Americans Say Homelessness, Crime, Personal Finances Have Gotten Worse. We Believe Churches Can Help

Religious Freedom, ,

Polling shows Americans feel homelessness and crime are growing problems in America, and they say their personal finances have gotten worse.

In October, Rasmussen published results of a survey showing 61% of American adults believe homelessness in America has gotten worse over the past four years.

In a separate survey, 40% of American adults told Rasmussen their personal financial situation had worsened in the past six months.

Rasmussen also found nearly half (47%) of American adults feel crime has gotten worse in their communities.

Each survey polled more than 1,000 people.

Stories like these underscore why Family Council launched the Church Ambassador Network initiative earlier this year.

The Church Ambassador Network builds relationships between church leaders and elected leaders regardless of their political leanings. Our goal is for elected officials to see churches as a resource that can address many of the problems that communities face.

Many Americans do not fully appreciate how much churches do for their communities. Nationwide, researchers estimate that churches, ministries, and religious charities provide hundreds of billions of dollars worth of services every year.

Our Arkansas Church Ambassador Network currently has about 400 churches in it. In the coming months, we want to help elected officials and churches work together to address issues like foster care, fatherless homes, addiction, and human trafficking in Arkansas.

If you help lead a church or similar ministry in Arkansas, we would invite you to join the Church Ambassador Network for free today.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas Legislators Can Begin Pre-Filing Bills Today

Legislature

The Arkansas Legislature will convene on January 13, and pre-filing for bills begins today.

Family Council plans to review every piece of legislation filed at the capitol, and we will alert our friends about any important measures.

We are preparing to defend good laws and defeat bad laws in the coming months. Here are a few good things that we would like to see lawmakers do in 2025:

  • Pass a tax credit and a budget appropriation for pregnancy help organizations.
  • Stop abortionists in other states from delivering abortion drugs to women in Arkansas.
  • Ensure homeschoolers are able to access and use public funding for education under Arkansas’ LEARNS Act.
  • Protect parental rights, religious liberty, and rights of conscience in Arkansas.
  • Reform the state’s petition process to prevent wealthy, out-of-state interests from placing misleading measures on the state ballot.
  • Promote restrictions on predatory gambling like sports betting.
  • Prevent assisted suicide and other policies that result in a disregard for the lives of the elderly and disabled.
  • Oppose efforts to weaken Arkansas’ pro-life laws.
  • Oppose efforts by the marijuana industry to expand sales.
  • Oppose legislation that would expand public drinking in entertainment districts in Arkansas.
  • Stop any “tort reform” measures that would put a price tag on human life or make it harder to hold nursing homes accountable when their negligence injures or kills another person.
  • Defeat “hate crimes” legislation in Arkansas.
  • Stop any effort to weaken Arkansas’ good transparency laws.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Cherokee Nation Sues to Block Arkansas Issue 2 in Federal Court

Casinos

Cherokee Nation Business is suing in federal court to block enforcement of Issue 2 that voters passed last week.

Issue 2 is a constitutional amendment. It prevents the State of Arkansas from licensing a casino in Pope County, and it prevents any additional casinos from being opened in Arkansas without a new constitutional amendment and without local voter approval at a special election.

Cherokee Nation Business had received a license to operate a casino in Pope County. Issue 2’s passage on election day keeps their casino — and any other casinos — out of Pope County.

Issue 2 passed with strong support from Arkansans on November 5. But after the election, Cherokee Nation Business filed a federal lawsuit to undo the will of the people and block Issue 2.

The lawsuit argues that Issue 2 violates Cherokee Nation Business’s constitutional rights. It also claims Issue 2 lacks due process, impairs contracts, and unfairly targets their casino license.

In a decision issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge D.P. Marshall, Jr., denied Cherokee Nation Business’s request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would have blocked Issue 2. The ruling indicated the case would be expedited and that a trial in the case would be scheduled soon.

Legalized gambling has become a scourge in our state. On average, Arkansans are gambling more than a million dollars every day on sports betting alone. In spite of that, casino tax revenue has not improved Arkansas’ roads or boosted the economy. Instead it’s hurt our communities. The Arkansas Problem Gambling Council has seen a 22% increase in calls for help with problem gambling this year. Unless Arkansas’ lawmakers and its people take a stand, gambling addiction is simply going to continue wrecking lives and hurting families in our state.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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