THIS WEEK'S NEWS

Not grassroots: If you ever read about attempts to influence legislation in different states, you may have noticed how similar the language and efforts appear to be... even if they're described as "grassroots." You're not imagining things; reporters at Uncloseted Media delved into the workings of  The Liberty Counsel, a legal group pursuing a far-right Christian agenda with the goals of overturning gay marriage and exclude LGBTQIA+ people. This investigation revealed that LC operates as a central force for a network of affiliated organizations, or "ministries," that function like "gears in a machine" to influence American institutions. This network works in different arenas to reach policy goals, and includes a political advocacy arm, a group that works to "embolden" Supreme Court Justices and government officials, a council that trains pastors to turn churches into activist hubs, and online K-12 school promoting Christian curricula to avoid "LGBT propaganda," and ministries that focus on Christian-focused media, women's activism, and pro-Israel advocacy. It's a strategic, multi-front, and well-funded effort seeking to influence courts, schools, media, and congregations to reshape American law and politics in its image. Read more. 

But we're PrO-LiFe: The Republican-led government shutdown threatens to cut off millions, including pregnant people and young children, from federal food aid like SNAP. Studies show food insecurity during pregnancy increases risks like preeclampsia and preterm birth. Experts warn that losing assistance creates intense stress, forcing pregnant people to make difficult choices that negatively impact both maternal and fetal health, potentially leading to generational health issues. All this from the party that wants to "protect women and children." The only logical conclusion here is that the cruelty is the point, over and over again. Read more. 

Be careful what you  ̶v̶o̶t̶e̶ wish for: In this week's iteration of several cliches, including "monkey's paw," "religious freedom for me but not for thee," and "you can't have it both ways," Hement Mehta reports that Republicans in Florida are simply furious that non-Christians are using a school voucher program that (checks notes) Republicans voted for.  Despite the program funneling billions to private Christian schools, many of which have anti-LGBTQIA+ policies, officials are now claiming (without evidence) that Islamic schools are promoting Sharia Law and undermining national security. This is an open display of Christian Nationalist hypocrisy that reveals that the GOP's true goal was not religious freedom but Christian privilege. They want public money to exclusively support their own religious agenda, not genuinely champion "school choice" for all. Read more.

Hate on ASU campus: The College Republicans United (CRU) held an event at ASU last week to encourage students to report "Antifa" to the FBI, attracting *only four* members, mostly non-students. One was Micajah Jackson, a “proud” participant in Jan. 6, Grand Canyon University graduate, and Xitter personality, who opined on how smart he thinks German Nazis were as compared to American Nazis. The CRU, which has a documented history of racist and extremist chat leaks, was joined by Republican congressional candidate Paul Reevs who's running for Schweikert's seat in CD1.  Read more. 

When you've lost (some of) the evangelicals: A segment of evangelical leaders and voters is beginning to "quietly quit" the MAGA movement and distance themselves from Donald Trump, according to reporting from Axios. This split is often rooted in disillusionment with the movement's focus on political power over moral integrity. Some evangelicals cite Trump's rhetoric and behavior, feeling the MAGA movement has become a hindrance to genuine Christian witness. So, what, exactly, was the red line that finally pushed these faithful folks over the edge? Was it mocking a disabled reporter? Bragging about grabbing p😾ssy? Ripping children and babies from their families and locking them in detention centers? Politicizing a deadly disease? Being convicted of sexual assault? Sending platoons of masked men to kidnap and disappear people from their homes and off the streets? (Axios says it's because of the recent decision to allow ICE to kidnap people while they're in church 🤷🏻‍♀️) But don't get too excited; according to a recent PRRI study, 72% of white evangelicals are still on the Trump hate train. Read more.