My attempt to help Nancy Pelosi

At the National Press Club yesterday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi commented on President Bush’s upcoming State of the Union address. In doing so, she touched on the subject of values and religion.

Referring to Democrats, she said that the “best way…for us to speak to people of faith is in terms of the work we do; in terms of the budget, for example. The budget is a document that’s supposed to be a statement of our national values.”

By “people of faith,” Pelosi meant people like the 114 protesters who were arrested last month for blocking the entrance to the Capitol. “We had the people of faith working against this budget. They had events in the Capitol, they were arrested on the steps of the Cannon Building….”

Nancy, please read this carefully. It will really help you. The public policy issues that motivate ‘people of faith’ are things like abortion, same-sex marriage, assisted suicide, drugs, etc. Not the federal budget. Don't call people of faith who are pro-life ‘anti-choice.’ It's degrading to us.

In 2004 after John Kerry lost the election you said, ‘As a devout Catholic, I observe with great regret the intervention of some Catholic bishops who joined evangelical leaders in the political arena.’ Well Nancy, there was much more then just Catholic Bishops who adhered to the pro-life teaching of the Catholic Church. I

I, as a devout Catholic, do not wish for you to represent me or people of faith until you can define what that means. We will not be mocked, degraded or considered a threat to democracy. People of Faith are Americans who hold firm to the Word of God, the teachings of his church and don't make decisions based upon the latest opinion polls. If you and the rest of the Democratic party embrace this reality, it may serve to slow the rapid departure of ‘people of faith’ from your cause.