 |
          
  |
|
|
|
 In five days, on Tuesday, February 5, 22 states will hold primaries or caucuses. The outcome of those races could have conclusive effects on the nature of the Republican Party and who will lead the Democrat Party.
Be sure that you, your friends, and your family are well-informed. AdvanceUSA has prepared Candidate Comparisons (CCs) for both the Democrats and the Republicans to help show you where each presidential candidate stands on some of the most important issues.
AdvanceUSA hopes these resources will be helpful as you begin/continue your research for this critically important election season. If you have friends or family in any of these Super Tuesday states, please send them a link to our CCs.
State holding presidential elections on February 5:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Idaho (Democrat caucuses)
Illinois
Kansas (Democrat caucuses)
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
New Jersey
New Mexico (Democrat primary)
New York
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Utah
Stay informed and spread the word about AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Most
Americans don’t fully understand the true impact and implications of the Roe vs. Wade decision. Do you think you know more about Roe than
most of your fellow citizens? Take this test and find out!
Excerpt
from Roe IQ Test website:
In spite of its
impact, true understanding of Roe and what it accomplished remains
relatively vague in the public consciousness.
We can expect both
sides in the abortion debate to ratchet up arguments in the coming months as we
mark this anniversary. It is imperative that we, as citizens, understand the
facts about what Roe does and does not do.
We have created the Roe IQ Test to measure the current awareness of Roe
and its effects, as well as to provide detailed information about the ruling.
It only takes a few minutes to complete the test. Your answers and results will
remain 100% confidential.
To
take the Roe IQ Test click here.
 Attempting to prevent the creation of hybrid human-animal embryos (or chimeras), Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) have proposed legislation to ban this blurring of the sanctity of human life. The legislation is S. 2358, the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act of 2007 (read full text here). Hopefully, this forward-thinking legislation can be passed before this outrageous tampering with the meaning of being human becomes a prominent issue in the United States. Call both your senators and urge them to cosponsor and vote “Yes” on S. 2358, the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act!
 Paul Greenberg at Townhall writes about the recent iPSC breakthrough that allows researchers to obtain embryonic-like pluripotent stem cells from ordinary skin cells without creating or harming human embryos. Unfortunately, as Greenberg shows us, the push for unethical research that threatens tiny human life will continue. Excerpts:
It was heralded as not just a scientific but an ethical breakthrough:
Scientists in this country and Japan had found a new way to produce what are in effect embryonic stem cells - but without having to destroy human embryos to do so.
…
You may remember Ian Wilmut, the Scottish researcher who helped clone Dolly the sheep years ago. He was at least as enthusiastic. He announced he would abandon his efforts to clone - and then destroy - human embryos in order to produce stem cells, and would switch to the new, less politically and ethically troublesome method.
…
Anyone of even passing familiarity with the endless demands of human ambition for fame and/or fortune - the Greeks called it Hubris - will not be surprised to learn that the latest discovery has scarcely discouraged those eager to experiment with human embryos.
Read the entire article here.
 Yesterday Sen. Hillary Clinton won the Florida Democrat Primary (although she will not earn any delegates from that state because of party rules) and Sen. John McCain won the Florida Republican Primary. For full results click here or see below.
Super Tuesday will be next Tuesday (Feb. 5) which is only six days away! On that day 22 states will have primaries or caucuses (to see the complete list of states click here).
If you or your family and friends have questions about where the candidates stand on issues important to you, check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Florida Primary (January 29)
The Democrats
Hillary Clinton 50%
Barack Obama 33%
John Edwards 14%
The Republicans
John McCain 36%
Mitt Romney 31%
Rudy Giuliani 15%
Mike Huckabee 13%
Ron Paul 3%
USA Today has the full FL results here.
Today Floridians of both parties are heading to the polls to vote for their party’s presidential candidate. AdvanceUSA will post the vote results tomorrow morning. Until then, USA Today has a helpful resource for monitoring poll results as they come in.
To see how the presidential candidates stand on important issues check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
 Last night President Bush delivered his final State of the Union address to a combined gathering of both houses of Congress. His speech touched on a number of important pro-life, pro-family, and religious liberty issues.
The president threw down the gauntlet on stem cell research, telling Congress that we must continue to fund ethical research because human life must be respected. He highlighted the recent breakthrough in obtaining pluripotent stem cells from skin cells as proof that unethical research was unnecessary. The President championed the role of faith-based organizations in providing services and changing lives far more effectively than government alone can do. He called on Congress to allow more flexibility and local control for schools under the No Child Left Behind Act. He also encouraged Congress to maintain “charitable choice” provisions in federal law which protect the religious hiring rights of faith-based organizations (ex: allowing a Catholic charity to hire only Catholics who share that organization’s mission and standards).
