Distrust in Elections, Sen. Braun v. Young – American Family Association of Indiana

Distrust in Elections, Sen. Braun v. Young

A Stark Contrast in Hoosier Representation

I know that many Hoosiers are very disappointed in Senator Todd Young. Many have told me that they regret voting for him in November after he betrayed the rights of people and organizations of faith with his enthusiastic support of the so-called Respect for Marriage Act.

We should not overlook Indiana’s other Senator who stood strong for the rights of the minority, the autonomy of states, religious liberty, and the Constitution. I want to share with you what Senator Mike Braun told constituents who contacted him about this dangerous legislation. Here is part of his position on this legislation which he saw through immediately noting that it was authored by far-left Democrat Representatives Diane Feinstein and Jerry Nadler. Senator Braun wrote in part:

“It is important to recognize this legislation’s severe implications for First Amendment protections to expressions of free speech and religious liberty. While being marketed as such, this legislation does nothing to change the status or benefits afforded to same-sex couples, and instead was constructed with a core intent to pressure people into affirming lifestyles that run counter to their beliefs. The bill creates a private right of action for activist government agents and private entities to launch legal action against anyone “acting under color of state law.” I share the concerns of many that this provision in the bill will result in burdensome state-sanctioned harassment of people that do not support same-sex unions.

Lastly, but of equal concern, this legislation requires states to recognize marriages instituted in other states. This requirement is in direct contradiction to our federal system of government and the intent of our Founders in designing it. In application, this extension of the Full Faith and Credit Clause would require the recognition of polygamy, child brides, and other controversial relationship structures instituted in any state. Given these concerns, I was not able to support the passage of this bill in its current form.

During my time in the U.S. Senate, I will continue to uphold my oath to the Constitution in order to ensure that the rights and freedoms of all Americans are not infringed upon.”

Senator Braun deserves our thanks and praise for his principled Constitutional position.

Incidentally, last Wednesday Senator Braun filed to run for Governor of Indiana in 2024. He will face at least two other likely candidates, Eric Doden of Fort Wayne, and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch in the Republican primary. With 70% of Indiana Republicans opposed to the Respect for Marriage Act, according to a recent poll, Braun’s vote will likely be remembered favorably by a lot of voters.

A Uniquely Qualified Perspective

I guess I can’t let this go just yet. Texas Senator Ted Cruz is a unique individual. As an attorney, he has written 70 legal briefings submitted to the US Supreme Court. He has presented oral arguments 34 times before Federal Appellate courts. He has also argued nine cases before the US Supreme Court and won four of them. I don’t know of any other current US Senator with legal credentials anywhere close to this.

Here is what Senator Cruz said:

“The so-called Respect for Marriage Act is going to set the stage for the Biden IRS to target people of faith, and in particular, to deny tax-exempt status to churches, charities, universities, and K-12 schools. This bill creates a federal cause of action to sue institutions that believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman. There are going to be hundreds of lawsuits filed all across this country, forcing underfunded defendants to settle and violate their beliefs or close their doors. That’s what the Democrats want. And 12 Republicans went along with it.”

The Fiscal Impact of Active Christianity

A new study has affirmed what many others have found. The study finds that Christians who are active in their faith donate far more to charity than Americans who are not religious.

Active Christians who are engaged regularly in their faith accounted for $145 billion in charitable giving in 2021. This equates to $2,907 per household. By comparison, non-religious donors account for just $924 in yearly giving per household. To put this another way, biblically active people of faith make up just 19% of adults, but they account for 44% of charitable donations in America.

Trust in Election Counting Varies Significantly

A new poll from the Trafalgar Group suggests that both Republicans and independents are less likely to trust election results when they take days or weeks to tabulate. Democrats, however, have more faith in election results after a delayed count.

Most Democrats said they would be “more likely” to trust delayed results, with 27.2% saying they would be “much more likely” to do so and 40.9% saying they would be “somewhat more likely” to do so.

Only 5.9% of Republicans said they would be “much more likely” to trust results that took days or weeks to tabulate, while 13.7% said they would be “somewhat more likely” to trust them. Four-fifths (80.4%) said they were either “somewhat” (17.7%) or “much” (62.7%) less likely to trust delayed results.

Unaffiliated respondents were also suspicious of delayed results. More than half (51.6%) said they would be “somewhat” (24.6%) or “much” (27.0%) less likely to trust them.

Overall, when asked, “How much do you trust that America’s elections are fair and accurate?” Only 43.2% of respondents said they “strongly trust” the election system. A majority, 56.8%, expressed concerns about the system.

In Their Own Words:

“God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools and He has not been disappointed. Devout Christians are destined to be regarded as fools in modern society. We must pray for courage to endure the scorn of the sophisticated world. If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.” – Justice Antonin Scalia

Matt Walsh will be speaking in Indianapolis n Dec. 17. Click here to learn more: https://www.firstprinciplesforum.org/upcoming-events