Thursday, June 4, 2015

WASHINGTON UPDATE 06/04/2015


  June 04, 2015 | Permalink

Gov't: It's Our Potty and We'll Pry If We Want to

Is it a lavatory or a laboratory for social change? Depends on who you ask. Under the Obama administration, what happens in the bathroom is an issue for the boardroom, thanks to the Department of Labor. In an announcement this week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is warning the country that it's "taking on" the issue of transgender politics -- and expects the business community to as well.
Big Brother has already been a big nuisance, piling on regulation after regulation under ObamaCare, the EPA, IRS, and now OSHA. Its latest intrusion is a memo demanding that the W.C. become P.C. by allowing workers in offices across America to use the restroom of their choosing. "Restricting employees to using only restrooms that are not consistent with their gender identity, or segregating them from other workers by requiring them to use gender-neutral or other specific restrooms, singles those employees out and may make them fear for their physical safety."

Apparently, OSHA is concerned with everyone's safety except the 99.7% of the country forced to cope with this brave new world of bathrooms. As part of the memo ("Guide to Restroom Access for Transgenders"), the agency made it clear that no proof was required to use a certain restroom -- despite the risks this all-comers policy poses. In this rush to embrace the Bruce Jenners of the world, no one seems to be talking about the real dangers these overcompensations cause.
As unnerving as a gender-free-for-all might be for workers, their fears probably have more to do with non-transgenders who might take advantage of such a policy. Giving people a license to use any bathroom is an open invitation for abuse. In a nation plagued by assault, employers may as well hang signs that say, "Sexual predators welcome!"
And, as even the Left's own surveys show, only 21% of transgenders say they were "not able to work out a suitable bathroom situation." That's a tiny slice of an even tinier population. Yet for that, the government is willing to gamble people's safety, rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in added expense (floor-to-ceiling walls in stalls), and, worse of all, enable a painful and destructive lifestyle. That's not compassion. It's cruelty. And while the memo isn't technically binding, the government has ways of "encouraging" compliance. Here's one: "If OSHA receives a complaint that an employer is denying a worker access to restrooms, the agency will conduct a full investigation."
The world is literally falling to pieces, and what is our government doing? Policing office bathrooms. No wonder America's credibility is in the tank.

FRC: Going Where the Tweeple Are

Every day, Family Research Council champions the truth that faith, family, and freedom are what created America, and have sustained her greatness for over two centuries. You've undoubtedly seen Tony Perkins standing strong for religious freedom on television, or read FRC experts like Ken Blackwell and Rob Schwarzwalder weighing in on the critical issues of the day in national and local newspapers across the country.
But as Pew Research recently revealed, the discussion over the things we hold dear is increasingly moving online. More Americans, and younger Americans in particular, are getting the majority of their news and commentary from social media. Because of your help, FRC is already deeply engaged in this online conversation. We are, as Teddy Roosevelt might say, your "man in the Twitter arena." On Twitter, Tony Perkins and FRC experts share breaking news and offer insights in real time on the events that impact your family. We're reaching millions of Americans on Twitter each month, but we need your help to take these online efforts to the next level.
If you're using Twitter but aren't already following @TPerkins and @FRCdc, please take a moment to do so. It's one small step you can take to help us connect with more Americans, and in return we'll help keep you up to speed on all the pro-family news that's fit to tweet. Plus we'll inject a little encouragement into your news feed. And while you're at it, here's a tweet to help get you started: Tweet: America is built on faith, family and freedom. Thanks to @TPerkins and @FRCdc for standing strong on what matters most.

Partnering for a Purpose

Biblical values are coming under intensifying attack in our culture and public policy. Believers in America face increasing pressure to compromise their deeply held beliefs or risk being marginalized, fined, pushed out of business, or silenced. Our Christian brothers and sisters in nations around the world live daily with tangible threats to their homes, businesses, and very lives.
There could not be a more pivotal time for Christians to stand for the freedom to believe and live out our beliefs in the public square. Now is not the time to draw back! Will you prayerfully consider joining with FRC to ensure that we are equipped to stand for believers everywhere? When you join thousands of FRC Monthly Partners today, your consistent support will amplify FRC's ability to voice your values in the halls of power across America and in the media.
Our Monthly Partners program allows you to conveniently and automatically partner with FRC each month from your bank account or credit card. With the steady financial support of friends like you, FRC's dedicated team can move forward without hesitation knowing that we have the necessary resources to engage in the debates affecting the direction of our nation and culture.
As a small token of our appreciation, when you sign up at this time to be a Monthly Partner you'll receive two complimentary items including our ceramic coffee mug. Emblazoned with the Ephesians 6:13 message from the Apostle Paul, may the mug serve as a daily encouragement for you "to stand" firm for biblical principles.
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** Just a reminder that Tony is taking a break from the Update this week to spend time with family. He'll be back next week!
*** The media was buzzing over yesterday's press conference with Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) and educational leaders. For more on the event -- and the threat same-sex "marriage" poses to religious tax exemptions -- click over to the coverage from The Hill, CNSNews.com, Daily Signal, and CBN.

Tony Perkins' Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC senior writers.

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