The White House website has provided the text of the president’s address along with video links that allow you to watch the address. To read a helpful fact sheet provided by the administration about the agenda outlined in the president’s speech click here. To read helpful summaries of the various topics see below:
Researchers in Britain have found that babies can feel pain even before the 24 week window when abortions are allowed in the UK. This research illustrates the need for the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act (now stalled in the U.S. House and Senate) which requires women to be informed of the extreme pain their unborn child is likely to experience during an abortion. For more information on demonstrating the humanity of the unborn check the pro-life page.
The
Morning Sun reports on the progress that Todd Alwood of Mt. Pleasant, MI
is seeing trying to walk again using adult stem cell injections.
Excerpts:
The accident fractured three vertebrae, leaving him as a
quadriplegic and confined to a wheelchair.
He was paralyzed from the chest down. He can move his arms
but has little feeling.
…
…doctors conducted extensive tests, then gave him a series
of shots that made his bone marrow produce an abundance of stem cells. They
were then drawn from Alwoods blood and separated by a special machine.
…
He's already seen some improvement in controlling his
torso and balance. Alwood can now lean froward [sic] and push himself back up,
something he couldn't do before the treatments.
He can also lean from side to side.
"My trunk muscles are starting to come back,"
Alwood said.
…
His ultimate goal is to someday walk again. He is
encouraged by the results and the stories he has heard from others who have
received similar treatment but Alwood isn't sure he can afford any more trips
to Russia
following the one in March.
The
entire article is very encouraging. Read it
here.
 On Saturday (January 26) Sen. Barack Obama won the Democrat primary in South Carolina.
The crucial state of Florida has its primaries tomorrow (Tuesday, January 29).
On February 5 (a.k.a. “Super Tuesday”) 22 states will have primaries or caucuses (to see the list of states click here).
If you or your family and friends have questions about where the candidates stand on issues important to you, check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
South Carolina Democrat Primary (Jan. 26)
Barack Obama 55%
Hillary Clinton 27%
John Edwards 18%
USA Today has the full SC results here.
Reuters
reports. Excerpt:
After
most scientists had given up the search, a Belgian team said on Thursday they
found elusive pancreatic stem cells in adult mice, a finding that could lead to
treatments for people with type-1 diabetes.
Senate
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) spoke on the Senate floor on Tuesday
(January 22) about the dangerous obstruction of federal circuit court nominees.
“[W]e can’t confirm judges if they don’t get hearings. And since last summer, Democrats have allowed
only one hearing on a circuit court nominee.
Compare that with Senate Republicans in 1999, who held more hearings on
President Clinton’s nominees in the fall of that year alone than Democrats
allowed this president all last year.
This pattern is neither fair nor acceptable.”
…
“[W]e’re not on pace to keep up with historical
precedent. The historical average for circuit
court confirmations in the last Congress of a divided government is 17. President Clinton — who had the second most
judicial confirmations in history, despite having to deal with a Republican
Senate almost his entire time in office — had 15 circuit court confirmations in
his last Congress.”
To read
Sen. McConnell’s full statement click here. To see a helpful graphic/chart AdvanceUSA has
produced to illustrate the outrageous judicial obstruction click here or visit
the pro-justice page.
HT: The
Committee for Justice
Our
friends at FRC have released a new poll that shows that Americans
oppose having their tax dollars pay for abortions under a “universal health
care plan.” Their results contain some interesting findings. Excerpts:
- Independent voters of all
ages and sex would be less likely to vote for a candidate that proposed a
national health care plan with universal coverage of abortion at taxpayer
expense.
- Although a majority of
Democrats would support a candidate that proposed a national health care
plan with universal coverage of abortion at taxpayer expense, the support
is soft at best (51%).
- Resistance to abortion
coverage is consistent between both sexes and all ages. Women aged 55 or
older are the most opposed to such coverage (59% are less likely to vote
for a candidate endorsing it), men of all ages follow in opposition (57%
less likely to vote for a candidate endorsing it), and the majority of
(51%) of women aged 18-54 are less likely to support such a candidates.
- Widespread disapproval of
candidates who support taxpayer-funded abortion coverage spans all but one
region of the United States
—New England.
For full
results check
out FRC’s blog.
 That headline probably isn’t a huge surprise but the timing is interesting none the less.
Former Vice President Al Gore has released a video clip in which he calls for the recognition of same-sex marriage. Possibly Gore is trying to goad the Democrat presidential candidates to “strengthen” their positions on “gay rights.”
It is almost humorous to watch the Democrat candidates pledge their support for “gay rights” while not being able to bring themselves to say they actually support gay marriage. Their reluctance to openly support same-sex marriage is testament to the strong sentiment in this nation to preserve the traditional definition of marriage.
For more information on protecting marriage click here.
