the employer fails to create records in the first place. The records must be complete for as long as records are required, which is 5 years and citations can be issued for up to 6 months after that. Passed Senate 50-48 All Republicans yes All Democrats and Independents no Passed House 231-191   H.J.Res. 37: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration relating to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, introduced January 30, 2017, enacted March 27, 2017. Regulation overturned: Kills a regulation that required contractors for the Defense Department, General Services Administration, and NASA to report their compliance with 14 federal labor laws, required contractors to provide documentation on “hours worked, overtime hours, pay, and additions to or deductions from pay” in each pay period, and limited mandatory arbitration of employee claims for contracts and subcontracts worth more than $1 million. Passed Senate 49-48 All Republicans voted yes All Democrats and Independents voted no Passed House 236-187   H.J.Res. 111: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer Finanacial Protection relating to "Arbitration Agreements" introduced July 20, 2017, enacted November 1, 2017. Regulation Overturned: Killed a regulation that prohibited banks and other financial institutions from forcing arbitration in their contracts to prevent customers from filing and participating in class action lawsuits. Passed Senate 51-50 VP Mike Pence broke the tie All Democrats and Independents voted no Passed House 231-190 All Democrats voted no   S.J.Res. 57: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer financial Protection relating to "Indirect Auto Lending and Cmopliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act" introduced March 22, 2018, enacted May 21, 2018. CFPB regulation overturned: Killed a regulation that included auto dealers in the definition of “creditor” for the purpose of prohibiting them from discriminating in any way in a credit transaction on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or welfare assistance. Passed Senate 51-47 All Republicans yes All Independents no Passed House 234-175   S. 204: Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2017, introduced January 24, 2017, enacted May 30, 2018. Allows people diagnosed with a life-threatening diseases or conditions who have exhausted approved treatment options and can’t participate in a clinical trial on an experimental drug that has not been FDA approved to get that drug directly from the drug company, with a doctor’s approval. Allows drug companies to sell their unapproved drugs directly to customers as long as the drugs have to have been through a completed Phase 1 of a clinical trial. This law says the Secretary of HHS can’t use the clinical outcomes of the patient’s use of the drug to delay or adversely affect the review or approval of the drug, unless he/she certifies it’s for safety reasons or the drug company requests that data be used. Gives legal immunity to the drug companies, prescribers, dispensers or an “other individual entity” unless there is willful misconduct, gross negligence, to the intentional breaking of a state law. Passed the Senate by unanimous consent (no recorded vote) Passed House 250-169 on May 22 All Republican votes were yes's Along with 22 Democrats   H.R. 772: Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017, introduced January 31, 2017, passed House February 6, 2018. Changes the calorie disclosure requirements from telling us the number of calories in the standard menu item as usually prepared to allowing them to tell us the calories per serving, with them determining what a serving is. Allows restaurants to choose whether they will display calories by entire combo meals, by individual items in combos, by servings in items in combos. Let’s them use ranges, averages, or “other methods” as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (making it a decision of political appointee) Eliminates the requirement that restaurants provide calories in store if “the majority of orders are placed by customers who are off-premises” Restaurants will not be required to get any signed certifications of compliance. Restaurants can not be held liable in civil courts for violating nutrition disclosure laws. Passed the House 266-157 Has not been voted on in the Senate   H.R. 2936: Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017, introduced June 20, 2017, passed House November 1, 2017. Allows more wood to be removed by the logging industry from Federal Forests and exempts them some from environmental regulations Passed House 232-188 Has not been voted on in the Senate   H.R. 4606: Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act, introduced December 11, 2017, passed House September 6, 2018. Deems the importation or exportation of natural gas to be “consistent with the public interest” and says the applications for importation or exportation “shall be granted without modification or delay” if the volume does not exceed 0.14 billion cubic feet per day and if the application doesn’t require an environmental impact statement. Passed House 260-146 Has not been voted on in the Senate   H.R. 1119: Satisfying Energy Needs and Saving the Environment Act (SENSE Act), introduced Febraury 16, 2017, passed House March 8, 2018. Says the EPA must give coal companies the choice of if their steam generators will comply with emissions standards for hydrogen chloride or sulfur dioxide. The EPA is not allowed to require compliance with both Passed House 215-189 Has not been voted on in the Senate       H.R. 3053: Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2018, introduced June 26, 2017, passed House May 10, 2018. Forces the continuance of the process of moving all the nuclear waste in the United States to Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Grants the entire US government immunity for damages caused in the course of “any mining, mineral leasing, or geothermal leasing activity” conducted on the land reserved for nuclear waste disposal. Speeds up the approval process by 6 months for interim storage and basically forbids disapproval Would Increase by 57% the amount of spent fuel allowed to be held during construction - no environmental review to make sure the tanks can hold this much The Secretary of Energy does NOT need to consider alternative actions or no-action alternatives to infrastructure projects needed for Yucca mountain as far as environmental analysis are concerned. Passed the House of Representatives 340-72 Has not been voted on in the Senate                       H.R. 7: No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017, introduced January 13, 2017, passed House January 24, 2017. Makes permanent a common funding law amendment that prevents federal money from being used to perform abortions. This bill would also prevent any government payment assistance on the health insurance exchanges for plans that cover abortion - which effectively would stop health insurance companies from offering abortion coverage in their plans since that would make them ineligible for many of us to purchase. Passed the House of Representatives 238-183 All Republicans voted yes Has not been voted on in the