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 Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Stuart Taylor Jr., at the National Journal provides great background on the nomination of Judge Leslie Southwick and explains how liberals are opposing his nomination because he is conservative.  Below are some excerpts.

“A Mississippi judge is the latest victim of a judicial confirmation process that has steadily become more degraded by partisan warfare.”

 

“Of course, liberal groups and Senate Democrats don't admit to opposing Southwick simply for being conservative. But their detailed complaints boil down to just that, as do scurrilous insinuations that Southwick is a bigot -- insinuations denounced by, among others, his former law clerk La'Verne Edney, an African-American. ‘It is unfortunate,’ she has written, that ‘there are some that have made him the chosen sacrifice to promote their agenda.’”

posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:43:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

CitizenLink reports on the amazing story of recovery by an Alabama woman.  Carron Morrow could not walk 20 feet without being out of breath after having several heart attacks, but after receiving an injection of her own adult stem cells she now feels like a new woman.   Stories from people like Carron are further proof that unethical forms of stem cell research (embryonic) are unnecessary.  Hopefully the Senate will keep such cases in mind when they soon consider whether to sustain or override President Bush’s veto of legislation requiring our tax dollars to be spent on research that destroys human embryos.

 

For more information check the AdvanceUSA adult stem cell page or our blog post on adult stem cell success stories at a recent press conference.

posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:37:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

This WSJ article discusses the recent absurd statements by certain senators seeking greater “control” over judicial nominees and exposes the faultiness of their logic.  The role of the Senate under the Constitution is to give “advise and consent” to the President regarding judicial nominees, not to “interrogate and control” them.  This article shatters the recent myth that all legal precedents must be upheld all the time.  If this were the case, such cases as Dread Scott (“the black man has no rights…”) and Plessy v. Ferguson (“separate but equal”) would still be enforced.  The role of a judge is to uphold the Constitution and not to slavishly follow wrongly-decided precedent.

posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:12:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Monday, July 30, 2007
The Patients First Act which would intensify support for ethical forms of medical research, including adult stem cell research, was proposed last Thursday in the House of Representatives.  Not only does this legislation provide support for real cures and treatments, but it highlights the fact that there are plenty of ethical alternatives to unethical embryonic stem cell research (which tax dollars should not be used to support).  To read the text of the bill click here.

Check out our blog post about a recent press conference that highlighted the amazing progress and potential of ethical forms of stem cell research.

For more information check the AdvanceUSA stem cell page, adult stem cell page, or human cloning page.

posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 7:05:07 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Washington Post-ABC News poll results (scroll down to #44), July 23, 2007

LifeNews.com reports:

“A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that a majority of Americans backed the Supreme Court's decision earlier this year to uphold a national ban on partial-birth abortions. The poll is consistent with other surveys showing Americans strongly opposing the gruesome abortion procedure.”

For more information on partial-birth abortion visit the AdvanceUSA pro-life page.

posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 6:53:50 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

The morning after pill (Plan B) is designed to prevent fertilization after “unprotected” intercourse but in some instances causes abortions.  Additionally, there are health risks with the morning after pill not fully known, and the risks already known are not widely publicized.

Considering these realities many pharmacists refuse to dispense the drug on grounds of conscience, but many states mandate pharmacists dispense Plan B anyway.  Now pharmacists in Washington State are fighting back with a lawsuit to protect their rights not to violate their conscience by contributing to a potential abortion.

For more news on Plan B check the AdvanceUSA pro-life page.

UPDATE: The Center Blog reports on Catholic charities that are being forced to cover contraception in their employees health packages, something their church strongly opposes.  The charity has asked the Supreme Court to review its case.

posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 6:28:37 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

It is a sad commentary on the “pro-death” forces in our culture that a couple is suing their doctor for the “wrongful birth” of their son.

