At the end of every year, I take a moment to reflect on some of Family Council’s big accomplishments from the previous 12 months. Below are some of the successes we had in 2010, and work I look forward to continuing as we start 2011.
1. Distributed Thousands of Voter’s Guides: In 2010 voters paid attention to who was running for office. They voted their values. For over 20 years we’ve encouraged voters to do just that. We surveyed candidates running for federal, statewide, and legislative offices, and we published the results of those surveys online and in print. Our online guide became the first to feature video interviews with the federal candidates. Voters used this information to decide which candidates reflected their values, and it made a difference.
2. Defended the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act Against the ACLU: The ACLU couldn’t win in a fair vote, so they’re trying to persuade the Arkansas Supreme Court to strike down Act One. Our attorneys have spent months preparing to defend this good law that protects adoptive and foster children from being placed in cohabiting homes.
3. Exposed Irresponsible Actions by the Arkansas Lottery: We don’t sell cigarettes or beer out of vending machines. Why would we sell lottery tickets out of them? That’s why we spent much of the summer fighting lottery ticket vending machines. When people heard about the machines, they voiced strong opposition. So far, the machines are still stored in a warehouse. In addition to exposing the dangers of lottery vending machines, we also opposed the lottery in general. Gradually, we’ve won over a number of lawmakers and others to our point of view.
4. We Served as Your Voice at the Capitol: The Arkansas Legislature meets every year now. We are in Little Rock monitoring them every day they’re in session. Our office is just two blocks from the Capitol, so it is easy for us to be there with lawmakers, defeating bad legislation and passing good laws. During this year’s budget session we did our part to oppose tax increases, fight wasteful spending, and help our government operate more responsibly. Our mission has always been to monitor the legislature so that folks back home can call their lawmakers when important issues arise.
5. Utilized New Technologies and Media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs are just a few of the new ways that people get information. We are reaching the next generation and everyone else online with these and other emerging technologies. Through social networking, videos, and blogs, we are getting the pro-family message to our friends faster than ever without spending as much money on postage and printing.
6. Promoted, Protected, and Strengthened Home Schooling Statewide: Parents have a right to teach their children at home, but like any right, it has to be defended sometimes. Virtually every legislative session during the past 20 years has seen some kind of bad home school bill. When that happens, we sound the alarm and stand for your rights as parents. We also host two annual home school conventions, and we have a full time staff to assist the home schoolers who call our office every day. Whether it’s getting your Notice of Intent in the mail or a social worker showing up on your doorstep, we’re here for you.
7. Began Development of a “Bill Bank”: Family Council has assembled bill summaries and sample legislation covering nearly two dozen pro-life bills and over a dozen new lottery regulations. We’re also working on legislation that would strengthen marriages in Arkansas. Did you know that a couple seeking to get married may be charged over $50 just for their marriage license? What if we passed a law that gave some of that money back to couples who go through pre-marital counseling? We’re putting together a bank of good legislation, like this bill and others, that lawmakers can use to make Arkansas a better place.
8. Strengthened our Relationships With Conservative Groups: American’s for Prosperity, American Majority, TEA Parties, Secure Arkansas, Arkansas Right to Life, Eagle Forum, Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council, Families First Foundation, and many others work to make Arkansas better. That’s why we’re building friendships with them. The chances are good that you’re a fan of at least one of the groups I listed above—or would be, if you knew more about them. The chances are also good that the folks who support those groups would be fans of Family Council. We may go by different names, but we share a lot of values.
