We asked. You voted. Now, the results are in.
Over the last two weeks, we’ve asked YOU to vote for the worst, most out of touch, and most bizarre policy moves of the year in our 2020 Donkey Awards. Your votes are in, and we’re here to announce the “award winners.” Keep reading to see if your picks received an “award!”
#5: Most Bizarre Bill: Mrs. Doubtfire
A whopping 72% of you voted for California’s “Mrs. Doubtfire” bill as the Most Bizarre Bill of 2020. If made law, this bill would allow a person who “changes their gender” to automatically have their sex marker changed on their marriage license (regardless of whether the spouse agrees with this) and their child’s birth certificate. Apparently, it doesn’t matter whether the child deserves an accurate birth certificate; it doesn’t matter that California is erasing the meaning of mother and father, husband and wife, and changing history with easily checked boxes. It reminds us a lot of the classic 90s comedy where dad becomes a stand-in “mom” (nanny). It’s bizarre indeed!
#4: Most Out of Touch: Pennies for Amazon
With another strong showing at 67% of the vote, California’s “Pennies for Amazon” bill takes the Most Out of Touch Politician “award.” Politicians in this state introduced a bill that would require all retail stores to no longer distinguish between boys’ and girls’ clothes, and boys’ and girls’ toys. This bill actually requires retailers to just mix everything up. This will just lead to busy parents spending an infuriating amount of time searching for sex-specific items, giving up, and ordering online. These Out of Touch Politicians must not have young children – or they want to raise money for Amazon?
#3: Biggest Threat on the Horizon: The Participation Trophy
Two-thirds of you voted for the federal Equality Act legislation, or the “Participation Trophy,” as the Biggest Threat on the Horizon. And we understand why. While the U.S. Constitution already ensures that everyone is equal under the law, the federal Equality Act would give special, extra privileges to people based on how they feel about their sexuality. It would force LGBT political propaganda, sexual education, taxpayer funded “gender transition surgeries for minors,” and more on the entire country. “Biggest Threat” seems appropriate!
#2: Most Dangerous New Law: The Thanos Law
This was our closest category, with just over half of you choosing the radical abortion “Thanos” laws as the Most Dangerous New Law, and the rest (44%) choosing Washington state’s radical sex education law. While both are very dangerous in their own way, we understand why the Thanos laws “won” the “title:” they, like Marvel’s Thanos, are harbingers of death for the youngest members of Vermont, New York, Rhode Island, and Illinois. All four states passed a law known as the Reproductive Health Act that ended all regulations on abortion in the state, including removing protections for babies born alive after a failed abortion and protections for women. Virginia also introduced this law but it did not pass – however, the Governor became famous for implying the law could allow babies that had already been born to be left to die.
#1: The “Are You Kidding Me?” Bill of the Year: The Cow Jumped Over the Moo–, er, the Trailer
Just for fun, here’s a bonus “award” chosen by our team: the Are you kidding me? “award” goes to a bill about cows in New Jersey. The backstory: A pregnant cow jumped off a trailer truck headed to the slaughterhouse. The cow was rescued and gave birth two days later. This isn’t fiction. In fact, the story is so real New Jerseyians named the cow Brianna and are going wild over her calf. New Jerseyans are so in love, legislators are now working to pass a bill that protects pregnant cows from slaughter. Whether this is a good idea or not, there’s a great irony: while New Jersey hustles to save a baby cow, it won’t do the same for a human baby.
BUT WAIT…the fun’s not over!
While this wraps up our 2020 Donkey “Awards,” it’s only the beginning for our Family Policy Alliance Awards. Next Friday, we’ll release the BEST of 2020 in our Family Policy Alliance All-Star Awards. We’ll be dropping hints on social media throughout the week, so stay tuned and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram if you haven’t already!
We can’t wait to share the best of 2020. Will your state be in the mix?
Meridian
Friends,
Recently, we announced the inaugural 2020 Family Policy Alliance Donkey Awards for the biggest politician fails of the year.
We asked you to visit our website and vote for the worst of the worst—and many of you did so.
For those of you who did not, there is still time to get in on the fun – but not much. Our Donkey Awards poll will end at midnight on Wednesday so be sure to take a moment to weigh in.
If you have not yet checked out the poll, among those policies eligible for your vote are measures that eliminate all pro-life gains in a number of New England states, another on the west coast telling churches what to think and do, and yet another from the Midwest forcing people performing autopsies to mark the deceased’s sex “based on appearance” rather than purely on their biological sex. Vote for the weirdest, most dangerous, and the biggest threat.
After the “winners” of the biggest fails are announced, stay tuned for GOOD NEWS! Our 2020 All Star Awards will honor the biggest wins in the pro-family movement of the year.
No, it is definitely not as important as the primary or general elections this year, but our poll is a unique way to show just how radical some states and lawmakers are willing to be. Often these ideas can spread to other states and it is important that you know about them now.
Take a moment to tell us what you think and then stay tuned for the results and lots of good news later this month!
