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WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - DECEMBER 4, 2024
In this week's Intersect, read about:
President Biden Pardons His Son Hunter Despite Pledging Not To
“President Joe Biden has issued a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, claiming that he was unfairly prosecuted for political reasons. In a statement released Sunday, the president argued that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted’ due to his connection to the Democratic commander-in-chief.” Read more at The Christian Post
THINK.
- A presidential pardon is an official act of forgiveness granted by the President of the United States, which removes or reduces the legal consequences of a federal offense. This power, outlined in Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, allows the President to grant pardons or reprieves for federal crimes, except in cases of impeachment.
- President Biden’s pardon covers any crimes his son, Hunter, may have committed between January 2014 and December 2024, including any illegal business dealings while Biden was serving as Vice President.
- Almost every president has used their power to pardon, and it is not uncommon for their pardons to be controversial. What makes this instance particularly unique, is that the White House repeatedly stated that President Biden would not pardon his son, Hunter. Back in June, when ABC News asked President Biden directly if he had ruled out a presidential pardon for Hunter, President Biden responded, “Yes.” Additionally, the White House Press Secretary explicitly ruled out a pardon almost half a dozen times in 2024 alone.
- In the statement accompanying the pardon, President Biden said, “For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded.” However, the abrupt shift after four years of firmly rejecting the possibility of Biden issuing a pardon for Hunter has led many to question the President’s stated commitment to transparency.
PRAY.
Heavenly Father, we lift our leaders and our nation to You, and we pray that the Biblical principles of justice, righteousness, and honesty would prevail in our culture. Amen.
ACT.
The power to pardon predates the founding of the United States and has been exercised by nearly every President in American history. To learn more about presidential pardons, read The History of the Pardon Power.
Australia Passes Landmark Social Media Ban for Children Under 16
“Australian lawmakers on Thursday approved a landmark ban on social media for children under 16 in some of the world’s toughest such controls. The ban, which aims to address the impact of excessive social media use on children’s physical and mental health, affects social media platforms including X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Reddit, but not YouTube.” Read more at NBC News.
THINK.
- The social media companies affected by this law have one year to settle on how they will enforce this ban on their platforms. Should they fail to enforce the ban, they face potentially hefty fines from the Australian government.
- The responses to Australia’s decision have been diverse. Some who have been deeply concerned about the mental and emotional impact social media has on developing minds are in full support of the ban, and that includes over 70% of Australian citizens. However, there are others who feel Australia went too far too fast. Notably, Elon Musk said the ban “seem[ed] like a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians.”
- As of the summer, almost a dozen states had passed laws restricting minor’s use of social media to varying degrees, and more states are considering such legislation. But could Australia’s decision be a catalyst for the passage of a similar law on the federal level? Only time will tell.
PRAY.
Lord, please grant our leaders wisdom as they navigate the complexities of social media, especially as it relates to our children. Help them to protect the hearts and minds of the next generation while also upholding our individual freedoms. Amen.
ACT.
What do you think of Australia’s decision? And would you support a similar ban in the United States? Let us know where you stand by participating in our poll here.
Map Shows Where the World Stands on Israel-Gaza Conflict
“President-elect Donald Trump will return to the White House in January 2025, bringing a new cabinet and a new approach to foreign policy with him. Trump has already been vocal about how he will approach the Middle East, warning Hamas that there will be ‘hell to pay’ if hostages are not released from Gaza. Despite strong stances in support of Israel from the U.S. and many of its allies in the West, such as the U.K., international perspectives on the conflict in Gaza, which escalated after the October 7 attacks, remain divided, particularly among actors in the Middle East.” Read more at Newsweek.
THINK.
- The Israel-Hamas conflict has been ongoing for over a year now, and Hamas is still holding at least 97 innocent civilians hostage, and at least 33 of those hostages are believed to be deceased. The next Congress in collaboration with President-elect Trump’s administration will likely play a critical role in negotiating an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict and returning the hostages to their families. In a social media post on Monday, President Trump sent a very direct message to Hamas about what to expect come Inauguration Day if they fail to release the remaining hostages before then.
- Meanwhile, in Northern Israel, a ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Lebanon-backed terror group Hezbollah. However, as of this writing, there are concerns that ceasefire might unravel almost as quickly as it was put together.
- My Faith Votes affirms its unwavering support for the nation of Israel, recognizing its unique historical, spiritual, and democratic significance. We uphold the commitment of the United States to stand by Israel, guided by our Christian principles and the biblical mandate to pray for and support God’s people.
PRAY.
Pray that God would grant all leaders wisdom and discernment who are working to secure peace in Israel and the Middle East. To guide you as you pray, take advantage of My Faith Votes’ Prayer Guide Five Prayer Points for Israel.
ACT.
My Faith Votes’ longtime Honorary National Chairman, Governor Mike Huckabee, was recently nominated to be Ambassador of the United States to Israel. We are beyond thrilled for him and all he will be able to accomplish as a representative of the United States in Israel. Please join us in congratulating him on his nomination by signing this letter, and continue to pray for him as he prepares for his new role.
Activists Say Mexican Authorities Have Broken Up 2 Migrant Caravans Heading to the US
“Mexican immigration authorities have broken up two small migrant caravans headed to the U.S. border, activists said Saturday. Some migrants were bused to cities in southern Mexico, and others were offered transit papers. The action comes a week after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to slap 25% tariffs on Mexican products unless the country does more to stem the flow of migrants to the U.S. border.” Read more at Associate Press.
THINK.
- What are tariffs? Tariffs are taxes on imports that protect domestic industries by making foreign goods more expensive to encourage local investment. In other words, by making imported goods more expensive, consumers are more likely to choose American-made products, giving the U.S. economy a boost.
- How is President-elect Trump using tariffs regarding immigration? President-elect Trump’s plan is to use tariffs as one tool to discourage foreign nations from participating in activities that harm American citizens. For example, to encourage Mexico and Canada to secure their borders with the United States, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods.
- Is this approach successful? At the threat of tariffs, both Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, as well as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sprang into action. Sheinbaum broke up the migrant caravans headed for the U.S. and Trudeau made a sudden and unexpected trip to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Trump. One will not know the full impact President-elect Trump’s tariffs could have on illegal immigration until he takes office January 20th. But the initial reaction by Mexico and Canada suggests they are taking his threats seriously.
PRAY.
Lord, we lift President-elect Trump up to You as he works to develop a plan to fix the United States’ broken immigration system. We pray that You would grant him and his team wisdom and discernment as they establish policies and procedures and negotiate with neighboring nations. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
ACT.
Tim Barton, president of Wall Builders, sat down with My Faith Votes recently to discuss how biblical principles influenced America’s founding and can guide today’s decisions, including immigration policy. Watch the full conversation here for insights on how faith shapes our approach to contemporary challenges.
My Faith Votes— is a ministry that motivates, equips, and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. An estimated 25 million Christians who are registered to vote, fail to vote in presidential elections. My Faith Votes is on a mission to change this statistic by helping Christians act on their faith and vote in every election. When we pray unceasingly for our nation, think biblically about the issues, and vote consistently in every election the impact of Christians taking action from the local to the state and federal level will be unprecedented.
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