The 2008 primary and caucus season for the presidency is in full swing and the upcoming Florida primary could have momentous importance in deciding the presidential candidates. Be sure that you, your friends, and family are well-informed. AdvanceUSA has prepared Candidate Comparisons for both the Democrats and the Republicans to help show you where each presidential candidate stands on some of the most important issues.
AdvanceUSA hopes these resources will be helpful as you begin/continue your research for this critically important election season.
The Florida primary will be held on Tuesday, January 29. The only remaining states conducting primaries in January of 2008 are the South Carolina Democrats on Saturday (1/26) and Florida (1/29).
On February 5 (a.k.a. “Super Tuesday”) 22 states will have primaries or caucuses (to see the list of states click here).
Stay informed and spread the word about AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
 Bruce R. Williams, a family physician in Blue Springs, Missouri, shares in a recent op-ed piece how the recent breakthrough with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) affects the current battle over human cloning in Missouri. He shows how this new research, which derives embryonic-like pluripotent stem cells from ordinary skin cells without creating or harming human eggs or embryos, makes the push for human cloning totally unnecessary.
Excerpts:
The new method, referred to as “direct reprogramming” allows researchers to use skin cells to reproduce stem cells believed to be identical to those that were previously taken from human embryos. No cloning. No destruction of human life. No ethical controversy.
How big is this breakthrough? The scientist who created Dolly the cloned sheep, Ian Wilmut, has already announced he is abandoning cloning research in favor of the new method. Wilmut believes this new method holds more promise for finding treatments, including treating strokes, heart attacks, Parkinson’s and other diseases.
…
The Missouri Cures Without Cloning initiative seeks to prohibit the unnecessary research. It would ensure that human cloning is prohibited within the state of Missouri.
While this new scientific breakthrough holds the promise to new treatments for diseases including diabetes and Parkinson’s, why do some continue their battle to support human cloning?
The time has come to say no to human cloning in Missouri.
For more information on human cloning check out the AdvanceUSA human cloning/Missouri page or check the Missouri Cures Without Cloning website.
From the President: To read President Bush’s statements to marchers at the White House click here.
Good Reporting: Mark Hemingway from National Review Online has some great photos and excellent reporting of the march in a recent article.
Encouraging News: Barna says that evangelical Christians consider abortion their top concern (94% list it as an important issue).
More Resources: For more March for Life coverage from other bloggers check the FRC Blog.
UPDATE: The Washington Post has a great article today about the March For Life entitled “A Youthful Throng Marches Against Abortion.” Let’s hope other mainstream media outlets report this important event with the coverage it deserves.
It is
truly impressive to see the huge crowds of ordinary Americans marching in the
streets of our nation’s capital, to expose the world to the injustice of
abortion and to proclaim that the pro-life cause has not been abandoned. Here are some photos of yesterday’s March for Life event taken by AdvanceUSA DC
staff member Daniel Herbster:
Praying
for the end of Roe and the end of
abortion
Massive
crowds gathered in the shadow of the Capitol to hear pro-life speakers on the
National Mall.
The
spires of the Smithsonian look down on the gathering crowds. More photos below. Click "Read More" to view the rest.
We expect
a vote on the Vitter amendment soon.
Call both your
senators today and urge them to vote “Yes” on Sen. Vitter’s
amendment to the Indian Health Services bill (S. 1200) and ensure that your tax
dollars are not spent to provide abortions.
We will post Senate vote results when they become available.
For more information on this crucial pro-life legislation click here.
Our friends at FRC were generous enough to host many conservative bloggers to hear a wonderful selection of pro-life activists, thinkers, and politicians.
Staying warm in the lovely facilities at FRC
Michael Illions shares the story of his son Cole who he and his wife decided to have despite incredible pressure to simply abort their child late in the pregnancy due to potentially severe health concerns. Mr. Illions and his wife do not regret their decision to “choose life.”
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), pro-life and pro-family champion of the Senate.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Pro-Life Caucus and a strong pro-life leader.
Photos by Daniel Herbster
Daniel
Herbster (AdvanceUSA DC staff
member) posting:
At the conservative blogger luncheon I was privileged to attend, we again heard
from Johnson County (Kansas) District Attorney Phil Kline about his efforts to
investigate Planned Parenthood for serious breaches of the law.
We then
heard from Hadley Arkes again who mentioned the importance of selecting a
pro-life president. He said that a president can sometimes err by being
“all action and no talk.” His point is that a president should lead the
charge in articulating a pro-life philosophy and spearhead real efforts to
restrict abortion and foster a culture of life (not just do the bare minimum to
be considered pro-life). Turning his attention to the current
presidential primary, Arkes encouraged the Republican Party to not abandon the
classic balance of social, economic, and defense conservatism and warned that
three of the five major GOP candidates (this was before news of Fred Thompson’s
withdrawal became public) would fracture this important coalition.
