News Items

Stakes High for Marriage Fight at the Supreme Court

It's a big week in the battle over marriage in America, even as homosexual activists celebrate the legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington State Thursday.

But in Washington, D.C, the Supreme Court may be about to finally weigh in on what marriage really is.

Hundreds of gay and lesbian couples have been getting marriage licenses in Washington State, after the state's governor signed a law approved by the voters that legalizes homosexual marriage. The state has a three-day waiting period before weddings can take place.

"We have the license; three days -- I think we can make it another three days," one woman in Washington said.

Nine...

Non-Profits: Tax Deduction Loss Would Be Devastating

As Washington politicians consider cuts to dedictions as part of a fiscal cliff deal, the charitable tax deduction could end up on the chopping block.

To prevent that, 240 representatives of ministries and non-profit organizations gathered on Capitol Hill Wednesday to fight for this deduction that rewards Americans for their giving to charities, churches, and non-profits.

Following a brief session on lobbying do's and don'ts, they visited lawmakers' offices across Capitol Hill.

Their main message: many of their groups might not survive the drop in giving that would follow the death of the deduction.

"As an organization that serves every zip...

Geithner Warns 'It's Either Tax Hikes or the Cliff'

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the Obama administration is "absolutely" ready for the U.S. economy to go over the fiscal cliff rather than accept a deal that doesn't include higher tax rates for top earners.

As the Washington stalemate continues, Americans across the country are preparing for what could be a very tough new year.

Melinda Yega got the news this week. If Congress and the president can't make a deal, the government will stop her unemployment check. The $450 a week is a lifeline for her family.

"We won't be able to pay some of our bills and for Christmas and things of that nature they're probably off the table," she said.

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DeMint Leaving Senate to Head Heritage Foundation

South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint is leaving Congress to head the conservative Heritage Foundation.

The Tea Party-backed senator announced the move Thursday, saying he will step down from the Senate in January to become president of The Heritage Foundation think tank.

"I'm leaving the Senate now, but I'm not leaving the fight. I've decided to join The Heritage Foundation at a time when the conservative movement needs strong leadership in the battle of ideas," he said in a statement. "No organization is better equipped to lead this fight and I believe my experience in public office as well as in the private sector as a business owner will help Heritage become even more effective in the years to come."

DeMint...

Signs of Deal Emerging amid Fiscal Cliff Rhetoric

In Washington right now both sides are still trading barbs on the fast-approaching fiscal cliff.

The pressure: reach a deal by Jan. 1 or cuts go into effect that could raise unemployment and force the economy back into a recession.

But the two sides cannot seem to agree, especially when it comes to how to tax top income-earners.

"We're going to have to see the rates on the top 2 percent go up and we're not going to be able to get a deal without it," President Obama warned.

But Republicans say tax hikes on the wealthy are not the solution.

"Tax increases he wants would fail to make even a small dent in the debt, but...

GOP Counters White House Fiscal Cliff Plan

Republicans are proposing an alternative to the President Obama's fiscal cliff plan.

The 10-year $2.2 trillion proposal is similar to what House Speaker John Boehner supported last year. But already it appears the president wants more tax increases and fewer spending cuts.

The new Republican offer calls for raising the eligibility age for Medicare and lowering cost-of-living hikes for Social Security.

It would also raise $800 billion in higher tax revenue. And notably, it does not raise tax rates for the wealthy.

The White House views that as unacceptable. Monday, during a photo op, the president refused to comment on the GOP plan.

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Justice Department Targeting Abortion Protestors

DENVER - Conservatives and business groups often complain about the government's growing numbers of regulations. Now CBN News has learned that government officials are using lawsuits to go after American citizens.

One target can be found outside abortion clinics.

For decades, pro-life protestors have lined up outside abortion clinics, trying to convince women to save the lives of their unborn children.

A variety of laws have put restrictions on these protests. A major one is the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE. Convicted protestors can face thousands of dollars in fines as well as jail time. Just the legal costs can exceed $100,000.

...

Blame Game Begins as Fiscal Cliff Draws Near

WASHINGTON -- As the clock ticks toward America's potential fall off the fiscal cliff, lawmakers and the president are blaming each other for the delay in reaching an agreement.

President Obama spent much of the week appealing to the pocketbooks of the middle class.

"Tell members of Congress what a $2,000-tax hike would mean to you. Call your members of Congress, write them an email, post it on their Facebook walls," the president said.

On Friday, he's scheduled to visit a toy manufacturer in Pennsylvania to make his case again for raising tax rates on high-income Americans to help resolve the "fiscal cliff" budget talks.

But Republicans say...

Big Victory for Small Business Against HHS Mandate

A federal appeals court issued an injunction on Wednesday that temporarily blocks President Obama's Health and Human Services from implementing the contraception mandate on a St. Louis, Mo. Company.

The Obamacare mandate would have forced the small company to pay for health insurance including coverage for contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs -- all in violation of the owner's religious beliefs.

The Missouri business owner and practicing Catholic, Frank O'Brien, employs 87 people. O'Brien Industrial Holdings runs a number of businesses that explore, mine and process refractory and ceramic raw materials.

On its website, the company states its mission as "to make...

Senator Graham: Obama Misleading Public on Benghazi

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has accused the Obama administration of misleading Americans over the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

On this week's Brody File Show the South Carolina lawmaker said he's determined to get to the bottom of it.

"I think fog of war is present a little bit because I think war is a hard thing to figure out," he told the Brody File.