UPDATE: LifeNews reports on further details regarding this case and gives the perspective of pro-life groups in Florida.

posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 6:10:00 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) made an astonishing comment on Friday saying that the Senate should not confirm another Bush nominee for the Supreme Court “except in extraordinary circumstances.”  This is a stunning admission of liberal obstruction of judicial nominees by a powerful member of the Senate Democrat leadership.  The words of White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, quoted in The Politico, show conservative frustration with the statement:

 

"This is the kind of blind obstruction that people have come to expect from Sen. Schumer," Perino said. "He has an alarming habit of attacking people whose character and position make them unwilling or unable to respond. That is the sign of a bully.”

 

Appointing qualified, originalist judges to the bench should be a top priority, and this blatant obstructionism should be a wake-up call to conservatives.  For more information on judicial confirmations check the AdvanceUSA pro-justice page.


Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY)

UPDATE: Information from C-SPAN linked by Instapundit examines the historical precedent for making recess appointments to the Supreme Court.

posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 2:44:20 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Friday, July 27, 2007

AdvanceUSA and a number of conservative groups held a press conference yesterday led by Sen. Specter (R-PA) to correct the record about the sterling record and qualifications of Judge Leslie Southwick and to demand he receive a fair up-or-down vote in the full Senate.  Judge Southwick was nominated by President Bush to sit on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, was unanimously rated "well qualified" by the ABA, and volunteered for active duty in Iraq.  However, liberal interest groups, determined to prohibit qualified, originalist judges from reaching the federal bench, have sought to derail his nomination through character assassination and blatantly misleading allegations.

Appointing qualified, originalist judges to the federal bench is one of the most important issues facing our nation and should be a high priority for conservatives in Congress and conservative citizens contemplating presidential candidates.

AdvanceUSA has more information on Judge Southwick on its home page and pro-justice page.  Also, there are a number of past blog posts about Southwick's nomination, the support for Southwick from Sen. McConnell and from Sen. Specter (transcript here), the broken promises by some senators, and the shameless attempts by some liberals to use Southwick's race against him.

UPDATE: This article from Investors Business Daily adds more helpful perspective on why liberals oppose Judge Southwick so strenuously.

UPDATE: CWA has provided video clips of the press conference in support of Judge Southwick.

posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 8:05:17 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

A press conference yesterday in the nation’s capital highlighted the amazing success stories of patients who have been treated with their own adult stem cells and the doctors who are on the cutting edge of this exciting and ethical field of research.  AdvanceUSA had the pleasure to attend this press conference (see photos below) at the National Press Club sponsored by our friends at FRC and Do No Harm.

Dr. David Prentice led the discussion in which doctors and patients explained the benefits of using adult stem cell treatments.  One of the main purposes of the event was to show that there are indeed ethical and effective alternatives to research that destroys human embryos.  The U.S. Senate will soon vote on whether to override or sustain President Bush’s veto of an unethical stem cell funding bill so this information is critically important.  Another purpose was to raise awareness of a new bill (H.R. 2807) proposed by Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) which intensifies support for the ethical kinds of stem cell research already showing great promise for treatments and cures.  The bill has been called “The Patients First Act," focusing attention on the fact that ethical research is already treating real people right now.

To hear a recording of the event click here.  For more information on adult stem cell research click here.

See the photos and captions below to learn more about this important press conference.



Can you see the difference?  Dr. Amit N. Patel, MD, MS, shows before and after pictures of heart muscle tissue that had received bone marrow stem cells from the patient’s own body in his presentation aptly named “Mending a Broken Heart.”  The increased
blood vessel growth is obvious.  Later, Dr. Patel had the audience in rapt attention when he showed actual footage of heart surgery in which a patient received adult stem cell injections.

posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 7:32:15 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled that Tangipahoa Parish School Board could continue to open its meetings with prayer.  The ruling overturned a lower court ruling that held that opening prayers at the meetings were unconstitutional.  The Alliance Defense Fund helped protect the school board’s rights from the ACLU’s lawsuit.

posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 7:18:14 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Thursday, July 26, 2007
At the recent YouTube Democrat debate the 2008 presidential candidates were asked whether or not they support the right of same-sex couples to “marry.”  Here is what the candidates (except Sen. Hillary Clinton whose comments on the federal marriage amendment are included below) had to say…



Below is video of a Hillary Clinton campaign speech in which she gives her views on the federal marriage amendment which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman only.  She also mentions ENDA, a bill in Congress which would grant special “rights” and privileges to homosexuals regarding employment matters.


posted on Thursday, July 26, 2007 10:10:44 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
At a press conference on July 20 Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) lauded Judge Leslie Southwick and called the attempts to stall and defeat his nomination to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals a "manufactured" controversy.  Below is a video of Sen. McConnell's statements followed by an excerpt from the transcript of his remarks.


