Budget More Pro-Life

CHRISTIANITY.COM, Nov. 23 — Next year's federal budget will include a 39% increase in funding for abstinence education — more than $104 million (up from this year's $75 million). The budget also contains $25 million to fight sex trafficking; this funding was withheld last year by congressional appropriators.

The budget measure also contained the Weldon-Hyde Conscience Protection amendment, which prohibits federal, state or local agencies from forcing health-care providers to provide abortion services in order to receive funds.

‘Desperate’ No More

CWFA.ORG, Nov. 26 — The parent company of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, KFC, A&W and Long John Silver's has stopped advertising on the ABC show “Desperate Housewives” after a flood of emails and phone calls from concerned customers at the headquarters of Yum! brands. Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America, said, “This is a per fect example of why concerned citizens should never give up, even when it seems their voice is not being heard.”

Democrats and Life

TIME, Nov. 22 — In a piece on the “values gap” among Democrats, columnist Joe Klein made a comment that can be considered fairly stunning in that it comes from a leading figure in the mainstream media: “The liberals’ defense of abortion beyond the first trimester has no moral rationale unless the life of the mother is at risk.”

On government support of faith-based initiatives, Klein criticized Democrats for opposition that “hurts poor black and Latino congregations that need the help” and for a “full-throated embrace of freedom of speech that ignores the social pollution” of modern media.