Senate       Additional Reading Article: Pompeo eyes Fox News reporter to head Counterpropaganda Office by Robbie Gramer and Elias Groll, Foreign Policy, September 6, 2018. Article: "Right to Try" is a cruel farce by Beatrice Adler-Bolton, Jacobin Magazine, August 12, 2018. Article: The 'right to try' could cost dying patients a fortune by Michelle Cortez, Bloomberg, June 20, 2018. Article: Congress works to revive long-delayed plan to store nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain by Michael Collins, USA Today, June 3, 2018. Report: Johnson to FDA: Agency should comply with right to try law, U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, May 31, 2018. Article: Senator behind right-to-try law says its intent is to weaken FDA by Anna Edney, Bloomberg, May 31, 2018. Opinion: Right to Try Act poses big challenge for FDA by Michael D. Becker, NPR, May 24, 2018. Article: Right-to-try bill headed for vote puts bigger burden on FDA to protect patients, Gottlieb says by Ike Swetlitz and Erin Mershon, Stat News, May 17, 2018. Article: Walden, Shimkus, Lance, Walters steer House toward advancing nuclear waste bill by Ripon Advance News Service, May 14, 2018. Article: House passes Yucca bill, but its future is uncertain as Heller pledges to stop it in the Senate by Humberto Sanchez, The Nevada Independent, May 11, 2018. Article: The revenge of the stadium banks by David Dayen, The Intercept, March 2, 2018. Article: Pence says that Congress should get right-to-try legislation 'done' by Erin Mershon, Stat News, January 18, 2018. Statement: Examining patient access to investigational drugs by Scott Gottlieb, FDA.gov, October 3, 2017. Article: What was in the failed Senate 'skinny repair' health care bill? by Tami Luhby, CNN Money, July 28, 2017. Article: Scott Gottlieb: Conflicts surround Trump's FDA pick by Sandee LaMotte, CNN, April 4, 2017. Report: House passes bill to overturn 'midnight' regulations en masse by Lydia Wheeler, The Hill, January 4, 2017. Article: Now you have to keep OSHA injury records for 5 years by Fred Hosier, Safety News Alert, December 21, 2016. Opinion: With Harry Reid's retirement, will the Yucca Mountain plan be revived? by The Times Editorial Board, Los Angeles Times, December 8, 2016. Article: Bankers ease rules on automatic student loan defaults by Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, The Washington Post, October 27, 2016. Article: Sallie Mae under fire for death-induce defaults by Shahien Nasiripour, Huffpost, April 25, 2014. Report: Victim: Gang-rape cover-up by U.S., Halliburton/KBR by Brian Ross, Maddy Sauer, And Justin Rood, ABC News, December 10, 2007. Resources Company Information: Volks Constructors Corporation Congressional Publication: Disapproval of Regulations by Congress: Procedure Under Congressional Review Act, Oct 10, 2001. Court Report: Petition for Review of a Final Order of the Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission Disease Information: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), MDA.org Explanatory Statement: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018 Fact Sheet: President Trump: Cutting Red Tape for American Businesses FDA: Expanded Acces INDs and Protocols Law Resolutions: Congressional Review Act (CRA) Letter: Scott Gottlieb to Elizabeth J. Fischmann, Associate General Councel for Ethics Letter to the Senate: Dean Heller, Re: 2019 NRC Approps LinkedIn Profile: Scott Gottlieb OpenSecrets.org: Rep. Bruce Westerman - Arkansas District 04 OpenSecrets.org: Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers - Washington District 05 OpenSecrets.org: Domino's Pizza OpenSecrets.org: Sen. Ron Johnson - Wisconsin Study Report: Clinical Development Success Rates Study 2006-2015 Sound Clip Sources House Session: Legislative Day of May 22, 2018, HouseLive.gov. 6:13:00 - Rep. Mike Burgess (TX) "The bill we will be voting out soon is about patients. It is about having more time with their loved ones. In the words of Vice President MIKE PENCE, ‘‘It’s about restoring hope and giving patients with life-threatening diseases a fighting chance.’’ With hundreds of thousands of Americans with a terminal illness and their families looking for us to act, I urge Members of this House, the people’s House, to support restoring hope and giving them a fighting chance at life." Hearing: House Hearing; Yucca Mountain, May 10, 2018. 32:00 Representative Greg Walden (OR): You know, the Department of Energy’s Hanford site is just up the mighty Columbia River from where I live and where I grew up. That area and those workers helped us win World War II, and the site’s nuclear program was instrumental in projecting peace through strength throughout the Cold War. While the community has been a constructive partner in support of our vital national security missions, it did not agree to serve as a perpetual storage site for the resulting nuclear waste. Fifty-six million gallons of toxic waste sitting in decades-old metal tanks at Hanford—these are those tanks that were being constructed to hold this waste. They are now buried in the ground. The only entry point is right here. The amount of waste stored at Hanford would fill this entire House Chamber 20 times over. According to a recent Government Accountability Office report, the oldest of these tanks, some of which date back to the 1940s, have single-layer walls, or shells. They were built to last 20 years. They will be almost 100 years old by the estimated end of their waste treatment. The Department of Energy has reported that 67 of these tanks are assumed or known to have leaked waste into the soil. There is an understandable sense of urgency in the Northwest behind the cleanup efforts that are under way at Hanford. H.R. 3053 will provide the pathway to clean up the contaminated Hanford site. You see, the waste from Hanford will end up in a secure permanent storage site that we believe will be Yucca Mountain. 35:15 Representative Greg Walden (OR): The legislation authorizes the Department of Energy to contract with private companies to store nuclear waste while DOE finishes the rigorous scientific analysis of the repository design and the associated Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing process. So, an interim storage facility can bring added flexibility to DOE’s disposal program and may provide a more expeditious near-term pathway to consolidate spent nuclear fuel. 41.31 Representative Fred Upton (MI): In my district, we have two nuclear plants. Both of them have run out of room in their storage, so they have dry casks that are literally a John Shimkus baseball throw away from Lake Michigan. Every one of these 100-some sites across the country is in an environmentally sensitive area, and at some point they’re going to run out of room. In Michigan, we’ve got two other sites that also have dry casks in addition to the two in my district. 45:05 Representative Buddy Carter (GA): This legislation is important not only because of what it means to the future of clean-energy opportunities for this country, but also what this means for our communities. Nuclear energy has become a safe and effective way to generate energy, all while not producing greenhouse gas emissions. 