After the
blogger conference I traipsed over to the National Mall to survey the massive
crowds, take in a few pro-life speeches, take some photos of the crowds from
the Capitol, and take in the events being held in front of the Supreme Court
building.
I hope to
get some of my photos up soon.
Daniel
Herbster (AdvanceUSA DC
staff member) posting:
Earlier this morning Kansas prosecuting attorney (and former KS Attorney
General) Phil Kline chronicled his dealings with the notorious abortion pusher
Planned Parenthood in his home state and demonstrated how the mainstream
media's pro-abortion bias clouds their judgment and observations (some times
almost humorously). It was great to see, in person, this pro-life
crusader who is attempting to expose the abuses of Planned Parenthood and bring
them to justice.
Next, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) reiterated the need to examine Planned Parenthood
and do everything possible to insure that they do not receive taxpayer
dollars. He referenced a recent speech he gave on the House floor called
"time to take a second look at child abuse incorporated" which you
can read
for yourself here.
Now I'm listening to Hadley P. Arkes (one of our friends from FRC) who is
emphasizing that judicial nominations are not the only means for promoting the
"culture of life." Too often pro-lifers think that overturning
Roe is the only thing we can do (as good as that would be) and are too easily mollified
by politicians who promise us "good judges."
Next I'll be attending a luncheon for conservative bloggers, and then I hope to
venture out into the cold and observe some of the March for Life myself.
Check back with AdvanceUSA Blog for photos of today's events.
To view the March for Life event live check out their website. To view live streaming of the Blogs for Life event at FRC check FRC's blog.
For more coverage of today's pro-life events be sure to check back with AdvanceUSA Blog!
Daniel Herbster (AdvanceUSA DC staff member) posting:
Though the weather outside is frigid, I got to spend the morning in the warm confiness of the Family Research Center in downtown Washington , DC.
Today is the "March for Life" and I am covering the "Blogs for Life" event here at FRC. We've heard from several special speakers about the pro-life movement and harnesing technology in that effort.
Michael Illions told the story of his son Cole. Late in his wife's pregnancy doctors told the couple that their unborn son had irreparable brain defects and encouraged the couple to have an abortion. Though the couple experienced much pressure to abort the child they were determined to give their son a chance at life. Now they are glad they chose life as their son Cole, despite serious health challenges, has the prospects of a fairly normal life. The Illions' inspiring story is a stirring challenge for us to respect all human life, despite serious challenges.
We next heard from Sen. Sam Brownback, who has long been a champion of the pro-life and pro-family cause. He reminded us of the wonderful history behind the march for life and warned us that despite the massive crowds that would gather today in the nation's capital, the mainstream media would most likely minimize the significance of the March for Life. The Senator reminded our gathering that we are "fighting for life" and not against people, activists, women, or doctors. What we are fighting against, he said, is "death, fear, and despair."
Many great speakers (including: Michael New, Phil Kline, Rep. Chris Smith, and others) are coming up!
Check back later for more special reports. Hopefully, I will be posting some photos of the March and of some of today's speakers later today or tomorrow.
January 22, 2008 marks the 35th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision in which the Supreme Court usurped the will of the people, ignored the authority of representative government, and erroneously declared a constitutional right to kill unborn children in the womb. The verdict opened the door to abortion on demand and, as Cal Thomas points out, devastatingly damaged our culture and society.
For years, in our nation’s capital and across the country, the March for Life has taken place on this somber anniversary, and this year’s events will be especially important. AdvanceUSA will be blogging the events in Washington, DC live and anticipates supplying first-hand reporting on our website and blog.
 In the vast majority of instances when Americans are given a chance to vote to support the traditional definition of marriage, they do. Unfortunately, liberal obstructionists fight tooth and nail to keep voters from being able to decide at the ballot box how their states should define marriage. The battle rages on in several states. Here’s an update on what is going on in four of them (PA, IN, FL, and IA):
Florida
AdvanceUSA recently reported that more signatures were needed so that Floridians will have a chance to vote to protect marriage on their 2008 ballot. Now our friends at Florida4Marriage.org are trying to correct the record because of misleading and dated information disseminated by four newspapers and picked up by other news organizations mistakenly claiming that the marriage amendment is already approved for the ballot. Here’s an excerpt of their critique:
In an [sic] stunning display of journalistic confusion, no less than four daily newspapers tied to the EW Scripps Treasure Coast Newspaper Company printed a one month old (and therefore inaccurate) story about the status of the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment.
…
These stories totally missed the breaking news that was all over the state this week that Florida4Marriage.org needs an additional 22,000 petitions to qualify for the ballot after an unprecedented audit was ordered by the state.