 “I know it won't surprise any of you to know that we think that whatever controversy there is about Judge Southwick is manufactured.  I mean, it doesn't exist.  An extraordinarily accomplished individual with a unanimous well-qualified from the American Bar Association.  The Democratic leadership of the Judiciary Committee has said that's the gold standard.”

“…Southwick should move forward.  I haven't given up hope that he may.  And he's important.”

-Sen. Mitch McConnell, Press Conference, July 20, 2007 (emphasis ours)

posted on Thursday, July 26, 2007 6:51:43 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was originally created to help provide health insurance for children in low-income families who did not fall below the poverty line (eligible for Medicaid) but whose incomes were less than $40,000 a year.

Not surprisingly, the program has expanded to include more than just children and more than just the very poor. There is great fear that this year's reauthorization of SCHIP could drastically expand the number of people eligible to receive funds which would increase government dependency among America's families. Many feel this proposed SCHIP expansion is a dangerous step toward government-controlled universal health care (similar to 1990's Hillarycare). If implemented, this expansion would make as many as 71% of American children eligible for this entitlement which would no doubt draw many away from successful private-sector insurers. In fact some families considered wealthy enough to qualify for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) would also be eligible for "low-income" SCHIP health care for their children - that means a family earning $80,000 is considered too "poor" for private health care but too "rich" for regular tax rates. Read more ...

posted on Thursday, July 26, 2007 4:54:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Wednesday, July 25, 2007

One of the arguments liberals often make in opposition to state marriage amendments is that these amendments may impede the prosecution of domestic violence laws.  This argument was proven a baseless “red herring” by the Ohio Supreme Court today when it ruled that the state’s domestic violence law was not hindered by the recent voter-approved marriage amendment making the obvious observation that domestic violence was not exclusive to marriage relationships.

For more information on preserving the traditional definition of marriage visit the AdvanceUSA marriage page.

UPDATE: These articles provide additional news and information on the Ohio Supreme Court ruling.

Unmarried Partners Do Have Rights: 2004 Amendment, Domestic-Violence Law Reconciled
The Columbus Dispatch, July 26

Gay Marriage Friends, Foes Hail Domestic Violence Ruling
The (Akron) Beacon Journal, July 25

posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 9:06:19 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Fox News reports that 29,000 registered sex offenders were discovered and removed from the popular social networking site MySpace.  This should be a warning for parents to be sure their children know about the dangers of the internet and to monitor carefully their children’s internet use.

posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 7:58:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Victor Davis Hansen explains why the “fairness doctrine” violates the First Amendment and exposes the liberal hypocrisy of only wanting to regulate the one broadcast media they have been unable to dominate.  Another article from the Washington Times praises Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for his leadership in efforts to prevent the resurrection of this dangerous and disproved regulation.


UPDATE: Here is another piece on the “unfairness doctrine” from the LA Times.  Excerpt:

“A law that would demand broadcasters air opposing views makes no sense in a time when media is more accessible than ever.”

posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 8:43:18 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Some pro-lifers have been rather pessimistic about the benefits of the recent Supreme Court decision upholding the federal partial-birth abortion ban.  This article at the Center Blog (which links to other helpful resources) should bring great encouragement to pro-lifers.  Even using conservative estimates, it seems that since the Court’s decision there have been “582 averted partial-birth abortions and NO women harmed.”  Not only are unborn children being saved from a grizzly death, but because the ban highlights the humanity of the unborn the pro-abortion cause is also losing ground.

posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 8:38:38 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

The WSJ yesterday reported on the dire vacancy crisis on the federal bench and explained how Senate Democrats seem to be stalling all the nominees (NOTE: subscription required), holding out for a Democrat president.  Particularly disgraceful is that the liberal strategy for stalling Judge Leslie Southwick’s nomination for the 5th Circuit Court claims he is a racist and that Bush should have nominated an African-American for the seat. One of Southwick’s former clerks (a black woman) has spoken in support of Southwick seeking to dispel the fabricated myth of his supposed bigotry.  Fortunately Senators like Arlen Specter appear willing to do battle over this important issue.

posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 8:13:40 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Monday, July 23, 2007

The Chicago Tribune insightfully analyses the challenges Democrat presidential candidates face in winning over pro-life voters.