53:29 Representative Leonard Lance (NJ): New Jersey is home to four nuclear reactors at three generating stations: Oyster Creek, Hope Creek, and Salem. Oyster Creek will be closing this October. In the congressional district I serve, these plants account for about half of the power generation and 90 percent of the carbon-free electricity. New Jersey’s nuclear plants avoid 14 million tons of carbon emissions each year. Public Service, FirstEnergy, and Exelon are doing their part in storing their station’s spent nuclear fuel on-site, but we need a permanent site. The expertise and know-how of the federal government has a responsibility to my constituents and to the American people. I want the 3,000 metric tons of nuclear waste out of New Jersey and consolidated in a national protected facility. 58:54 Representative Dina Titus (NV): The first ‘‘Screw Nevada’’ bill was passed in 1982, and since that time, Nevada’s residents, elected officials, business leaders, health and environmental groups have steadfastly opposed the Yucca Mountain repository. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record over 100 letters from those groups in opposition. 59:19 Representative Dina Titus (NV): You’ve heard that the legislation before you now, ‘‘Screw Nevada 2.0,’’ is a work of compromise, a bipartisan effort, not perfect, but a step forward. Well, that, frankly, is an opinion. It’s not the facts. Here are the facts: the legislation overrides environmental laws, allowing the EPA to move the goalposts in terms of radiation limits to ensure that nothing will ever interfere with the agenda of the nuclear industry. It sets up a consent-based process for the establishment of an interim storage facility but imposes a permanent facility at Yucca Mountain. It increases the amount of nuclear waste to be dumped in Nevada by 37 percent, 110 metric tons more that were not considered in any of the environmental or safety studies being used to justify the project. It also removes the prohibition currently in law that prohibits Nevada from being the de facto interim storage facility until a permanent one can be licensed. It was also changed after passing out of committee to address the high scoring costs—is it already three minutes? Chairman: Gentlewoman’s time has expired. Representative Paul Tonko: Mr. Speaker, we grant the gentlelady another minute. Chairman: Gentlelady’s recognized. Rep. Titus: Thank you. —to address the high scoring costs, making it less likely that we get host benefits. Also, contrary to the sponsor’s comments, the area around Yucca Mountain is not some desolate area. It has iconic wildlife, endangered species, and Native American artifacts. Also, the proposed facility sits above the water table and on an active fault and can only be reached by roads that travel through 329 of your congressional districts. 1:03:53 Representative Ruben Kihuen (NV): You know, Mr. Speaker, I find it offensive. I sit here and listen to all my colleagues, and they all want to send nuclear waste to the state of Nevada. They’re all generating this nuclear waste, and they want to send it to my backyard right in the Fourth Congressional District. You know, bottom line is this, Mr. Speaker: if you generate nuclear waste, you should keep it in your own backyard. Don’t be sending it to our backyard. 1:11:27 Representative Joe Courtney (CT): Next to me is a picture of Haddam Neck, Connecticut, which is a pristine part of the state where the Connecticut River and the Salmon River come together. Where the circle is on the photograph, there are 43 casks of spent nuclear power uranium rods that, again, today, pretty much cordon off that whole area. If you drove up in a car, you’d be met by a platoon of heavily armed security guards who, for good reason, have to patrol that area every single day because of the dangerous material that is stored there. That has been the case for over 20 years. It costs Connecticut ratepayers $10 million a year, again, for a site that should be long overdue for renovation and access to folks from all over the world because of its rich archeological and historical area. This bill provides a way out for this area, along with 120 other sites across the country, that host communities have been saddled with storage of spent nuclear fuel because of the fact that this country has been unable to come together with a coherent policy. And this bill provides a way out. 1:15:23 Representative Dana Rohrabacher (CA): This bill authorizes the construction of Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste storage site, which would alleviate the burden of incredible risk that is now borne by communities throughout the country, such as in my district, where homes are not far located from the closed San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. That, and many other plants throughout the nation, have closed their doors in decades. Yet, Congress has yet to agree of how to safely store that waste, while—and what’s really important is we must store the waste—but while we develop new nuclear energy technologies, that we are capable of doing, that are safe and produce less of their own waste and can consume the waste of older plants—I reminded Secretary of Energy Perry of that yesterday—but, in the meantime, until that technology—by the way, it is sinful that we have not developed that technology, which we are capable of, that could eat this waste—but until we do, having safe storage at Yucca Mountain makes all the sense to me and is safe for my constituents. 1:17:07 Representative Rick Allen (GA): Mr. Speaker, I have the great honor of representing Georgia’s 12th Congressional District, which is home to every nuclear reactor in our state, and we are leading the way in the new nuclear. At Plant Vogtle, in my district, there are thousands of spent fuel rods being held in spent fuel pools and dry cask storage containers, and in the next few years we’re going to double the number of nuclear reactors online at Vogtle. Hearing: House Hearing; Forests Act, November 1, 2017. 3:02:49 Representative Bruce Poliquin (MA): Now, H.R. 2936 brings federal regulations in line with this new technology and new standards of safety by allowing family-owned logging business the ability to train 16- and 17-year-olds under very close supervision of their parents. 3:23:31 Representative Greg Walden (OR): In Oregon, this bill would take away arbitrary prohibition on harvesting trees over 21 inches in diameter. It’s tied the hands of our forest managers. 3:28:00 Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA): I represent the Colville National Forest, which is about a million-acre forest. It’s really the engine of our economy in the Northwest, because what happens on the Colville National Forest determines whether or not we have Vaagen’s lumber or 49 Degrees North ski resort or the biomass facility that Avista runs, converting wood waste into electricity. This is all providing jobs, energy, recreational opportunities. Yet mills have been closed, jobs have been lost. It’s unacceptable. It’s time to pass the Resilient Federal Forests legislation. 5:32:57 Representative Jeff Denham (CA): The Resilient Federal Forests Act gives us the tools to immediately reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires. It allows us to expedite the removal of dead trees and rapidly mitigate disease-infested areas. 