Spotlight

Written by John Biver

Illinois Family Institute recently teamed up with Restore Our Constitution to host a special event with historian David Barton in Decatur. Mr. Barton is the founder and president of Wall Builders, and an author of a number of best selling books.

David Barton touched on a number of topics in his presentation, including the Left's efforts to abolish the Electoral College and elect a president by a national popular vote. Barton stressed the need to understand the intention of the Founding Fathers when they created the Electoral College.

When the U.S. Constitution was being drafted, the population of just 4 of the 13 states made up over half of the country's total. Thus, it was quote possible that a president could be elected by just the four largest states.

The same is true today when it comes to population centers, 20 of which constitute more than half of the U.S. population. States with smaller populations might well have little say in electing future presidents when 20 out of America's 35,000 cities have the votes.

Barton asked -- do the people living in the other 34,980 cities want to be ruled by just those residing in the 20?

Similarly, the Founders set up a bicameral legislative branch. The U.S. House members would be elected by population, the U.S. Senate's would be elected by the states. Wyoming has only one U.S. Representative compared to Illinois' 18, but each state sends 2 senators to Washington. So like the Electoral College, Barton explained, both the population centers and the states have a say in passing legislation in Congress, keeping everyone involved in the decision making process.

During this edition of Spotlight, you'll hear his comments on that, and later his thoughts of daily bible reading, and finally, Thomas Jefferson's efforts to abolish slavery, yes, that Thomas Jefferson who owned slaves.

In the Spotlight this week is Rob Rienow, the founder of Visionary Family Ministries, he also is the pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Glen Ellyn. Pastor Rienow shares the biblical message of family discipleship at national and international conferences for parents, couples, and church leaders. He partners and consults with numerous churches, encouraging them to accelerate evangelism and discipleship through families. Rob and his wife Amy have seven children and they reside in the western suburbs of Chicago.

He joins Monte Larrick to discuss the impact of modern technology on children and teenagers, including internet pornography, social media, and cyber bullying. He draws from experience and shares some great tips and recommendations to reconnect your family to Christ and each other.

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Is the Declaration of Independence “perhaps one of the most important documents in the history of mankind”? Or are both the Declaration and U.S. Constitution to be disregarded because there were slave owners involved with drafting them?

David Shestokas is Monte Larrick’s guest on this week’s Illinois Spotlight. Shestokas is an expert on the American Founding documents, a former Cook County assistant state’s attorney, and an author of: Creating the Declaration of Independence, Constitutional Sound Bites, and Capsulas Informativas Constitucionales, which "explains for Spanish language readers both the meaning and historical context of the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights."

They discuss the value of the U.S. Constitution, the correlation between the Unanimous Declaration on Independence and the U.S. Constitution, the modern movement to tear down monuments and statues, what the danger is in thinking that the Constitution is a living document, and the new Supreme Court of the United States.

Monte Larrick asks, "with what’s happening today with uproar in the streets and dysfunction in Washington, D.C., how can looking back at the Constitution help us?" Tune in for David Shestokas’ answer.

 

As most of you know, HB 40 was signed into law by Governor Bruce Rauner last week. Pro-life voters are deeply disturbed by the governor's change of heart.

Joining Monte Larrick to talk about this ominous legislation is State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard), an Illinois House GOP floor leader and a pro-life leader in his own right.  Rep. Breen has been one of the most outspoken Republicans against HB 40.

Discussed in this bonus podcast: the implications of the bill, what we can do to mitigate its effects, the governors inability to outmaneuver House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), and the question many Illinois conservatives are asking: should Governor Rauner be challenged in the March 2018 Primary Election?

The Reverend C.L. Bryant, is a Senior Fellow at Freedom Works. He also is the host of the syndicated radio show, the C.L. Bryant show on Red State Talk Radio.

He will discuss national tax cuts, and their effect on the "Rockefellers" and "Smiths", with Monte Larrick. Also, the "non-existent" black conservative, the many problems in Illinois, and the current racial situation in America.

This episode is the second and final podcast of David Smith's conversation about GOP precinct committeeman with Jan Klaas, an IFA board member and former chair of the Winnebego County Republican Party, and Jim Edwards the chairman of the Illinois Leadership Project.

Joining the discussion is Shawn Carney, the President of 40 Days For Life. Shawn began as a volunteer in the pro-life movement while still in college. During this time he helped to lead the first-ever local 40 Days for Life campaign. After graduating from college, Shawn was asked to serve as the Executive Director of the Coalition for Life, a local pro-life organization in Texas made up of more than 60 churches. From its beginning, Shawn has been instrumental in growing 40 Days for Life nationally and then internationally.

Monte Larrick and Shawn discusses the new 40 Days For Life campaign, which starts Saturday morning and going through November 5th. They also discuss the impact of the campaign, and pending Illinois legislation that would allow taxpayer funding of abortion. (HB 40)

Please contact the governors office and ask Governor Rauner to veto HB 40. Call (217) 782-0244.

We appreciate your feedback! Please contact us at [email protected].

 

In this, the first of two podcasts aimed at encouraging more Christian conservatives to run for Precinct Committeeman, IFA’s Dave Smith, northern Illinois activist Jan Klaas, and the Illinois Leadership Project’s chairman Jim Edwards lay out the facts concerning this critical post.

Please listen to it, share it with like-minded friends, and consider running for and/or helping to recruit candidates for GOP Precinct Committeeman.

Read more about becoming a precinct committeeman HERE.

Watch a video recording of this podcast HERE.

Monte’s guest for this week’s podcast is Peter LaBarbera, the founder and president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality.

They will discuss the radical transgender agenda, as mentioned in the title, and the hate group, the SPLC.

We appreciate your feedback! Please contact us at [email protected].

In the Spotlight this week is Vicki Wilson, a co-founder of School District 211 Parents for Privacy. Mrs. Wilson joins Monte Larrick to discuss transgenders in public schools, from keeping your privacy, to addressing curriculum used in school. They also talk about good conservatives running for local school board, and losing, this election cycle, as well as school choice.

We’d love to have your feedback!  Email us HERE.