(Photo: AFP, source: smh.com.au)

posted on Monday, July 23, 2007 4:24:41 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

How would you respond to the charge that pro-life, pro-family, proponents of traditional values in public life “just want to legislate their morality on others?”  What is the difference between what is legal and what is moral?  What are we to make of “unjust laws?”  These questions are discussed in Ken Connor’s recent column on TownHall.

 

Concerned and active citizens must think about how morality should effect the public policies they advocate and should be prepared to defend their positions intelligently and politely against a skeptical and often hostile liberal, secularist agenda.

posted on Monday, July 23, 2007 3:48:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

New research out of Germany suggests that a new adult stem cell technique can re-grow cornea cells in damaged or diseased eyes.  For more information on (ethical) adult stem cell research click here.

posted on Monday, July 23, 2007 3:13:02 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Friday, July 20, 2007

It should come as no surprise that a recent study finds that 85% of men convicted of internet child pornography charges have sexually abused a minor.  This indicates that there could be a strong causal link between viewing child pornography and actually committing sexual crimes on minors.  While the vast majority of attention is given to extreme cases of child pornography and exploitation, this evidence suggests that a more stringent enforcement of “minor” cases could have a preventative effect on actual child sexual abuse.

posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 7:35:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Many Democrats are seeking to bridge the “faith gap” by communicating religious sentiments and thus garner more votes from evangelicals than has been the case in the last three decades.  A common tactic is to portray “social justice” issues such as poverty, health care, and the environment as more important than traditional concerns over abortion, same-sex marriage (and other family issues), and the role of religion in the public square.  As this WSJ article reveals, they have their work cut out for them.

posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 7:22:45 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada recently gave $2.4 million to a group of bone marrow stem cell researchers.  Here’s an encouraging quote about the successes of treating MS with bone marrow stem cells:

'Some patients have experienced substantial improvements...'

—Dr. Mark Freedman

 For more information on adult stem cell successes click here.

posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 9:53:12 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Several pro-life amendments have been proposed to the Labor/Health and Human Services appropriations bill in the House of Representatives.

  • AdvanceUSA blog reported on the important amendment proposed by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a staunch pro-life ally, and Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL) which brings the funding of the National Cord Blood Inventory program to the full $15 million originally allocated for the program.  AdvanceUSA is happy to report that this amendment passed in committee by a voice vote.  Under the original bill the program would have been drastically under-funded so Congressmen Smith and Davis deserve great credit for supporting this promising and ethical medical program.
  • Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) has proposed an amendment which would prevent tax dollars under Title X (family planning provisions in U.S. law) from going to Planned Parenthood or any of its affiliates.  As recently mentioned on this blog, Planned Parenthood is a major force for the evil of abortion in our nation, and any effort to prevent tax-payer dollars from supporting it should be applauded.
  • Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) proposed an amendment which forbids any of the funds relating to the Labor/HHS bill from being used to enforce mandatory HPV vaccinations, and it was approved by voice vote yesterday.  The concern is that when state governments force parents to vaccinate their children for a malady that is spread by sexual content it usurps parental control over their children’s health care and could undermine parental teaching on sexual activity.
  • Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) proposed an amendment which would have denied funds for recipients of Title X money if they do not abide by state reporting requirements in regard to child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest.  There have been numerous cases of alleged abuse coverup by Planned Parenthood (also see here and here*), and efforts to bring real accountability to this organization are commendable.  Unfortunately, the Schmidt amendment was ruled “non-germane” and was subsequently withdrawn. 