5:41:58 Representative Louie Gohmert (TX): If you want to just leave it to nature, nature will destroy massive numbers of acres of land. So we have a responsibility. Even in the Garden of Eden when things were perfect, God said, tend the garden. 6:06:29 Representative Raul Grijalva (AZ): This is not the first time we have seen the bill, this piece of legislation. House Republicans sent a version to the Senate in the 113th and the 114th Congress, where it languished on the shelf because our colleagues on the other side of the Capitol found it too extreme. Rather than view that experience as an opportunity to seek compromise, this time around, today, we are considering a bill that is even more extreme and polarizing. They doubled the environmental review waivers, added language to undermine the Endangered Species Act, and scaled back protections for national monuments and roadless areas. 6:07:39 Representative Raul Grijalva (AZ): But this bill is not about forest health or wildfire mitigation; it’s about increasing the number of trees removed from our forests. 6:18:24 Representative Tom McClintock (CA): You know, there’s an old adage that excess timber comes out of the forest one way or the other—it’s either carried out or it burns out. When we carried it out, we had resilient, healthy forests and a thriving economy, as excess timber was sold and harvested before it could choke our forests to death. In the years since then, we’ve seen an 80 percent decline in timber sales from our federal lands and a concomitant increase in acreage destroyed by forest fire. I would remind my friend from Oregon that timber sales used to generate us money, not cost us money. The direct revenues and spin-off commerce generated by these sales provided a stream of revenues that we could then use to improve our national forests and share with the local communities affected. 6:22:38 Representative Jared Huffman (CA): Title I of this bill allows intensive logging projects of 10,000 to 30,000 acres each. That’s as big as the entire city of San Francisco. Projects of that size can proceed on federal public lands without any environmental review under NEPA, without any compliance with the Endangered Species Act. Title II of the bill eliminates the requirement that the Forest Service consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service; essentially, lets the Forest Service decide for itself if it wants to follow the Endangered Species Act consultation requirements regarding any of its projects on public lands. Title III further chokes judicial review by prohibiting the recovery of attorneys' fees for any challenges to forest management activity under the Equal Access to Justice Act, including meritorious successful challenges. This severely limits public review of logging projects on federal public lands. Hearing: Examining patient access to investigational drugs, Energy & Commerce, October 3, 2017. House Session: Legislative Day of January 4, 2017, Houselive.gov 4:15:30 - Rep. Darrell Issa (CA) "For the freshmen of either party,when you go to make a vote on this, re-member, we are not changing the un-derlying law. Only one regulation under the underlying law has ever been repealed, and it was bipartisan in both the House and the Senate when it was repealed. It has been 16 years, and the few that will likely be considered under this act and the underlying law will be just that, a relatively few regulations that are believed to be unnecessary and for which the House, the Senate, and the President concur.   Video: Josh Lyman Sick of Congress, YouTube, July 23, 2012. Community Suggestions See more Community Suggestions HERE. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)  

2 Chronicles 25:5-13 & Ezra 4:1-5 Approving and Disapproving of What Others Are Doing - Part II Lesson 1: We must disapprove when we’re __________________ __________ (2 Chr 25:5-7; 2 Cor 6:14-18). Lesson 2: Obedience doesn’t always ____________ in ________________ (2 Chr 25:10-13; Gen 39:7-20). Lesson 3: Today’s __________ are ________ the Samaritan’s religion (2 Kin 17:24, 32-33, 41; John 4:20-24). Lesson 4: We must disapprove of ______ __________ (Ezra 4:1-3). Lesson 5: Not all who claim to ________ ______ actually do (Matt 7:21-23). Family Worship Guide Memory Verses: Psalm 96:9-10 Day 1: Read 2 Chr. 25:5-13 & 2 Cor.  6:14-17 and discuss: Why did God not want his people working with those from the northern kingdom of Israel? Prayerfully consider how you might be unequally yoked with those who are not believers. Consider what - if any - changes need to be made. As ambassadors of Christ, how can you be faithful to be “in” the world (for the sake of unbelievers) and also “not of the world” Day 2: Read 2 Chr. 25:5-13 & 2 Cor.  6:14-17 and discuss: What other situations can you think of - from Scripture - where obedience did not lead to success, comfort or ease, or victory (especially as the world would have counted it)? Consider your own life and experience, or those of faithful Christians throughout history: recount those situations - what God did, what people did in response, etc. Consider Christ: what was his path? Was he “successful” in the world’s eyes? Why or why not? And, how should this frame our perspective about obedience and “success”? Day 3: Read Ezra 4:1-5 & discuss: Who are the Samaritans - what is their ethnic background? What lessons does this account have for us, today? What must be true about someone else’s belief and practice to qualify them as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” or a cult-member versus someone who is simply not a believer yet? Pray for those who lead, feed, and care for the flock, and their families (Col. 4:3, 2 Thess. 3:1): Jim Donald and Tim Zumstein Pray for these church members/families (1 Tim. 2:1, Eph. 6:18, Col. 1:9): Tim & Wendy Petta, James & Christina Post, Doug & Terese Raney, Talia Raney, John & Judy Ream Pray for “kings” and those in authority (1 Tim. 2:2): Local: Woodland Police; State: Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib; Nation: President Donald Trump Pray for the Gospel to Spread Among All Peoples (Matt. 9:37-38): Those we directly support: Our WCC friends who are preparing to work overseas; reach out to them and ask how you can be praying and helping them as they prepare!! An Unreached People Group: Tuareg (Islam in Mali)