While it appears to be a legitimate and embarrassing mistake, the effects of this mistake in this time of crisis and emergency make it that much more egregious to the effort.
For the record: Florida4Marriage.org is still collecting petitions and we continue to do so without stopping all the way till the deadline of Tuesday January 29, 2008. All petitions must be in the Florida4Marriage.org office no later than 5:00pm on January 29, 2008. (4853 S. Orange Avenue, Orlando FL 32806). For more information visit: www.Florida4Marriage.org
To find out how you can support marriage in Florida, check Florida4Marriage.org.
Pennsylvania
According to http://www.pa4marriage.org/ State Senator Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) will soon introduce a marriage protection amendment bill to “protect the definition of marriage as the union between one man and one woman and prevent creation of civil unions (or other terms used to give all the legal benefits of marriage under a different name).” Concerned Pennsylvanians should contact their state senators (by phone or in person) and urge them to cosponsor Sen. Brubaker’s bill and vote “Yes” on this marriage protection amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution.
For more information on protecting marriage in Pennsylvania, check http://www.pa4marriage.org/
Indiana
Despite the fact that legislative committees frequently consider dozens of pieces of legislation simultaneously, House Rules Chairman Scott Pelath (D-Michigan City) claims there is not enough time to consider the marriage amendment and the property tax issue. If the marriage amendment is not passed by the legislature this legislative term, Hoosier voters will be deprived of an opportunity to support the protection of marriage in Indiana on their 2008 ballot.
Concerned Hoosiers are encouraged to contact state representative Pelath and encourage him to give marriage the attention it deserves.
Check with the AFA of Indiana for more information.
UPDATE: The Christian Post reports that
an Indiana
state senate committee has approved the Indiana marriage amendment.
Now the state house must approve the bill, or it will take six years before the
amendment could be considered again. House Speaker Patrick Bauer (D-South
Bend) has indicated that he will obstruct the bill. Concerned Hoosiers
should let their voices be heard. To find out who your Indiana state house representative is and
how to contact him/her click here.
Iowa
Excerpt from the Des Moines Register:
Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday [January 16] at the State Capitol, asking lawmakers to launch an effort to amend the state constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage.
As AdvanceUSA reported this summer, many Iowans were understandably outraged when a federal judge mandated same-sex marriage in Iowa from the bench. Here’s hoping pro-traditional marriage Iowans are successful in their efforts.
The Hill
reports on this sad
result of partisan judicial obstruction.
This is a
grim reminder of the importance of appointing qualified originalist judges to
federal benches and of supporting presidential candidates who will nominate
only those who understand the proper role of the judiciary and will not
“legislate from the bench.”
To see
how the current presidential candidates stand on important issues check out
AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate
Comparisons.
CitizenLink
reports on this
disturbing fact.
The drastic
misconceptions about Roe vs. Wade among average Americans (even
conservative ones) did not happen by accident. They are due in large part
to intentional media distortion of the facts and concrete implications of the wrongly
decided case. In his important pro-life book The
Party of Death, conservative author and journalist Ramesh Ponnuru
documents the media distortion of Roe and thoroughly and accessibly
corrects the record, making the case for respecting the inalienable “right to
life” of the unborn.
The 2008 primary and caucus season for the presidency is in full swing. Be sure that you, your friends, and family are well-informed. AdvanceUSA has prepared Candidate Comparisons for both the Democrats and the Republicans to help show you where each presidential candidate stands on some of the most important issues.
AdvanceUSA hopes these resources will be helpful as you begin/continue your research for this critically important election season.
The Florida primary will be held a week from tomorrow, January 15 (Tuesday of next week). The only remaining states conducting primaries in January of 2008 are South Carolina Democrats (1/26) and Florida (1/29).
On February 5 (a.k.a. “Super Tuesday”) 22 states will have primaries or caucuses (to see the list of states click here).
Stay informed and spread the word about AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
 Yesterday in caucuses across the state, Nevada Democrats picked Sen. Hillary Clinton to be their party’s presidential candidate while Nevada Republicans chose Gov. Mitt Romney. In the famous “first-in-the-South” Republican South Carolina primary Sen. John McCain won first place.
South Carolina Democrats will vote on Saturday (January 26) while the critical Florida primary is ten days away on Tuesday, January 29.
On February 5 (a.k.a. “Super Tuesday”) 22 states will have primaries or caucuses (to see the list of states click here).
Additionally if you or your family and friends have questions about where the major candidates stand on issues important to you, check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
South Carolina GOP Primary (January 19, 2008)
The Democrats*
The Republicans
John McCain 33%
Mike Huckabee 30%
Fred Thompson 16%
Mitt Romney 15%
Ron Paul 4%
Rudy Giuliani 2%
Duncan Hunter 0%
Tom Tancredo 0%
* South Carolina Democrats head to the polls on Saturday, January 26.
