As Trump prepares order on religious liberty, Pence’s credibility with evangelicals is at stake

NASHVILLE — As evangelicals gathered here last week, expectations were high about the upcoming announcement of an administration executive order on religious liberty. But so were anxieties.

Christian author Rod Dreher made no effort to hide his skepticism about President Trump. “I don’t think he cares about the thing that matters most to us, and that is religious liberty,” Dreher said from the stage.
The marriage of evangelicals to Trump, Dreher added, will not end well. “I think it’s going to be a bitter harvest for us,” he said.
No one seems to know what Trump’s executive order will say, because it has been so closely held by Vice President Mike Pence and a few aides. A draft version that was leaked to the Nation magazine soon after the inauguration was broadly worded to create “wholesale exemptions [from anti-discrimination statutes] for people and organizations who claim religious or moral objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion, and trans identity,” according to the magazine.

But there is reason for religious conservatives — including Pence, a deeply conservative Christian — to worry about how the final version will read. The president’s daughter Ivanka and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are more aligned with gay, lesbian and transgender groups on the issue. In fact, some observers believe the leak to the Nation was orchestrated by someone in Jared and Ivanka’s orbit to sabotage the process

“The Jared and Ivanka thing, that’s real,” said one congressional aide.
One Senate aide said the rumor on Capitol Hill was that “President Jared has it on hold. … I haven’t seen any evidence that Pence has the pull to trump Jared.”
And that gets to the heart of the matter. Pence has a long history with the issue of religious liberty, having been embarrassed by a bungled attempt in Indiana when he was governor to implement a law on the matter.

Pence, widely criticized after signing the Indiana legislature’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act in the spring of 2015, then bowed to pressure and altered the legislation in a way that angered religious conservatives. So in the view of some in the community, the vice president has an obligation to make it up to them.

Comments

FG set to deploy first batch of CNG vehicles ahead of Tinubu's one year in office come 29th May 2024

FG announce plans to deploy the first batch of CNG Vehicles ahead of first anniversary of Tinubu in office on May 29th 2024. Said N100 billion was allocated to purchase 5,500 CNG vehicles, 100 electric buses, and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits. Deployment of CNG vehicles is parts of FG’s vision to have at least one million natural gas propelled vehicles on the roads by 2027. The Federal Government has announced plans to start the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses and tricycles for mass transit ahead of Tinubu administration’s first anniversary on May 29th. The move was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Sunday April 21st 2024. According to him, the Federal Government allocated N100 billion last year to purchase 5,500 CNG-powered vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 electric buses, and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits. The funding, which is part of the N500 billion palliative budget, a...

CBN asks Nigerian banks to charge 0.5% cybersecurity levy on all transactions

CBN asks Nigerian banks to charge 0.5% cybersecurity levy on all transactions Jerry Wright-Ukwu May 7, 2024 Amid the prevailing challenges in Nigeria, deposit money banks across the country will now implement a 0.5% cybersecurity levy on transactions, as announced in a circular issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) dated May 6, 2024. According to the circular addressed to all commercial, merchant, non-interest, and payment service banks, as well as mobile money operators and payment service providers, the levy is in line with the provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ( amendment ) Act 2024. “Following the enactment of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ( amendment ) Act 2024 and pursuant to the provision of Section 44 (2) (a) of the Act, ‘a levy of 0.5% (0.005) equivalent to a half percent of all electronic transactions value by the business specified in the Second Schedule of the Act’, is to...

Reasons why Man United will defeat arsenal this weekend

Manchester United has the potential to claim victory against Arsenal for several concrete reasons: 1) Home Advantage: Playing at Old Trafford, United will have the backing of their home crowd, which could boost the team's morale and performance 2) Strong Attack: With players like Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Bruno Fernandes, United boasts a formidable attacking force that can break down Arsenal's defense. 3) Tactical Flexibility: Manager Erik ten Hag has shown adaptability in his tactics and can exploit Arsenal's weaknesses by adjusting his game plan accordingly. 4) Improved Defensive Stability: United has conceded fewer goals in recent matches, suggesting an improvement in their defensive capabilities, which could help them keep Arsenal's attackers at bay. 5) Motivation for Top-Four Finish: United's players will be highly motivated to secure a win against Arsenal, as it could significantly boost their chances of securing a top-four finish in the Premi...

uchendu

Search This Blog