NDFA: What You Wanted to Know
When I talk with ministry partners such as yourselves, I am asked a variety of questions. I periodically like to tackle some of the more common ones, to further describe and provide clarity on our organization.
Q: Do politics really matter? Who cares if an organization such as yours is lobbying for our values?
A: Yes, politics and the laws and policies that are shaped by it are incredibly important. All you need to do is look at the trail of destruction the Biden Administration is leaving in its wake to be convinced. Politics shapes the future, and the future is the legacy we will be leaving for our children and grandchildren, so yes, it really matters.
Q: Why do we need you representing us when we can do that ourselves?
A: If you want to get directly involved in politics, that’s fabulous! We need more Christians to run for office and/or express their views to their Senators, Representatives, and others who shape policy at all levels. That said, you are most definitely still in the minority if you get directly involved. Most people have their own lives with jobs, child rearing, mortgages, school events, etc. and don’t have the time to track 1,000+ bills each session, talk with legislators all year long, plan policy strategy, educate citizens on public policy, and similar activities. That’s a key reason why we exist – to represent your values when you can’t be there.
Q: Why do you hate LGBTQ individuals?
A: We certainly do not hate individuals who identify as LGBTQ, in fact, it’s exactly the opposite. Every person is created with worth and dignity by God, and because of that, we love them. The place where we disagree with the LGBTQ movement is when their agenda begins to undermine biblical beliefs of others and those upon which our great nation was founded, and when their actions result in discrimination against others for not supporting their agenda.
Q: Why do you try and impose your values on everybody else? Why don’t you just leave us alone?
A: By definition, public policy is the shaping of laws according to a set of beliefs, and there are many different value sets that attempt to influence North Dakota policy. ND Lobbyists We are one of those voices. The purpose of our organization is to shape public policy, and to do that, we need some reason/basis for undertaking the work. Our basis is biblical values, as expressed by the Christian faith.
Q: Why did you endorse candidate x instead of candidate y?
A: North Dakota Family Alliance Legislative Action has a standard endorsement process for all candidates who request our endorsement. The process is based upon your biblical values and how the candidates intend to support those values when in office. For that reason, our process will never be the same as that of other organizations such as the NRA, American Conservative Union, Americans for Prosperity, and similar entities. We often end up with different results, which is not surprising. Our process is there to be even-handed and ensure we are fair in our evaluation of all candidates. It may happen that one of your preferred candidates will be endorsed by us, but another may not. That actually helps demonstrate that we don’t play favorites.
Q: Why should we worry about politics in North Dakota when the vast majority of legislators are Republican?
A: Because, while legislators may identify as Republican, many often don’t vote the Republican platform. While we are nonpartisan, the Republican platform most closely aligns with the values our organization holds. If legislators vote any way they choose, regardless of whether they have an “R” behind their name, our “deep red” state becomes far less red in its legislative actions, and your values are not adequately represented. This is a key reason we publish post-session legislative scorecards which show voting records on bills that support biblical values. Resources Page
Q: Don’t some legislators or other organizations try to “buy” your support?
A: Frankly, no. A very tiny amount of our financial support comes from legislators and other organizations that might benefit from our support, but these individuals/entities have never asked for any special treatment or support from us. We will never “sell” your values or our organization’s support to anyone, and I think they know that. Integrity is a core value of our organization, and we take it very seriously.
Q: What type of donations help you the most?
A: We need the most financial support for our non-tax-deductible legislative entity: North Dakota Family Alliance Legislative Action. The funding we receive through NDFALA is the most flexible for us and can be used for lobbying, elections, education, advocacy, and more. NDFALA funding is also critical to help us plan for the 2023 legislative session. NDFALA Donation Page
If you have an important question we didn’t answer, you can take a look at our website’s FAQ Page, email us (mark@ndfamilyalliance.org), or call (701-355-6425), and we’ll do our best to help. As always, thank you for your prayers, responses to our action alerts, and financial support. We can’t do this without you!