Blessings,
Robert Noland
Communications Manager
Now announcing the 2020 Donkey Awards! What are the Donkey Awards, you ask? It’s a part of the inaugural Family Policy Alliance Awards to recognize the best – and worst – political moves of the year. While we’ll be announcing our “All-Star” awards soon (for the best of the best), we’re kicking off with the “Donkey Awards” for the biggest political FAILS of the year.
To do this, we need YOUR input: what was the worst, weirdest, and most dangerous new law or legislation? YOU decide!
Read the descriptions below in each of the four categories (most dangerous, biggest threat, most out of touch, and most bizarre), and then click to VOTE for the one you think should get the “award.” We can’t wait to share the results!
Most Dangerous New Law
The ABCs of the Birds and the Bees
Do you want your kindergartner to learn the dirty deets on the birds and the bees? Washington state sure does! Washington’s new radical and controversial sex education law is now one of the worst in the country. It mandates every public school student take a radical version of Comprehensive Sex Education. Even worse, it requires sex education lessons to begin in kindergarten! The state won’t allow teachers to stress abstinence, and children will be taught controversial content regarding gender identity and the experiences of LGBT students. Planned Parenthood can even come into the classroom and teach! Washington parents put up a huge fight opposing the bill by the tens of thousands, defeating the bill for several years. But this year, the legislature passed the bill anyway. And while parents can request an opt-out for their child, school officials can deny these opt-outs. Washington parents, get ready to do some explaining to your little ones!
The Thanos Law
No, the great harbinger of death isn’t actually Marvel’s notorious bad guy Thanos – he’s not real. But Vermont, New York, Rhode Island, and Illinois are the real-life harbingers of death for the youngest members of our society. All four states passed a law known as the Reproductive Health Act that ended all regulations on abortion in the state, including removing protections for babies born alive after a failed abortion and protections for women. Virginia also introduced this law but it did not pass – however, the Governor became famous for implying the law could allow babies that had already been born to be left to die.
Biggest Threat on the Horizon
The Participation Trophy
Everyone wants to feel special. We get it. And the U.S. Constitution ensures that, yes, everyone is equal under the law. But the federal Equality Act would give special, extra privileges to people based on how they feel about their sexuality. It would force LGBT political propaganda, sexual education, taxpayer funded “gender transition surgeries for minors,” and more on the entire country. It’s both unnecessary and dangerous.
Henry VIII, Is That You?
When Henry VIII was king of England, he wanted a divorce – which the Church wasn’t likely to grant. Rather than checking his own heart, he argued a technicality in hopes the Church would change its stance (and ultimately declared himself the head of the Church in England to avoid the issue). 500 years later, and not much has changed. California legislators recently passed a resolution telling churches how they were failing at showing “love and compassion,” and encouraging churches to change their theologically-based stances on sex and gender. This included calling on them to properly model “equitable treatment of all people.” Sound familiar?
Which of these is a bigger threat? Let us know by VOTING HERE!
Most “Out of Touch” Politician Award
Pennies for Amazon
One state apparently wants to raise money for Amazon. Not the rainforest – the online superstore. It’s California – again. Politicians in this state introduced a bill that would require all retail stores to no longer distinguish between boy and girl clothes, and boy and girl toys. This law actually requires retailers to just mix everything up. This will just lead to busy parents spending an infuriating amount of time searching for sex-specific items, giving up, and ordering online. These Out of Touch Politicians must not have young children.
I’ll Make a Man Out of You
Illinois politicians might have taken the famous Mulan song too literally. The state wants a person performing an autopsy to mark the deceased’s likely gender “based on appearance” and to mark sex based on anatomy. So, if Mulan had died in battle, would Illinois have remembered her as a woman? Or a man?
Most Bizarre Bill
Mrs. Doubtfire
Remember the 90s comedy where dad becomes a sort of stand-in mom (nanny)? If California gets its way that may become everyday life in California. The state introduced a bill that would allow a person who “changes their gender” to automatically have their sex marker changed on their marriage license (regardless of whether the spouse agrees with this) and their child’s birth certificate. Apparently, it doesn’t matter whether the child deserves an accurate birth certificate; it doesn’t matter that California is erasing the meaning of mother and father, husband and wife, and changing history with easily checked boxes. California just wants to be like Hollywood.
Sci-Fi Families
Queue the eerie space music. Some Colorado politicians want to redefine parenthood. According to these politicians, giving birth doesn’t necessarily make you a mom – but being involved in a child’s life could make you a mom. For example, if a grandmother helped raise her grandchild while her daughter adjusted to being a single parent, that grandmother might be able to sue for parenthood. “Parenthood” is reduced to a contract about a child. Yes, it’s creepy.
So there you have it – our list of the 2020 Donkey Award nominees. Now you get to choose the winner in each category. You can check back to see which contestants are leading from time to time. We’ll announce the final winners soon.
Don’t forget to share this with your friends and family so they too can weigh in and tell us which of these is the worst of the worst.
And be on the watch for our All Stars Honors list coming in just a few weeks. We’ll be honoring the best of the best and you won’t want to miss out on all the good things we were able to find!
Sincerely,
Meridian Baldacci
Policy and Communications Strategist