Luke 9:49-50—Approving and Disapproving of What Others Are Doing - Part I It is misguided: Lesson 1: To think only ______________ ____________ can serve the Lord (Luke 9:49-50a; Rom 12:6-8). Lesson 2: When we __________ __________________ the Lord’s work (Num 11:24-29; Phil 1:15-18). Lesson 3: To think __________ ___________ and everyone else is wrong. Lesson 4: When we don’t __________ for __________________ (1 Cor 12:4-6; Luke 7:33-34). Lesson 5: To think ______________ ____________________ with Christ (Luke 9:50b). Family Worship Guide Memory Verses: Psalm 96:6-8 Day 1: Read Luke 9:49-50, Romans 12:6-8, & discuss: What was good about what the man in question was doing? Should the disciples have approved of what he was doing? Why or why not? Should people be in the practice of casting out demons today? Why or why not? What was particularly ironic about the disciples effort to stop the man? Day 2: Read Numbers 11:24-29, Philippians 1:15-18, & discuss: What particular word was used in verse 49 that we should note? What did it reveal about the disciples attitude? Consider your own life. What was the most recent thing you said or did that reveals pride in your own life? When sin is revealed to us, what is the promise of the gospel, and what should our response to this promise be? Day 3: Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, Luke 7:33-34, & discuss: What does it reveal about us when don’t celebrate what God is doing through the gospel? Consider your own life. Prayerfully ask for help remembering the last time you were wrong about something. Confess and admit that. What is promised to us when we humbly confess our sins? What does it mean to “preach the Gospel”? What facets are required for belief, and what is the required response to the gospel? Pray for those who lead, feed, and care for the flock, and their families (Col. 4:3, 2 Thess. 3:1): Pastor Doug and Jesse Studt Pray for these church members/families (1 Tim. 2:1, Eph. 6:18, Col. 1:9): Lane & Faith Newburn, Eldon & Christa Offutt, Don & Chris Oswald, Scott & Kovi Patterson, Betty Pender Pray for “kings” and those in authority (1 Tim. 2:2): Local: Woodland City Council; State: Governor Jay Inslee ; Nation: Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler Pray for the Gospel to Spread Among All Peoples (Matt. 9:37-38): Those we directly support: Sarah Kane (Thailand) An Unreached People Group: Moor (Islam in Mauritania)

Mozart’s dad Leopold was completely against Mozart becoming a composer. Charles Darwin’s dad was dead against Darwin’s fascination with collecting specimens. He didn’t believe there was any career for it. Here sit just two examples of two incredible people whose legacies would be lost if they had not transcended the concerns and family disapproval.   Listen In The post 100NO 231: Disapproving Family & Friends – How To Deal With It appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

We have the first wave of the Trump laws! In this episode, highlights of the most impactful laws from the first three months of the 115th Congress, which include favors to the fossil fuel industry, gun industry, telecommunications industry, and defense contractors. In addition, learn about a law (that’s flown completely under the radar) that fundamentally changes how NASA operates. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD124: The Costs of For-Profit War CD135: Education is Big Business Bills Outline S. 84: A bill to provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces. Exempts General James Mattis from the law that prohibits anyone from serving as Defense Secretary within seven years of leaving military service (Mattis had retired less than four years before his appointment). H.R. 72: GAO Access and Oversight Act of 2017 Gives the Government Accountability Office (GAO) more power to get federal agency records for audits and investigations Requires agency heads to report their plans - not just their actions - that the agency will take when given recommendations by the GAO and requires the reports to be given to more Congressional committees Makes it easier for the GAO to sue federal agencies that don't comply Gives the GAO access to the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) H.J.Res. 41: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule submitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to “Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers”. Repeals an Obama administration rule requiring companies listed in the stock market to publicly report payments by the fossil fuel and mineral industries to the US or foreign governments if the payments are over $100,000 in a year. H.J.Res. 38: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule. Repeals a Department of Interior regulation known as the "Stream Protection Rule" which aimed to reduce pollution from coal mining by blocking mining within 100 feet of streams and requiring coal mining companies to restore the land their use to it's pre-mining condition. H.J.Res. 40: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. Repeals a Social Security Administration rule that never went into effect that would have prohibited approximately 75,000 people who receive disability checks for mental illness from buying guns. H.R. 321: Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act Orders the NASA administrator to create a plan to use current and former NASA employees to engage with K-12 female students to encourage them to pursue careers in aerospace. The plan must be submitted in 90 days. H.R. 255: Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act "Encourages" the National Science Foundation to recruit women to work in commercial science and engineering - S. 442: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2017 Authorizes $19.5 billion for NASA operations for 2017 Declares that it will be US policy that we will support the International Space Station through at least 2024 Sense of Congress: "Commercially provided crew transportation systems" should be the primary means of transporting US astronauts to and from the International Space Station and reliance upon Russian transportation should be ended as soon as possible. Commercial providers of NASA services will have to provide "evidence-based support for their costs and schedules" only "in a manner that does not add costs or schedule delays" NASA will have to create a plan to "transition in a step-wise approach from the current regime that relies heavily on NASA sponsorship to a regime where NASA could be one of many customers of a low-Earth orbit non-governmental human space flight enterprise." The first report on progress will be due December 1, 2017 Contracts between NASA and private providers are allowed to give immunity to the private providers from lawsuits for "death, bodily injury, or loss of or damage to property resulting from launch services and reentry services carried out under the contract" for any amount over what their insurance covers. The maximum amount of insurance a provider will have to obtain is for $500 million The immunity may exclude claims resulting from willful misconduct by the private provider Establishes long term goals for NASA, which include "to enable a capability to extend human presence, including potential human habitation on another celestial body and a thriving space economy in the 21st Century." There will be a specific focus on enabling humans living on Mars Repeals provisions of law that required the government specifically to have the ability to restart the Space Shuttle program, if needed. Authorizes the NASA Administrator to conduct long-term medical monitoring and treatment of astronauts with no out-of-pocket costs for the astronauts for space flight related ailments only. H.J.Res. 44: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior relating to Bureau of Land Management regulations that establish the procedures used to prepare, revise, or amend land use plans pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Repeals a Bureau of Land Management