USA Today has the full SC results here.
Nevada Caucuses (January 19, 2008)
The Democrats
Hillary Clinton 51%
Barack Obama 45%
John Edwards 4%
Uncommitted 0%
Dennis Kucinich 0%
Bill Richardson 0%
Mike Gravel 0%
Chris Dodd 0%
Joe Biden 0%
The Republicans
Mitt Romney 51%
Ron Paul 14%
John McCain 13%
Mike Huckabee 8%
Fred Thompson 8%
Rudy Giuliani 4%
Duncan Hunter 2%
USA Today has the full NV results here.
Tomorrow Nevadans of both parties will caucus to select their choice to be their party’s presidential candidate. Additionally tomorrow, South Carolina Republicans will take place in the nation’s first-in-the-South primary while their Democrat brethren will vote a week later on January 26.
AdvanceUSA Blog will post the vote results Sunday morning, and they will be posted on the website soon after. Until then, USA Today has a helpful resource for monitoring poll results as they come in.
To see how the presidential candidates stand on important issues check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
 The way Federal Title X (title ten) funds are spent in this country is in drastic need of reform. Title X funds are supposed to support family planning services but are often given to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. Under President Ronald Reagan and the first President Bush, federal regulations were clearly written to prevent recipients of Title X funds from referring for abortions or combining family planning services with abortion services (ex: working at the same location). AdvanceUSA encourages the current Bush administration to issue Title X regulations which do two things:
- reestablish prohibitions against family planning services co-locating with abortion providers
- rescind regulations for family planning services which require them to refer for abortions
AdvanceUSA also supports legislation aimed at preventing taxpayers’ Title X funds from supporting groups like Planned Parenthood (especially since Planned Parenthood is under investigation for serious allegations of law-breaking and ethical malfeasance). American’s tax dollars should not be used to support abortion, and we hope Congress and the President will act accordingly.
Check the pro-life page for more pro-life news.
 Do you want your tax dollars used to fund abortions within the United States? Currently the Hyde Amendment prohibits taxpayer-funding of abortion in most of the United States, but the sovereign territories of Indian nations within the U.S. are exempt from this provision. AdvanceUSA has learned that Senator David Vitter (R-LA) intends to propose an amendment to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (S. 1200) which would codify a longstanding policy against funding abortions with taxpayer-funds from the federal Indian Health Services (IHS). The amendment would prohibit federal funding for abortions except to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest of a minor. The Vitter amendment could be considered immediately when the Senate reconvenes on January 22, which is interestingly enough the date for the March for Life and the 35th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.
Call both your senators today and urge them to support the Vitter amendment to S. 1200!
Excerpt from LifeNews story:
According to Douglas Johnson, the director of legislation for the National Right to Life Committee, the IHS is funded through the separate Interior appropriations bill. As a result, it has never carried the Hyde amendment and the bill funded abortions well after the Hyde amendment was first enacted in 1976.
The Reagan Administration curbed the practice administratively in 1982, as a temporary fix, Johnson said. In 1988, Congress said that the Hyde amendment would apply to the IHS bill.
Johnson said the Vitter amendment is important to make sure that the abortion funding limits become federal law.
Should a pro-abortion president occupy the White House and abortion advocates control Congress, there is nothing that could stop them from changing the current regulations unless a federal law prohibiting the funding is in place.
The International Herald Tribune reports on a reported case of human embryo cloning. To watch an MSNBC video report of this story click here. Excerpts from IHT:
Scientists in California say they have produced embryos that are clones of two men...
…
The process "involves creating human lives in the laboratory solely to destroy them for alleged benefit to others," said Richard Doerflinger, spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Citing the earlier work in Britain, he also said that as a scientific advancement, the new work was "very limited."
Other objections to cloning include concerns about health risks and exploitation if large numbers of women are asked to provide eggs.
Those objections are one reason that an alternative route to stem cells made headlines last November. Scientists reported a relatively simple way to turn skin cells directly into stem cells.
In other bioethics news, the Times Online reports that the House of Lords in the UK has approved research that creates human-animal hybrid embryos (human-animal cloning). LifeNews reports here.
For more information on these critical bioethics issues check the AdvanceUSA stem cell page, human cloning page, or adult stem cell page.
UPDATE: The plot thickens. The Daily Mail reports that the
cloning scientists actually cloned themselves.
Conservative author and columnist Cal Thomas gives us an important
reminder of why Roe
vs. Wade must be overturned. Excerpt:
After 35 years of slaughtering our
young, isn't it time to stop? That child born in 1973 could be a parent now.
There are children who could have been born today. Thirty-five years of killing
has diminished and corrupted us all. Let's summon the moral courage to stop it
for our sake and for theirs.
