News and Views

Kelly Shackelford, President/CEO, with Texas Gov. Rick Perry

freemarketfoundationmedia — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:37:37 +0000

Suspension, Psych Evaluation for 8-Year-Old After Drawing Jesus on the Cross

freemarketfoundationmedia — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:38:10 +0000

In Massachusetts, an eight-year-old special needs boy was sent home from school and required to undergo a psychiatric evaluation after he drew a picture of Jesus on the cross. The assignment? Draw something that reminds you of Christmas. His teacher said that it was violent, and school administrators forced him into counseling. The boy will soon transfer to another school, but the damage is done.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below!

Interview Updates on Don’t Tear Me Down

freemarketfoundationmedia — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:40:04 +0000

Here are some links to just a few of the videos Liberty Legal Institute and clients did recently in the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial case:

Lou Dobbs (CNN, Kelly debates Barry Lynn)
Fox and Friends
America’s Newsroom (Fox News)
Religion and Ethics Newsweekly on PBS
Washington Post about the case
Washington Post bio on Henry and Wanda Sandoz
CBN
C-SPAN (Liberty Legal and clients begin at 4:10)
CNN bio on Henry and Wanda Sandoz
CNN on oral arguments
CNN about the case
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (Wednesday, features VFW client Joe Davis)
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (Sunday)
ABC World News with Charles Gibson

Don’t Tear Me Down Goes to Washington!

freemarketfoundationmedia — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:28:52 +0000

On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the high profile Mojave Desert War Memorial case. It’s the most important case of the term; so far, Fox News has run stories on this issue with us and our clients (click here for America’s Newsroom from Sept. 17, check back soon for more information on the Fox and Friends interview from Thursday).

Here are other shows to watch soon:

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (Airs Sunday with follow up later.)
PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly (Here’s a link to the segment. Airing likely on Sunday, varies by region. Click for your PBS station.)
CNN American Morning (Monday between 5 a.m.-8 a.m. CST), Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (Monday between 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
ABC World News with Charles Gibson (more details coming soon)

The NBC National News interview we thought would air last night will now air on Sunday as a preview and then again next week before the argument.

In addition to these on-camera interviews, the Washington Post released articles on Monday profiling the case and our clients Henry and Wanda Sandoz, who have been taking care of the memorial for the last 25 years! Be sure to leave comments on these articles!

Next week, we will keep you up-to-date minute by minute via Twitter and Facebook pages. Should we lose this case, ALL veterans memorials across our country that contain religious imagery will be at risk of being torn down.

www.donttearmedown.com

American Soldiers’ Caravan to Mojave Desert War Memorial

freemarketfoundationmedia — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:39:53 +0000

On Monday, six American soldiers, recently home from Iraq, kicked off a cross-country tour to bring awareness to the plight of the Mojave Desert War Memorial. They stopped in Texas on their way to visit the memorial to speak with War Hero and US Congressman Sam Johnson and to collect signatures for the petition at www.DontTearMeDown.com. The soldiers will arrive at the Memorial tomorrow and will lay a wreath and read the names of fallen comrades. Hundreds of veterans from around the region will be there to greet them, and CNN and ABC Nightly News will be there to cover the event. If you haven’t signed the petition of support for the memorial, we urge you to do so now. Go to www.DontTearMeDown.com!

The six soldiers on their way to the Memorial.

Congressman Sam Johnson with Kelly Shackelford

Kelly presents Congressman Johnson with a “Don’t Tear Me Down” shirt.

Study Shows Economic Impact of Death Tax: Repeal of Death Tax Could Create More Than 100,000 Texas Jobs

freemarketfoundationmedia — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:44:29 +0000

PLANO, Texas – Free Market Foundation released a study today in conjunction with the Family Research Council and the American Family Business Foundation which evaluates the significant, negative impacts of the federal estate tax (the “death tax”) on the national and state economies, including Texas. The report, “Repealing Death Tax Will Create Jobs and Boost Economy,” explains how the best option in view of the economy is a repeal of the death tax.

“Allowing the death tax to come back and taking one-half of a person’s assets at death is not only morally wrong, it would destroy over 30,000 Texas jobs,” said Kelly Shackelford, President/CEO of Free Market Foundation.

This paper, which combines two recent analyses of the death tax by Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office, and Stephen Entin, president and executive director of the Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation (IRET), considers the various options available to Congress, including reversion to the 2001 tax rate and exemption, reduction, and elimination, and the economic ramifications of each option.

Though Congress set an annual reduction and increased exemption schedule for the death tax in 2002, Congress will revisit the death tax soon, as it is slated for elimination in 2010 before reverting to the high marginal tax rate and low exemption of the 1990s in 2011. According to Holtz-Eakin, such a reversion would eliminate 33,830 jobs in Texas alone. By contrast, eliminating the estate tax would create 101,489 jobs in Texas.

As the paper reveals, the best outcome is elimination of the death tax; a full repeal increases jobs and expands the economy, as well as provides the largest increase in government revenue.

Click here to read the full study.

Kelly at The American Legion National Convention

freemarketfoundationmedia — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:40:39 +0000

Click to listen to Kelly’s speech at The American Legion National Convention. Kelly at American Legion Conference

Prayer Under Fire in North Texas City

freemarketfoundationmedia — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:34:47 +0000

Recently, the City of North Richland Hills (near Fort Worth) received a letter from the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF), an organization whose goal is to remove religious expression from the public square. The City’s Council meetings begin with prayer, which does not usually refer to God or Jesus specifically, but is often closed by the phrase “In His Name” or “In Your Name.” Following a complaint from one citizen, FFRF has taken it upon itself to punish a city for engaging in voluntary, constitutionally-permitted prayer before important meetings. We are in communication with the city. This is just one more example of the extreme left’s attempt to stifle religious free speech.

Sound off! Should city hall meetings include prayer?

FMF Speaking at Values Voter Summit!

freemarketfoundationmedia — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:16:19 +0000

This year’s big Values Voter Summit added yet another well-known speaker: our own Kelly Shackelford, president of Free Market Foundation! At the Summit, Kelly will get the chance to talk about our work to save the Mojave Desert War Memorial (www.DontTearMeDown.com) to the thousands of people in attendance. If you haven’t signed up to attend, visit www.ValuesVoterSummit.org!

Tell 5, Influence Thousands!

freemarketfoundationmedia — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:42:43 +0000

We’ve had an amazing outpouring of support from patriotic Americans like you who are willing to stand up to left-wing organizations and say…

“You can’t tear down my memorials, and you can’t tear down my freedom!”

So far, over 32,000 friends have joined us in the fight to save The Mojave Desert Memorial Cross by signing our online petition of support. By signing the petition, you can thank America’s Veterans for their service and let them know that you will fight to protect our nation’s war memorials. If you haven’t yet signed the petition, please take a few minutes right now and show your support for our brave American soldiers.

If you have already signed the petition, please encourage 5 of your friends or family to join you in taking a stand against those who wish to suffocate our freedom and desecrate our nation’s memorials.

If all of our 32,000 friends who have signed the petition so far recruited just 5 more people, we would have over 160,000 voices of support!

We must spread the word about the travesty that the ACLU is trying to perpetrate upon American values. Please don’t let the liberal left silence the voices of freedom. Stand up and be counted by sharing this critical issue with your friends and family now. Together, we will let those who wish to suffocate our freedom know, “I won’t be torn down!”