Rule that would give the public a larger and earlier role in management plans for public land. The public would have been able to submit data & other information. The public also would have been given information as the plans were developed, allowing the public to comment during the planning process instead of after. H.J.Res. 37: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration relating to the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Repeals a rule written by the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and NASA that would have made federal contractors prove their compliance with fourteen Federal labor laws, which would then be taken into consideration by agencies when awarding contracts. The contractors would also have to report their wages paid to employees to the agencies and would have limited forced arbitration of employee claims. H.J.Res. 57: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to accountability and State plans under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Repeals a Department of Education rule that would have pushed states to weigh student achievement via test scores of 95% of their students and graduation rates when determining which schools are "underperforming". The rule also would have required schools to provide parents and the public with more information on their annual report card. H.J.Res. 58: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to teacher preparation issues. Repeals a Department of Education rule that outlined indicators that states would have to use to judge teacher performance and tied results to some Federal aid funding. H.J.Res. 42: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to drug testing of unemployment compensation applicants. Repeals a Department of Labor rule that allowed but limited the drug testing of people receiving unemployment benefits. People could only be tested if they were dismissed for substance abuse related reasons and only if their jobs required carrying a firearm, aviation flight crews, air traffic controllers, commercial drivers, railroad crews, pipeline crews, and commercial maritime crews. S.J.Res. 34: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to “Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services” Repeals a Federal Communications Commission rule that would have required Internet service providers to obtain our approval if they were going to share our information, and not condition service on an acceptance of data sharing, and to notify us if our data was compromised. Additional Reading Article: Congress Votes To Expand Drug Testing For Unemployment Recipients by Kelly Mcevers, NPR, March 27, 2017. Article: Why you should take a closer look at this week's NASA bill by Andrew Wagner and Nsikan Akpan, PBS, March 24, 2017. Article: Obama Education Rules Are Swept Aside by Congress by Dana Goldstein, The New York Times, March 9, 2017. Article: The Senate just voted to overturn another environmental rule - sending it to Trump's desk by Chelsea Harvey, The Washington Post, March 8, 2017. Article: Senate overturns Obama-era regulations on teacher preparation by Emma Brown, The Washington Post, March 8, 2017. Congressional Record: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2017, House of Representatives, March 7, 2017. Article: Trump Signs Bill Revoking Obama-Era Gun Checks for People with Mental Illnesses by Ali Vitali, NBC News, February 28, 2017. Article: FCC Chairman Goes After His Predecessor's Internet Privacy Rules by Alina Selyukh, NPR, February 24, 2017. Article: Why Trump just killed a rule restricting coal companies from dumping waste in streams by Brad Plumer, Vox, February 16, 2017. Article: Trump signs Sasse's bill to let GAO access massive financial database by Joseph Morton, Omaha World Herald, February 3, 2017. Article: Goodbye, Stream Protection Rule by Paul Rauber, Sierra, February 1, 2017. Article: On the same day Rex Tillerson is confirmed, the House votes to kill a transparency rule for oil companies by Brad Plumer, Vox, February 1, 2017. Article: Republicans will try a little-used tactic to kill five Obama regulations this week by Brad Plumer, Vox, February 1, 2017. Press Release: Bill Johnson Leads House Effort to Protect Coal Jobs by Overturning Ill-Advised "Stream Protection Rule" by Representative Bill Johnson, January 30, 2017. Press Release: Chairman Huizenga, Senator Inhofe Move To Eliminate Resource Extraction Rule via CRA, Chairman Bill Huizenga, January 30, 2017. Op-Ed: The Congressional Review Act, rarely used and (almost always) unsuccessful by Stuart Shapiro, The Hill, April 17, 2015. References U.S. Dept of Labor: Unemployment Insurance Senator Al Franken: Arbitration Amendment OpenSecrets: Rep. Liz Cheney - Top Industries, 2015-2016 OpenSecrets: National Rifle Association - 2016 Contributions OpenSecrets: Rep. Bill Johnson - Top Industries OpenSecrets: Rep. Bill Johnson - Top Industries, 2015-2016 OpenSecrets: Rep. Bill Huizenga - 2014 Assets OpenSecrets: Rep. Bill Huizenga - Top Industries OpenSecrets: Senator Jeff Flake - Top Industries OpenSecrets: Rep. Marsha Blackburn - Career Profile OpenSecrets: Communications/Electronics - Money to Congress Sound Clip Sources Hearing: NASA: Past, Present, and Future, House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space and Technology, February 16, 2017. Video: NASA Authorization Bill Signing, Oval Office, March 21, 2017. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

Bloomer Girls; Women Baseball Pioneers; America, its women, and its game: Disapproving scolds. Sexist condescension. Odd theories about the effect of exercise on reproductive organs. Though baseball began as a gender-neutral sport, girls and women of the nineteenth century faced many obstacles on their way to the diamond. Yet all-female nines took the field everywhere. Author and fixing expert, Brian Tuohy will breakdown the big financial hit that bettors took over the weekend.  Here's a tease... Packers/Cowboys and Chiefs/Steelers games: "In officiating I think there is a difference between the correct call and the right call, and I think the correct call were made in both instances – I think Cook was inbound on the pass that Rogers threw him at the end of the Packers and Cowboys game. And I think the correct call was made on the hold by the Chief’s lineman against the Steelers on the two point conversion." He continues..."But, the question I have to ask, is that necessarily the right call in the NFL minds, because I think a lot of things done on the field are done as business decisions – those two calls I think are correct and maybe they got them right. But, if you look at like the Packers success...they beat the Giants pretty easily and they had to endure a couple of comebacks by the Cowboys to win in that game… they haven’t had a holding call against their offensive linemen in either game. Now, is that correct or is that the right call and right decisions that the  officials are making? ...I find that suspect that a team can go two playoffs game without their offensive line getting a holding call against them. " Comments welcome below! On Social Media use #AskHWTPSports; Email us at feedback@hwtpsportstalk.com; Call us at 1 347 989 0227.