* A story archived at the Cincinnati Enquirer’s website entitled “Planned Parenthood looked the other way, Mason rape victim says” by Peter Bronson also chronicles another outrageous Planned Parenthood alleged coverup in Ohio.  This article is not free but can be purchased at Cincinnati.com.

UPDATE: Unfortunately the Pence amendment to prevent federal funds from supporting Planned Parenthood failed last night by a vote of 189-231.  To see how your representative voted on this important pro-life amendment click here.

posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 9:05:20 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Yesterday Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, took to the Senate floor to defend the nomination of Judge Leslie Southwick to be an appellate judge on the 5th Circuit Court.  Southwick is an excellent choice whom radical liberal groups have been seeking to vilify without cause.  In this age of judicial activism it is crucial that qualified, originalist nominees like Southwick make it to the federal bench.  Below is an excerpt of Senator Specter’s statements in defense of Southwick, followed by his full statement.

 

“This man has an impeccable record, an outstanding record, with 985 authored opinions.  The two opinions that have been called into question are opinions which he didn't write, but merely joined, on matters which -- while they might have been articulated differently, might have been more sensitive -- certainly are not disqualifiers.  This man ought to be confirmed.”

Below is a copy of Senator Specter’s floor statement:

Mr. President, as stated a moment ago, I have sought recognition to speak about the nomination of a Mississippi appellate court judge, Leslie H. Southwick, to be Federal Court for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.  I have asked for this time because Judge Southwick has been before the Judiciary Committee on several occasions and, because there is not much known about his record, there have been certain objections raised.  As I have talked to our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, when they hear about his record, they are surprised that he is not moving through expeditiously.  I thought it would be important to take a few moments to acquaint Senators with his record and, beyond that, to acquaint the public with the pending nomination.     

posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 6:59:57 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Yesterday President Bush nominated four individuals to fill vacant seats on federal circuit courts.  In light of the current vacancies on federal benches, the nominations could not have come sooner.  It is encouraging to see the White House and key senators pushing the issue of judicial nominations.

UPDATE: This article talks about the conservative strategies to give Judge Southwick a fair up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.  This just shows the level of effort needed to overcome liberal obstruction over judicial nominations.

posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 6:45:01 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Blogger Nathanael Blake adds important information on taxpayer-funded Planned Parenthood supplementing Kathryn Jean Lopez’s piece at NRO cataloging troubling facts about the abortion industry’s biggest practitioner.  Planned Parenthood is an evil institution and the truth about what it does with Americans’ tax dollars needs to be heard.

posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 3:04:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld the rights of abortion protestors to display graphic anti-abortion signs.

posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:25:14 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

While acknowledging the serious health and pro-life concerns over the drug’s availability, the Washington Post reports on the growing use of Plan B (the “morning after pill”) since it was approved for over-the-counter purchase last year.

For more information on Plan B check the AdvanceUSA pro-life page.

posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:23:37 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

A Georgia man (Frederic Baumann) who passed out tracts on a public sidewalk near the City of Cumming fairground was arrested and jailed under a “parade” law that doesn’t even apply to his circumstances earlier this year.  Fortunately the highly-competent legal organization Alliance Defense Fund will advocate on Baumann’s behalf.

For more news and information on religious freedom click here.

posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 6:39:23 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

There has been a recent glut of popular books attempting to disprove the existence of God or to portray all religion as inherently evil.  This WSJ article addresses some of the shortcomings of this recent atheistic book campaign.

posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 4:53:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

This important piece discusses a pending bill in the California legislature that would legalize physician-assisted suicideOregon already allows it).  This should be a wake-up call for the pro-life community.  The “culture of death” not only seeks to minimize early human life but also targets people at the “end of life” who are deemed to have “poor quality of life.”

posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 4:51:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

A mere $15 million has been budgeted for the National Cord Blood Inventory program, but the current Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill only designates $4 million for this crucial stem cell banking system.  Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL) have proposed a bipartisan amendment to bring the cord blood banking funding to its full level.  The House will likely vote on this important amendment this week.

Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells which have already been used in treating a number of ailments and show great promise for future research, and, unlike embryonic stem cell research (which requires killing human embryos), cord blood has shown these results without the ethical controversy.

For more information on exciting adult stem cell developments click here.

posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 4:46:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
In a blatant display of judicial activism, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could not intervene in cases of “fleeting instances” of indecent words or images over the broadcast airwaves.  This ruling, in effect, makes last year’s penalty increase passed by Congress totally ineffective.  Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) recently proposed an amendment to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill to give the FCC authority to enforce indecency regulations even for “single word[s] or image[s].”  The amendment was defeated in committee, but thankfully Senators Rockefeller (D-WV) and Pryor (D-AR) have introduced the same legislation as a separate bill (S. 1780).  It is crucial that this bill be passed before the oral arguments begin in the notorious “Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction” court case so that the FCC has solid guidelines with which to defend its intervention in that perfect example of “fleeting indecency.”

Senators should be aware that “a vote against S. 1780 is a vote for airing the f-word and s-word [and indecent images] at any time of day on broadcast airwaves.”  AdvanceUSA applauds the efforts of Senators Brownback, Rockefeller, and Pryor to protect the publicly owned airwaves from being used to broadcast indecency during hours when children are watching.

posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 3:29:12 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Monday, July 16, 2007

A court in Pennsylvania has awarded custody of two children to three parents.  The mother, her lesbian partner, and the sperm-donor father were all awarded custody rights of “Co. J” and “Ca. J” (only abbreviations of the children’s names were used in the court document to protect their identities) and are required to pay child support. 

 

Concerned citizens should remember that “if marriage (family) means everything, marriage (family) means nothing.”

 

For more news and information on the battle to preserve traditional marriage click here.

posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 9:48:02 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Do you want your tax dollars to fund China’s forced abortion and sterilization policies?  The Senate’s “State, Foreign Operations Appropriations” bill, as currently written, would not include the important Kemp-Kasten provision which prohibits U.S. funds from supporting an organization that “supports or participates in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.”  In fact the legislation was intentionally changed in order to allow federal funds to go to groups such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) which is directly involved in helping to enforce China’s brutal one-child policy.

 

For more information on this and other important pro-life riders click here.

posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 8:25:56 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Louisiana has become the first state to ban the gory and medically unnecessary partial-birth abortion procedure.  It is encouraging to see a state legislature emboldened after the recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of partial-birth abortion bans.  "This places a statute in law that gives Louisiana the right to prosecute and not wait on a federal prosecutor," said the state senator who sponsored the ban.  Hopefully more states will follow Louisiana’s example and help cultivate a “culture of life” across the country.

For more information on partial-birth abortion check the information on the AdvanceUSA pro-life page or home page.

posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 8:14:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) have been accused of breaking promises to give Judge Leslie Southwick a fair up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.  Sen. Arlen Specter is speaking out about the assurances he and other senators were given regarding fair treatment for Southwick.

 

For more information on the Southwick nomination check the AdvanceUSA pro-justice page or recent blog posts on the subject here and here.

 

UPDATE: Roll Call reports that Senate Republicans are willing to bottle up legislation on the Senate floor if Judge Leslie Southwick is not given a fair up-or-down vote (full article is available by subscription).  An excerpt from the article reads:

 

Barring an unlikely confirmation of Leslie Southwick to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by the Judiciary Committee this week, Senate GOP leaders have privately mapped out a retaliatory plan that involves blocking passage of Democratic legislation from now until the August recess.

posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 7:48:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Friday, July 13, 2007

Do you think the federal government should be able to prosecute people for their beliefs?  Do you think some citizens should receive more legal protection than others?  All these things could happen if the Senate passes S. 1105, the hate (thought) crimes bill.  Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Smith (R-OR) have proposed adding this legislation to the Defense Reauthorization bill (H.R. 1585, currently being debated) as Amendment 2067.

Besides the important “equal justice” concerns, there is reason to believe that hate crimes laws such as S. 1105 could infringe on our cherished rights of religious freedom as similar laws have been used to prosecute Christians for proclaiming a Biblical perspective on homosexuality.

Call both your senators today and urge them to vote “No” on Amendment 2067!