Note: Next Tuesday (January 22) will be the 35th
anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision. March for Life events
will be going on here in Washington,
DC that day and AdvanceUSA hopes
to provide some highlights from the various programs.
Though any information that comes from the Guttmacher Institute (the propaganda arm of Planned Parenthood) should be taken with a grain of salt, we are encouraged to consider that the abortion rate might be dropping. While liberals will predictably call for more “comprehensive” sex education and free birth control, the real answer to continuing to decrease the abortion rate is more responsible sex education (especially abstinence education), cultivating a culture of life, and providing viable alternatives to pregnant women who do not wish to be mothers (like Rep. Michelle Bachman’s new bill).
Despite the apparent progress in protecting unborn lives, we as a nation must continue to fight abortion in the public policy realm because the abortion issue is fundamentally a justice issue. It is inherently unjust that an entire category of people (the unborn) can be deprived of their fundamental right to life, and we must continue the pro-life battle to make our country a more just nation.
Check the AdvanceUSA pro-life page.
It appears the liberals in Congress will continue their battle to blur the definition of marriage. The latest attempt comes in the guise of providing to same-sex partners of federal employees the same marriage benefits as married spouses. The Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act of 2007 (S. 2521 / H.R. 4838), would make a federal employee and his or her same-sex domestic partner eligible to participate in federal health benefits, the Family and Medical Leave program, long-term care, insurance, and retirement benefits. Read the text of S. 2521 here and the text of H.R. 4838 here. Click here and here to see which senators and representatives have signed on to these dangerous bills as cosponsors and hold them accountable. Call your representative and both your senators today and urge them to oppose the Domestic Partners Benefits Act (S. 2521 or H.R. 4838)!
For more information on protecting marriage, check the AdvanceUSA marriage page. To see how the 2008 presidential candidates stand on the Federal Marriage Protection Amendment check the Candidate Comparisons page.
A very
interesting resource from our friends at Americans United for Life. Excerpts:
"Until all the pieces are in place to make the
overruling of Roe a realistic possibility and until the truth has replaced
misinformation about abortion," said Clarke D. Forsythe, AUL's President,
"laws that put fences around the abortion license and highlight the
negative impact of abortion on women are imperative. And those laws are being
passed in the 50 states."
…
“For the third year in a row, Michigan
topped the list, followed by Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and
Kansas.”
…
“The least protective states according to AUL were Oregon, California, Connecticut, New Jersey,
and Vermont.”
LifeNews reports on this effort to ensure that pregnant women receive practical help in choosing life. To read the text of Rep. Michele Bachman’s (R-MN) proposed Positive Alternatives Act click here.
Excerpt:
A new bill in Congress would give states greater authority to help find positive solutions to unplanned pregnancies instead of abortion. Rep. Michele Bachmann has introduced the Positive Alternatives Act that puts into law prior Bush administration regulations allowing states to use the TANF program to help pregnant women.
Current federal regulations allow states to fund abortion alternatives, and Bachmann's bill, the “Positive Alternatives Act” (H.R. 4852) codifies the current state option.
It allows states to fund programs that provide information or counseling that assists women in making decisions about parenting and adoption.
For more information on pro-life issues check our pro-life page.
 Yesterday Michigan Democrats narrowly picked Senator Hillary Clinton to be their presidential candidate in 2008 (despite the fact that the national party has refused to recognize the state’s delegates at the convention) while Michigan Republicans chose former Governor Mitt Romney. Below are the full results for both parties (or click here).
Keep checking AdvanceUSA for the latest information as the presidential primary season continues (the South Carolina GOP primary and Nevada caucuses this Saturday on January 19!).
On February 5 (a.k.a. “Super Tuesday”) 22 states will have primaries or caucuses (to see which click here).
Additionally if you or your family and friends have questions about where the major candidates stand on issues important to you, check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
The Democrats
Hillary Clinton 55%
Uncommitted 40%
Dennis Kucinich 4%
Chris Dodd 1%
Mike Gravel 0%
* Due to party rules no delegates will be awarded to the winner of the Democrat primary.
The Republicans
Mitt Romney 39%
John McCain 30%
Mike Huckabee 16%
RonPaul 6%
Fred Thompson 4%
Rudy Giuliani 3%
Uncommitted 2%
Duncan Hunter 0%
USA Today has the full results here.
Graphic source: greenwhichmeantime
In three weeks (Tuesday, February 5) 22 states will hold primaries or caucuses. Be sure that you, your friends, and family are well-informed. AdvanceUSA has prepared Candidate Comparisons (CCs) for both the Democrats and the Republicans to help show you where each presidential candidate stands on some of the most important issues.
AdvanceUSA hopes these resources will be helpful as you begin/continue your research for this critically important election season. If you have friends or family in any of these Super Tuesday states, please send them a link to our CCs.