"Incompetence is rampant," he added. "And there's some definite manipulation and misleading in my view and I can tell you that if George W. Bush were president this would be front page news every day."

...

Entitlement Reform Gums Up Fiscal Cliff Talks

Lawmakers in Washington are no closer to a deal on avoiding the fiscal cliff than they were before Thanksgiving when both parties strongly hinted a deal was in reach after a meeting at the White House.

Congressional aides are busy trying to work out the nitty gritty details and they're finding there are major hurdles.

Chief among the hurdles are entitlement reform and tax increases. Republicans are showing signs of cutting a deal to raise taxes on high-income earners, but Democrats are divided over making cuts to programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

President Barack Obama has insisted repeatedly that tax increases on the wealthy must be part of any deal, even as...

Some Republicans Open to Rice as Secretary of State

Some key Republicans say they may not stand in the way of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice becoming the next secretary of state if President Obama nominates her.

Republicans have been highly critical of Rice's early explanation of the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya when she blamed it on an anti-Islamic video rather than terrorism.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Rice should be able to tell her side of the story and that the real question is why the attack happened at all.

"But, the biggest aspect of the whole thing is, it has to be really looked into is, why there was such a failure on the part of the administration in light of events, the attack -- the two...

Egyptians Protest Morsi's Power Play, Stocks Plunge

Egyptians protesting a move by the country's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi aren't backing down.

They are clashing with riot police, determined to make their voices heard.

They are upset with Morsi issuing decrees last week giving himself, basically, unlimited power.

He gave himself powers that make him unaccountable to the legislative and judicial branches of the newly formed government.

He gave the same privileges to two other Islamist groups in the government. One is a panel drafting a new constitution. The other is parliament's upper chamber.

Morsi said he did it to "protect the revolution." The protestors see it...

Hobby Lobby Not Exempt from Contraception Mandate

A federal judge rejected a request by arts and crafts giant Hobby Lobby for exemption from the health care law's contraception coverage mandate.

The Christian-owned chain will be required to provide contraception or pay fines totaling up to $1.3 million each day.

Kyle Duncan, general counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, disagreed with the decision.

"Every American, including family business owners like the Greens, should be free to live and do business according to their religious beliefs," he said.

Attorneys for Hobby Lobby argue that the decision violates the company's religious beliefs. The court, however, ruled the mandate...

GOP Demands Answers on Altered CIA Libya Account

Members of Congress want to know who helped create the Obama administration's "talking points" on the deadly attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11.

The inquiry comes after hearings on Capitol Hill revealed the CIA concluded early on that terrorists were to blame for the deadly 9/11 assault.

Lawmakers now want to know who took that critical information out of the White House's early statements about the attack.

The answer could explain why U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice kept describing the incident as a spontaneous protest that was sparked by an anti-Islam video.

Democrats said the CIA signed off on the final talking points...

Hamas Military Commander Killed in Israeli Airstrike

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Ahmed Jabari, head of the military wing of Hamas, was killed Wednesday afternoon in a surgical air strike in Gaza by the Israel Air Force. Three others, including his son, were reportedly killed in the strike.

A senior commander with the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Jabari helped plan the June 2006 kidnapping of former IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Following Shalit's release, Jabari vowed to abduct more soldiers to use as bargaining chips in prisoner swaps.

IDF Maj. Gen. (ret.) Israel Ziv, former head of IDF operations, told journalists Jabari was in charge of coordinating relations between Hamas, Iran, al Qaeda and Islamic Jihad and he was also behind the...

Nancy Pelosi to Stay on as House Minority Leader

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced her plans Wednesday to stay on in her current role for the next session of Congress.

"My colleagues made it very clear: 'Don't even think of leaving,'" Pelosi, surrounded by the entire delegation of women in the Democratic caucus, told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.

Many observers had questioned the future of the 13-term California congresswoman after Republicans managed to hold onto their majority in the House.

During the press conference, NBC's Luke Russert asked Pelosi whether remaining as leader prevents new and younger leaders from rising up the ranks.

"You, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Clyburn...

Several Democrats Propose Driving Off Fiscal Cliff

Congress is back in session and some Democrats are pushing the unorthodox idea of doing nothing to stop the looming "fiscal cliff."

They say if the tax hikes and spending cuts are allowed to take effect Jan. 1, Republicans would have a weaker hand at the bargaining table.

"We will reach a point at the end of this year where all the tax cuts expire and we'll start over next year. And whatever we do will be a tax cut for whatever package we put together. That may be the way to get past this," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., told ABC's "This Week."

The White House, however, says it wants a deal without falling off that "fiscal cliff."

President...

Happy Birthday! Billy Graham Turns 94

Beloved evangelist Billy Graham turns 94 years old Wednesday.

Graham's daughter, Ann Graham Lotz, credits his long life to prayer and said she hopes people continue to pray for her father.

Preparations are underway for a Billy Graham evangelistic broadcast next year when Rev. Graham turns 95.

Graham, who continues to write books, is celebrating his birthday with about 20 family members at his home in Montreat, N.C.

His daughters say he asked for a birthday menu of hot dogs and apple pie.

Obama on Re-Election: 'The Best is Yet to Come'

The long and fierce battle for the White House ended Tuesday night, with Americans re-electing President Barack Obama to a second term.

The president's victory over Republican challenger Mitt Romney comes despite a weak economy and criticism of his policies at home and abroad.

"Tonight in this election you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come," Obama told supporters in his acceptance speech.

"We are and forever will be the United States of America," Obama...

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