For more information on hate crimes and this particular bill, check the hate crime material on the AdvanceUSA home page.

posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 8:16:26 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

There are few people as qualified to sit on a federal circuit court bench as Judge Leslie Southwick.  Unfortunately the left will stop at nothing to prevent well-qualified, originalist judges from reaching important federal court positions.

The National Review reports on Southwick’s sterling record and qualifications and catalogues the shameful liberal tactics intended to smear his reputation and stifle his confirmation to the 5th Circuit Court.  Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) has made clear his intention to lead the fight to get Southwick a fair up-or-down vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate (which is that body’s constitutional duty).  AdvanceUSA applauds Senator Specter for his leadership on the important issue of judicial confirmations.

UPDATE: As if we needed any more evidence of liberal negligence in stalling qualified judicial nominees, this article from Law.com mentions the serious vacancy problem on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 7:09:00 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Thursday, July 12, 2007

The Creation Museum (just outside Cincinnati, OH in Petersburg, KY) seeks to bring the pages of the Bible to life while highlighting the scientific evidence that supports the biblical account of creation and the flood.  The museum and the Answers in Genesis resource materials also link the principles and divine directives in Genesis to certain public policy issues including marriage and the sanctity of life.  Recently, Josh Scheiderer, AdvanceUSA’s policy director, and his family had the opportunity to visit the museum, meet Ken Ham (President/CEO of Answers in Genesis) and even be mentioned in Mr. Ham’s blog.


For more information on this fabulous resource and family-friendly facility check the Creation Museum website.

posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 1:34:17 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Gay activist Michael Glatze is proclaiming to the world that he is renouncing homosexuality.  Encouraging personal stories like these demonstrate that homosexuality is not immutable and that there is hope for those seeking to change.

posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 1:31:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
Theravitae, a biotechnology company working in adult stem cell research, was recently awarded the title “Biotechnology Company of the Year” for its innovative work in regenerative heart medicine.  Despite what the mainstream news media would have us believe, adult stem cell research offers the most promise for successful regenerative therapies.

At the award ceremony the President of Therivitae offered these important words:

"We are honored to be a recipient of this prestigious award and we carry the responsibility to further help the progress of discoveries within the regenerative medicine field. Our industry is on the verge of redefining conventional healthcare through the miracles of adult stem cells and their remarkable ability to facilitate the regeneration of personal health. Despite the constant questionable claims of those in the embryonic lobby, it is adult stem cells which will be the first to successfully treat diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimers - embryonic stem cell therapies lag not by months, but by years, if not decades!"

For more information on the exciting developments in ethical adult stem cell research click here.

posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 1:28:04 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Two articles from the Baptist Press deal with the scourge of pornography.  One warns of the dangers of pornography and how it is rapidly infiltrating even churches.  Another highlights an online ministry bringing hope to those struggling with pornography addictions.

Also, an important campaign has been launched to remove pornography from hotel cable TV services.

posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 1:25:54 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Wednesday, July 11, 2007

A gay publication has reported that the major 2008 Democrat candidates for president have agreed to join a “gay debate” devoted exclusively to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender) issues.  Among the participants are Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards.  TownHall provides some interesting analysis of this development.

posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:10:58 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Unfortunately it appears that the plan to stifle conservative talk radio is alive and well.  CNS News reports that liberal efforts to restore the so-called “fairness doctrine” are still continuing in Congress.

For more information on the “[Un]Fairnes Doctrine” check our recent blog post from June 29.

UPDATE: Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Republican Leader in the Senate, denounces the “fairness doctrine” in his excellent article on TownHall.

posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:08:28 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

In this piece Jonathan Adler examines our current Supreme Court and asks the question, “How conservative is this Court?”  Adler notes the “minimalist” conservative approach by the new justices but counters the argument that there is conservative legal revolution since Justice Kennedy effectively holds sway as the swing vote in contentious cases.

posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:06:25 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

This article from the National Review discusses threats to religious freedom around the world and emphasizes that international religious freedom is vital to American national security.

posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:04:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The importance of appointing qualified, originalist judges to federal courts can hardly be stressed enough.  That is why some conservatives are growing increasingly frustrated with the many judicial vacancies on federal benches and the slow pace of judicial confirmations by the U.S. Senate.

