Green's 'family values' help right-wingagenda, but do little or nothing for families

Rep. Mark Green was touting his award from the Family Research Council the other day, saying he had won a "True Blue" award for "his strong defense of families and the sanctity of human life."

"Since coming to Congress, one of my highest priorities has been protecting the needs of families,"Green said. "The work we do in Washington can strengthen or weaken family bonds, and the "True Blue"Award is a reminder of just how significant an impact our votes in Congress have."

This year, Green was recognized "for demonstrating extraordinary integrity and character in his defense of families and the sanctity of human life through his votes in Congress."

"Stronger neighborhoods and communities start with stronger families, and that's why it's always important that we support public policy that protects the values of human life, religion and family institutions such as marriage," Green said.

What could be finer and more voter-friendly than a pro-family group?

Well, the Family Research Council cares about a lot more than families -- and only certain kinds of families need apply. Founded by James Dobson and headed for a time by Gary Bauer, its president is now Tony Perkins (not the actor who played a nutcase, but an actual nutcase). Right Wing Watch, at People for the American Way, explains:

Since the early 1990s, FRC has emerged as a leading conservative think-tank championing "traditional family values" by lobbying for state-sponsored prayer in public schools, private school vouchers, abstinence-only programs, filtering software on public library computers, the right to discriminate against gay men and lesbians.

FRC's objective is to establish a conservative Christian standard of morality in all of America's domestic and foreign policy.

FRC has dedicated itself to working against reproductive freedom, sex education, equal rights for gays and lesbians and their families, funding of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. FRC supports a school prayer amendment and would like to "disestablish"the Department of Education.

The agenda doesn't stop there, either. To get a "True Blue" award, Green needed to vote with the council 100% of the time on "pro-family" issues that included:

--Allowing faith-based organizations to discriminate in hiring based on religion, a family value if I ever heard one.

-- Interfering in the Terri Schiavo case by passing a bill taking sides with her parents and against her husband, who was trying to carry out her wishes.

-- Cutting funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. (That reafamilieses a blow for famililes.)

-- Opposing an expansion of federal support for stem cell research, which holds out the potential to cure diseases that affect almost every American family.)

-- Supporting display of the 10 Commandments at an Indiana courthouse. (Makes my family more secure.)

-- Supporting a constitutional amendment to prohibit flag desecration, which threatens families all across the country.

-- Opposing the Supreme Court ruling on eminent domain and prohibiting spending any money to enforce the court decision. (Ah, yes, protecting the sanctity of public property.)

-- Opposing an amendment to the Child Safety Act to create federal hate crimes for violent acts based on race, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. I'm not sure what the pro-family part of that vote would be, but Mark Green will no doubt be happy to explain during his campaign for governor. (Interestingly, last year he didn't even bother to respond to a questionnaire from the Wisconsin version of the organization.)

Two other Wisconsin Republicans, Paul Ryan and F. Jim Sensenbrenner, also were "True Blue" with 100% voting records, but only Green put out a news release. Tom Petri was 92% True Blue, not enough for an award. Among the Dems, Dave Obey scored 17%, while Tammy Baldwin, Gwen Moore and Ron Kind all got big fat zeroes.

Green, of course, voted last week for $50-billion in budget cuts that will harm many Wisconsin families by cutting student loans, food stamps, and child support enforcement funds, Medicaid, and other family-friendly programs -- programs that actually strengthen families and help them survive and improve their lot. When he goes back to DC after the Thanksgiving recess, he'll be voting for a $70-billion tax cut that helps families, too -- the wealthiest families in the country.