DeLay’s 3/21 speech to the Family Research Council - transcript & mp3

[paineinthearse]

On March 22, DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and SHERYL GAY STOLBERG of the New York Times, in "How Family's Cause Reached the Halls of Congress" -
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/22/politics/22cong.html? - reported about the actions of Congress in the Terri Schiavo affair.

...On Friday, as the leaders of both chambers scrambled to try to stop the removal of Ms. Schiavo's feeding tube, Mr. DeLay, a Texas Republican, turned his attention to social conservatives gathered at a Washington hotel and described what he viewed as the intertwined struggle to save Ms. Schiavo, expand the conservative movement and defend himself against accusations of ethical lapses.

"One thing that God has brought to us is Terri Schiavo, to help elevate the visibility of what is going on in America," Mr. DeLay told a conference organized by the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group. A recording of the event was provided by the advocacy organization Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

"This is exactly the issue that is going on in America, of attacks against the conservative movement, against me and against many others," Mr. DeLay said. Mr. DeLay complained that "the other side" had figured out how "to defeat the conservative movement," by waging personal attacks, linking with liberal organizations and persuading the national news media to report the story. He charged that "the whole syndicate" was "a huge nationwide concerted effort to destroy everything we believe in."...

Thinkprogress.org - http://thinkprogress.org/index.php?author=15 -, the blog associated with American Progress Action Fund - www.americanprogressaction.org/ - has mp3 audio and a transcript of the DeLay speech to the Family Research Council.

http://www.americanprogressaction.org/atf/cf/{65464111-BB20-4C7D-B1C9-0B033DD31B63}/FRISTDELAY.MP3">download the mp3 file

And so it’s bigger than any one of us, and we have to do everything that is in our power to save Terri Schiavo and anybody else that may be in this kind of position.

And let me just finish with this: This is exactly the issue that’s going on in America. That attacks against the conservative movement, against me, and against many others. The point is, it’s, the other side has figured out how to win and defeat the conservative movement. And that is to go after people, personally charge them with frivolous charges, and link that up with all these do-gooder organizations funded by George Soros, and then, and then get the national media on their side. That whole syndicate that they have going on right now is for one purpose and one purpose only and that’s to destroy the conservative movement. It’s to destroy conservative leaders and it’s, uh, not just in elected office but leading. I mean Ed Feulner, today at the Heritage Foundation, was under attack in the National Journal. I mean they, they, this is a huge nationwide concerted effort to destroy everything we believe in, and, and you need to look at this and what’s going on and participate in fighting back.

Don’t, you know, the one way they stopped churches from getting into politics was Lyndon Johnson, who passed a law that said you couldn’t get in politics or you’re going to lose your tax exempt status because they were all opposed to him when he was running for president. That law we’re trying to repeal; it’s very difficult to do that. But the point is, is when they can knock out a leader then no other leader will step forward for awhile because they don’t want to go through the same thing. When, if they go after and get a pastor then other pastors shrink from what they should be doing. It forces Christians back into the church and that’s what’s going on in America: “The world is too bad. I’m going to go get inside this building and I’m not going to play in the world.” Uh, that’s not what Christ asked us to do. And, and so this, they understand that it is a political maneuver, and, and they are, uh, going to try to destroy the conservative movement and we have to fight back.

So, please, this afternoon, each and every one of you, if you know a senator give him a call. Tell him, they’ll say, “Our bill can pass in the House.” Tell him, “That’s fine. Your bill’s okay but the House bill is better and, uh, I want the House bill.” Particularly if you know Democrats, uh, don’t let them get off the hook, um, by hiding behind one House and the other is adjourned. We can do anything we need to do to pass any bill that we need to pass. So I appreciate what you’re doing. God bless you and thank you for the Family Research Council.

[MindPilot]

1. so if we liberals have figured out how to defeat the RW

how come we haven't done it yet? I mean with the medai on our side, all this money!! Come on! Let's get to defeatin'!!

[paineinthearse]

2. related post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1691045

[bertha katzenengel]

3. Fact check re: LBJ?

"the one way they stopped churches from getting into politics was Lyndon Johnson, who passed a law that said you couldn’t get in politics or you’re going to lose your tax exempt status because they were all opposed to him when he was running for president."

Anyone know if this is true? Besides, of course, the part about Johnson passing a law. Presidents can't pass laws. They can push for them and they can sign them.

[paineinthearse]

4. DU has a member in DeLay's district

I read his/her post a couple days ago. Maybe he/she could contact the district office to get this information (and a full transcript????).

[WestHoustonDem]

5. Wasn't LBJ in the Senate first?

I'm not in Delay's district, but I can call his office.

[paineinthearse]

6. That would be great.

Nail the bastard using his own words.

Regarding LBJ, I believe he was Senate majority leader when tapped by JFK to be his running mate.

[bertha katzenengel]

7. He was, but the way this is written it sounds like

LBJ "passed" the law while president -- as retribution for the lack of support when he was running for president.

I am really curious about this. I'm going to check it out on my lunch hour today.

[paineinthearse]

8. I asked this in the Texas forum and got this reply

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=180&topic_id=12250&mesg_id=12276&page=

google - tons of links - mostly from conservative sites - about LBJ's allegedly partisan motives for putting this into the IRS Code in 1954.

here's one (slightly more balanced maybe? didn't read every word - it's getting late)

http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol2No2/IRS.htm

But what is interesting to me is: was this whole frenzy lashed by a 1998 Washington Times article? B/c if that's the case I don't trust it for beans. Anyone have Caro's bio of Johnson? If this is how it went down, he probably described it there.

Google is also giving a link to a pbs interview on the topic; sort of scary to think that DeLay and Friends may be trying to open this conduit for their oily money next! Grrrr.