This Washington Post article explains the current vacancy problem while helpfully comparing current confirmation statistics with the records of prior administrations.  And a Hill article mentions Sen. Cochran’s efforts to see President Bush’s nomination of Judge Southwick for the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals succeed.  Judge Southwick is an honorable man and an exceedingly qualified and well-respected judge.

posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 9:52:05 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Matt Barber has an excellent piece on gay marriage at TownHall.com showing that the “gay marriage” issue is really a tool to radically alter society to conform to a humanistic, secularist world view.  He cuts through the liberal smoke screens with statistics and well-reasoned arguments.  This article is a must-read for those concerned about defending the sanctity of traditional marriage and refuting false arguments for gay marriage.

For news and resources on the cause to preserve traditional marriage check the AdvanceUSA marriage page. 

posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 9:50:44 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

“Follow the Money”

Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D. looks at one seldom-mentioned motivation for unethical stem cell research that destroys human embryos; the money.  She explains how some proponents of embryonic stem cell research and cloning are more interested in government subsidies rather than treating illness or saving lives.

Exploiting Poor Women

This blog post by Nancy Reyes highlights the potential for the dangerous exploitation of poor women to obtain the necessary human eggs to conduct unethical forms of stem cell research.  Egg harvesting is already big business on many college campuses, but unfortunately the serious health risks involved with the procedure are seldom mentioned.  If proponents of unethical stem cell research succeed in expanding this research, impoverished women in third-world countries could be likely health victims.

More Good News from Adult Stem Cells!

Ending on a happy note, LifeNews reports on two encouraging developments for sufferers of heart disease and amyloidosis.  New research suggests that adult stem cells could be used to treat these dangerous maladies.


For more information on these important issues check the AdvanceUSA stem cell, adult stem cell, or human cloning pages.

posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 9:48:30 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Denis Prager writes a fascinating column in which he compares the Fourth of July to the Jewish Seder (Passover) in order to illustrate the importance of national ceremonies for preserving national identity and shared values.

Also, read our special Fourth of July post on our blog or home page.

posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 7:19:02 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Ever get the feeling that you cannot make a difference?  Take heart from the recent pro-life victory in Delaware.  A controversial stem cell bill in the Delaware legislature would have provided state funds for embryo-destroying research and would have opened the door to human cloning (a.k.a. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer).  The “Rose and a Prayer” campaign of pro-life activists worked tirelessly to encourage state legislators to oppose this unethical research.  The measure failed by a surprising 4 to 1 margin in the State Assembly even after the State Senate heartily approved the bill.


Links:

A Rose and a Prayer

AdvanceUSA Stem Cell Page

posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 7:16:45 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

CitizenLink reports that faith-based organizations are doing great work training the underprivileged to complete their education and enter the workforce.  In many ways, faith-based organizations can do work cheaper than other organizations and can also solve problems government alone could never address.

posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 7:13:42 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   

Liberals in Congress are apparently constantly on the lookout for ways to undermine traditional marriage.  Appropriations bills for the District of Columbia have normally been structured to prevent federal funds from being used to support domestic partnership programs, but House Democrats neglected to include these stipulations in this year's D.C. appropriations.  Fortunately an amendment proposed by Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA), which prevents the federal government from supporting Washington's domestic partnership programs (Disclaimer: this article is from a gay publication), passed in the House last Thursday.

posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 1:16:13 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   
 Monday, July 02, 2007

In the battle to protect unborn human lives, New Hampshire recently made a shameful retreat.

posted on Monday, July 02, 2007 9:54:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #   





The summer of 1776 was an uncertain time for the representatives of the American colonies assembled in Philadelphia. After peacefully resisting the steady encroachments of their liberties and their common rights as Englishmen by the British Crown and Parliament, the American colonies were now in open military conflict with their mother country and considering whether or not a more drastic course of action was needed.

posted on Monday, July 02, 2007 4:32:24 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  #