Dr. Flowers read a hotly contest article from his blog titled, "Disapproving God's Plan," which is posted below:   A Calvinist sent me a note on Facebook stating in part, “Why are you standing in opposition to God and His ways? You should not disapprove of His sovereign plan and purposes.” Ironically, I believe it is the Calvinist who so often express disapproval of God and His plans.  Allow me to demonstrate. This same Calvinistic friend recently twitted this message in response to yet another atrocious event in the news: “Horrified over the senseless acts of violence and evil…” I “liked” his message because I too am horrified by the heinously evil behavior of some people in our world. And I have no doubt that this Calvinistic friend genuinely feels the same way. I have purposefully not mentioned the actual event because I do not wish to “theologize” the personal pain of those touched by such grief. However, if our theology is to be practical, we must be able to consistently speak into the issues from our theological worldview, which brings me to the question of this article: Should Christians ever express disapproval or disgust for God’s self-glorifying will and plan? Expressions of disapproval about things that have come to pass do cause me pause when brought by Calvinistic believers.  I cannot help but question the logical consistency of Calvinists who express feelings of indignation and disapproval over such atrocities given the ACTUAL CLAIMS of their doctrinal worldview. Calvinism teaches that God has sovereignly planned and brought about every meticulous detail, including the evil intentions of His creatures, in order to glorify Himself. In other words, if Calvinism is true, the shooting which horrified my Calvinistic friend was planned and brought about by God so as to bring Himself glory. So, in actuality, it is the Calvinist who is expressing disapproval of God’s plans, not me. I am expressing disapproval of man’s autonomously evil choices which stand diametrically opposed to God and His plan. My Calvinistic friend is expressing horrified disapproval of that which God planned for His own self-glorification. How can he do so consistently? OBJECTION ANTICIPATED: Here is where I am often met with the accusation of misrepresentation — or what is known as the fallacy of “strawmanning.” I suspect, however, that those bringing that accusation either (1) do not rightly understand Calvinism and Calvinistic scholar’s ACTUAL CLAIMS or they (2) do not really affirm the ACTUAL CLAIMS of John Calvin and most of the Calvinistic scholars, but have adopted a much milder, more palatable, and arguably inconsistent form of the systematic. (If it is the second, however, I cannot help but wonder why would they not stand with me in opposition to the ACTUAL CLAIMS of Calvinism rather than accusing me of not understanding it rightly?) For instance, let’s consider this quote from John Piper’s ministry website, Desiring God: “God . . . brings about all things in accordance with his will. In other words, it isn’t just that God manages to turn the evil aspects of our world to good for those who love him; it is rather that he himself brings about these evil aspects for his glory (see Ex. 9:13-16; John 9:3) and his people’s good (see Heb. 12:3-11; James 1:2-4). This includes—as incredible and as unacceptable as it may currently seem—God’s having even brought about the Nazis’ brutality at Birkenau and Auschwitz as well as the terrible killings of Dennis Rader and even the sexual abuse of a young child…” (Link)— Mark R. Talbot, “’All the Good That Is Ours in Christ’: Seeing God’s Gracious Hand in the Hurts Others Do to Us,” in John Piper and Justin Taylor (eds.), Suffering and the Sovereignty of God (Wheaton: Crossway, 2006), 31-77 (quote from p. 42). On the one hand we know that Piper has at times expressed disappointment and disgust for the Holocaust and the sexual abuse of children, while on the other hand claiming these same events have been brought about by a God seeking His own glory. Therefore, Piper has expressed disapproval and disgust of what God has planned and brought about for His own glorification. As I said, Calvinists are the ones expressing disapproval of God’s plans, not me. John Calvin himself taught: “Creatures are so governed by the secret counsel of God, that nothing happens but what he has knowingly and willingly decreed.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 16, Paragraph 3) “thieves and murderers, and other evildoers, are instruments of divine providence, being employed by the Lord himself to execute judgments which he has resolved to inflict.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 17, Paragraph 5) “We hold that God is the disposer and ruler of all things, –that from the remotest eternity, according to his own wisdom, He decreed what he was to do, and now by his power executes what he decreed.  Hence we maintain, that by His providence, not heaven and earth and inanimate creatures only, but also the counsels and wills of men are so governed as to move exactly in the course which he has destined.” (John Calvin,Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 16, Paragraph 8) “The devil, and the whole train of the ungodly, are in all directions, held in by the hand of God as with a bridle, so that they can neither conceive any mischief, nor plan what they have conceived, nor how muchsoever they may have planned, move a single finger to perpetrate, unless in so far as he permits, nay unless in so far as he commands, that they are not only bound by his fetters but are even forced to do him service” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 17, Paragraph 11) “…it is very wicked merely to investigate the causes of God’s will. For his will is, and rightly ought to be, the cause of all things that are.”…”For God’s will is so much the highest rule of righteousness that whatever he wills, by the very fact that he wills it, must be considered righteous. When, therefore, one asks why God has so done, we must reply: because he has willed it. But if you proceed further to ask why he so willed, you are seeking something greater and higher than God’s will, which cannot be found.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 1) “Many professing a desire to defend the Deity from an individual charge admit the doctrine of election, but deny that any one is reprobated. This they do ignorantly and childishly, since there could be no election without its opposite, reprobation.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 1) “…it is utterly inconsistent to transfer the preparation for destruction to anything but God’s secret plan… God’s secret plan is the cause of hardening.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 23, Paragraph 1) “I admit that in this miserable condition wherein men are now bound, all of Adam’s children have fallen by God’s will.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 4) “With Augustine I say: the Lord has created those whom he unquestionably foreknew would go to destruction. This has happened because he has willed.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 5) “…individuals are born, who are doomed from the womb to certain death, and are to glorify him by their destruction.” (John Calvin,Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 6) “…it is vain to debate about prescience, which it is clear that all events take place by his sovereign appointment.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 6) “But since he foresees future events only by reason of the fact that he decreed that they take place, they vainly raise a quarrel over foreknowledge, when it is clear that all things take place rather by his determination and bidding.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 6) “Again I ask: whence does it happen that Adam’s fall irremediably involved so many peoples, together with their infant offspring, in eternal death unless because it so pleased God? The decree is dreadful indeed, I confess. Yet no one can deny that God foreknew what end man was to have before he created him, and consequently foreknew because he so ordained by his decree. And it ought not to seem absurd for me to say that God not only foresaw the fall of the first man, and in him the ruin of his descendants, but also meted it out in accordance with his own decision.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 7) “The first man fell because the Lord deemed it meet that he should.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 8) “Even though by God’s eternal providence man has been created to undergo that calamity to which he is subject, it still takes its occasion from man himself, not from God, since the only reason for his ruin is that he has degenerated from God’s pure creation into vicious and impure perversity.” