Election Aftermath: What kind of Government will result from last week’s vote in NY and PA ?

How “Christians Engaged” helped Influence the vote

NY’s Prop 1’s impact for religious organizations, women’s/girls’ sports, and more

Family Life’s Capital Connection connects you each Friday with a pair of Christian watchdogs from the state capitals of Albany and Harrisburg. This week, our guests are Jason McGuire of the New York Families Foundation and Dan Bartkowiak from the Pennsylvania Family Institute.

Ten states decided proposed amendments to their constitutions in the October and November voting, a little more than two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the national Constitution does not include rights to abortions, leaving the decision on any limits (and taxpayer funding) to each individual state.

Seven of those state approved pro-abortion ballot measures, but three did not. Family Life News asked Kelsey Pritchard of Susan B. Anthony Prolife America to offer a pro-life perspective on the election results. Pritchard is the public affairs director for SBA Prolife is South Dakota, one of the three states that turned aside constitutional protections for this practice of ending pregnancies.

She also notes that the states where abortion proposals were approved by majorities of voters, abortion is already legal and accessible in each of those states.

She not only points to the example of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but other ways that public opinion was swayed. In this expanded conversation, she also talks about lessons from Florida, South Dakota and Nebraska that can be used to protect preborn babies elsewhere when legislatures and electorates make their future determinations.

If you are interested in further information:

SBA Prolife offers analysis on related issues:

“Faith Under Fire” invites you to listen to the voices from religious battlegrounds in this nation. Our weekly Thursday interviews delve into social, religious and political matters from health to freedom to faith practices. This feature airs on the Family Life Noon Report and 5 O’Clock Report, and bonus content is also included in many of our podcast versions as well.

You can subscribe to be notified when new episodes of this podcast and our other features are posted. The podcast player here also gives you options to download the audio and share recommendations with friends.

#FaithUnderFire

11/14/2024

If someone you love is living with dementia, simplifying how you celebrate the holidays could create a more enjoyable time for everyone. Phil Shippers of the Rochester and Finger Lakes chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association offers practical help in this Inside Out news podcast.

One in ten older Americans lives with dementia. Maybe this includes people you love. If so, being flexible and even making a few changes to the way you celebrate the holidays could help everyone feel more comfortable around the table this year.

“We have to realize that due to the changes in the brain, the person is trying to interpret their environment. So, being part of a social event may be upsetting or confusing or stressful,” says Phil Shippers, program director for the Rochester & Finger Lakes Region of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I think the biggest thing is to be flexible, and perhaps to change our expectations,” he says. “Maybe we try new things. And we want to do this to reduce commotion, to reduce noise and activity, to make the person living with dementia feel more comfortable.”

Even if we’re not organizing the gathering, Shippers says there are practical things we can do to help our loved one living with dementia enjoy the time together. “One of the suggestions that we make is that when people approach the person living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, that they introduce themselves,” he says. “And it doesn’t have to be formal or stuffy. You can just make light of it, saying, ‘Oh, this is your favorite grandson Patrick.’”

We want to preserve each person’s dignity and demonstrate our love. Along the way, Shippers points out, we will make mistakes. “Give yourself some grace as well,” he says. “And just be as positive and really enjoy the moment as much as you can.”

Listen to our Inside Out podcast, where Phil Shippers lists a number of practical ways to make gatherings more comfortable.

For additional help, the Alzheimer’s Association offers support and resources 24/7 through its Help Line at 800-272-3900. You can also contact the Alzheimer’s Association at Alz.org.

That website offers six recommendations for households where the attendees include someone  who is dealing with these types of memory loss and limitations.

#InsideOut

11/13/2024