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 9)   Now, before moving on, I hope all those who proudly wear the label “Calvinist” can rightly understand what I am opposing here. I have not misrepresented or “strawmanned” Calvinism. John Piper is arguably the most influential modern day proponent of Calvinism and he is representing exactly what John Calvin himself taught on this subject in the quotes above (all of which are properly cited for contextual examination). Both of these Calvinistic scholars are abundantly clear about what they believe. I am not suggesting a “Calvinist” must agree with John Piper or even John Calvin on every theological point in order to be considered a “Calvinist.” But if you are going to proudly promote this label shouldn’t you at least affirm the basic theological claims over the issues that make Calvinism so controversial in the church?  The major reason we even know of John Calvin and “Calvinism” is because of his controversial views over predestination, election, free will, sovereignty, etc.  If you cannot affirm his statements on at least those issues, then may I suggest you stop promoting the label “Calvinist?” Or, if nothing else, at least stop accusing people like myself of not really understanding Calvinism? Now that we have established the ACTUAL CLAIMS of Calvinism in regard to the horrible atrocities of mankind as taking “place by his determination and bidding” and unchangeably “brought about for his glory” let us now turn our attention back to the question of this article. Why do self-proclaimed Calvinists express disapproval and indignation against that which God has unchangeably brought to pass for His own self-glorification? It certainly seems reasonable to disapprove of the autonomous behavior of evil men who openly rebel against the will of God and seek to cause destruction. It does not seem reasonable, however, for one to express disapproval and disgust for that which was planned and brought about by God for His own self-glorification. I recently pressed a Calvinistic friend on this question and he repeatedly appealed to the crucifixion, arguing in part, “Wouldn’t you have been horrified and disappointed by the crucifixion of Jesus, yet wasn’t that brought about by the determination of God?” I simply pointed to the cross hanging around his neck and asked, “If you are horrified and disappointed by the crucifixion, why are you wearing that cross?” He is not disappointed by what God did to redeem the world from sin. He wants that event to be known by everyone. Why?  Because we know God’s good self-sacrificial purpose and plan in working to bring about redemption for the sins of the world through Calvary. The story of the cross stands out as unique part of God’s good redemptive plan to redeem all sin, not as the proof of God being the cause for all sin. We can now read scriptures and learn that God temporarily blinded the rebellious Israelites from recognizing their own Messiah so as to ensure the crucifixion would take place, and who are we to question God’s good purposes in doing so? (Rom. 3:1-8; Rom. 9 — READ THIS for more)  But proof that God “brought about” the redemption of man’s sinful actions on Calvary certainly does not prove that God “brought about” the very sins that His Son died to redeem. This is a common error of Calvinists.  They take unique examples of God working to bring about a good purpose through the evil intentions of mankind as proof that God (1) “sovereignly brought about” the evil intentions themselves and (2) that He “sovereignly works” in this same way at all times throughout history. In other words, if Calvinism is true then God worked to “sovereignly bring about” the redemption of a child abuser in the same way that He worked to “sovereignly bring about” the abuse of that child. This flies in the face of so much of what we read in scripture about the character and holiness of our God. (CLICK HERE for more on this) According to my Calvinistic friend’s argument, God seems to be “sovereignly working” so as to redeem “His sovereign workings.”(i.e. God is sovereignly working to bring about redemption so as to redeem the sins that He sovereignly worked to bring about.) Is God merely determining to redeem His own determinations?  Of course not! Appealing to God’s sovereign work to ensure the redemption of sin so as to prove that God sovereignly works to bring about all the sin that was redeemed is an absurd, self-defeating argument. It would be tantamount to arguing that because a police department set up a sting operation to catch a notorious drug dealer, that the police department is responsible for every single intention and action of that drug dealer at all times. Proof that the police department worked in secretive ways to hide their identities, use evil intentions, and work out the circumstances in such a way that the drug dealer would do what they wanted him to do (sell drugs) at that particular moment in time does not suggest that the police are in anyway responsible for all that drug dealer has done or ever will do. We celebrate and reward the actions of this police department because they are working to stop the drug activity, not because they are secretly causing all of it so as to stop some of it. Teaching that God brings about all sin based on how He brought about Calvary is like teaching that the police officer brings about every drug deal based on how he brought about one sting operation. Yes, at times the scriptures do speak of God “hardening” men’s hearts (Ex. 7; Rm. 9), blinding them with a “spirit of stupor” (Rm. 11:8) and delaying their healing by use of parabolic language (Mk. 4:11-12, 34; Matt. 16:20), and He always does so for a redemptive good.  But the reason such passages stand out so distinctly from the rest of scripture is because of their uniqueness. If God worked this way in every instance these texts would make no sense. After all, what is there for God to harden, provoke, or restrain if not the autonomous will of creatures? If everything is under the meticulous control of God’s sovereign work what is left to permit and/or restrain except that which He is already controlling? Is God merely restraining something that He perviously determined? Why blind eyes from seeing something the were “naturally” predetermined not to see? Why put a parabolic blind fold on a corpse-like dead sinner incapable of seeing spiritual truth? These are questions many Calvinists seem unwilling to entertain at any depth. We must understand that God, like the police department in the analogy above, may be hiding His identity at times and working to use the evil intentions of bad men for a greater good, but that in no way impugns His character by suggesting He is “the cause of all things that are.” And it certainly does not suggest that every evil desire and intention is “brought about to glorify God” as explicitly taught by Calvinism’s actual claims reflected in the quotes above. Please notice I said “Calvinism’s ACTUAL CLAIMS.” I want to draw everyone’s attention to that because what typically follows this line of argumentation is a Calvinist’s appeal to the “you too fallacy” (i.e. “you too” have the same problem because you affirm omniscience.) But be aware, I am opposing an ACTUAL CLAIM of Calvinism and Calvinists are attempting to argue that I have the same problem based NOT ON OUR ACTUAL CLAIMS, but based on their own philosophical speculation about the infinite nature of divine omniscience (i.e. if God knows something and does not prevent it, that somehow proves that He brought it about for His own self-glorification). Notice, however, that none of our scholars ACTUALLY MAKE THIS CLAIM, therefore the Calvinistic argument is fallacious because it assumes true the very position we oppose (see question begging fallacy). If Calvinists are going to oppose our position they have to deal with the ACTUAL CLAIMS of our scholars, not their own philosophical conclusions. In making this “you too” argument, the Calvinist has unwittingly become guilty of the very straw-man fallacy they often attempt to lay on us for opposing “Calvinism’s ACTUAL CLAIMS.”  

In this week’s Word, Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture and host of this weekly podcast, answers questions around cover crops, rotations, red clover, fertility and insecticides. Have a question for Wheat Pete? Call 1-844-540-2014, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him atpeter.johnson@bell.net. Highlights: Brewers in England will no longer accept barley that has been sprayed with... Read More

Excitement for 2015 technology, Apple OS features we don't use, a requiem for old media, and the Sony leaks.

Sin enslaves us not just because we commit evil, but because God himself gives us over to our debased desires. Our only hope is for Jesus to bring renewal.

John Piper | Sin enslaves us not just because we commit evil, but because God himself gives us over to our debased desires. Our only hope is for Jesus to bring renewal.