State holding presidential elections on February 5:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Idaho (Democrat caucuses)
Illinois
Kansas (Democrat caucuses)
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
New Jersey
New Mexico (Democrat primary)
New York
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Utah
Stay informed and spread the word about AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Michiganders are heading to the polls today in brisk January weather. USA Today is posting the latest poll results information here and will continue throughout the night. Keep Michigan voters in prayer today as their decision could have important implications for the presidential race.
Check back for final vote results tomorrow morning here at AdvanceUSA Blog and eventually on our home page and Candidate Comparisons page.
To see how the presidential candidates stand on important issues check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Graphic source: greenwhichmeantime
The AP reports on the efforts of pro-marriage activists in Vermont to oppose that state’s recognition of same-sex marriages. Massachusetts is currently the only state that recognizes “gay marriages” but fortunately a nearly century-old law prohibits its spread to other states. If Vermont were to approve same-sex marriage it could initiate a nation-wide domino effect of judicially imposed gay marriages. This precarious situation illustrates the importance of ratifying a federal constitutional amendment to protect the traditional definition of marriage.
Check out the AdvanceUSA marriage page or see how the presidential candidates stand on protecting marriage in our 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
In honor
of the 222nd anniversary of the passage of Thomas Jefferson’s
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, President Bush has declared tomorrow (January
16) “Religious Freedom Day.” To read the official proclamation click
here.
For more
information on religious liberty check out AdvanceUSA’s pro-religious freedom page.
Thomas
Jefferson Memorial graphic source: ThisNation
Our
friends at FRC report on this exciting
breakthrough in ethical adult stem cell research. Once again, ethical alternatives belie the
notion that embryonic stem cells are a necessary avenue of research that should
be supported with taxpayer dollars.
Excerpt:
[In a recent] online issue of Nature Medicine, scientists
from the University
of Minnesota announced
that using ethical alternatives, their research has resulted in the successful
creation of a beating rat heart. As part of the tests, the team hollowed out a
rat heart of its cells, leaving only the network of tubes where the old blood
vessels had been. Scientists seeded the heart's casing with non-embryonic cells
and watched as they latched onto the old framework and grew new heart tissue.
Within eight days the rat heart began pumping so well that its beating could be
easily seen. Dr. Doris Taylor, who led the research, said that while the team is
not ready to replicate the tests in humans, it could be less than a decade away
from attempting heart transplant trials in patients. "With modifications,
scientists should be able to grow a human heart by taking stem cells from a
patient's bone marrow and placing them in a cadaver heart that has been
prepared as a scaffold," Dr. Taylor said.
HT: FRC
Michiganders are heading to the polls today in brisk January weather. USA Today is posting the latest poll results information here and will continue throughout the night. Keep Michigan voters in prayer today as their decision could have important implications for the presidential race.
Check back for final vote results tomorrow morning here at AdvanceUSA Blog and eventually on our home page and Candidate Comparisons page.
To see how the presidential candidates stand on important issues check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Graphic source: greenwhichmeantime
 Please tell your friends and family in Florida about this important marriage issue. Apparently the state constitutional amendment is approximately 30,000 signatures short of reaching the 2008 ballot. Encourage Floridians who support traditional marriage to sign the petition and consider supporting the pro-marriage organization Florida4Marriage in other ways.
From our friends at Florida4Marriage:
Officials Report 30,000 Petitions Short in Unprecedented Recount: Immediate Action Needed to Collect More Petitions
(Tallahassee, FL) Monday January, 14, 2008. Leaders of Florida4Marriage.org declared a state of "constitutional emergency" today when they learned from Division of Elections officials that due to an "audit" ordered by the Division, the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment fell short by some 30,000 petitions. The state constitutional amendment seeks to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman and would prohibit polygamy, group marriage, and same sex marriages in Florida.
According to state officials, only 589,020 petitions were officially certified after the unprecedented audit, leaving the petition effort just under 22,000 short of the needed 611,009 needed to be certified for the ballot in 2008. Florida4Marriage.org State Chairman John Stemberger said, "Right now, we are not interested in whose fault this is. We just want to finish the job -- and finish it immediately."
Amendment leaders are calling upon national, state and local pro-family leaders to alert Floridians to the crisis and to immediately pull out all stops to collect new petitions over the next two weeks. Stemberger said all petitions must be physically mailed or hand delivered into the state headquarters located at 4853 S. Orange Avenue, Orlando FL 32806, before close of business on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 (Presidential Primary Election Day). Under a new law, petitions can no longer be delivered to local county supervisors of elections by individual citizens. Petitions can only be received from the official sponsoring committee of the amendment.
To find out how you can help defend the sacred institution of marriage in the state of Florida check the Florida4Marriage.org website.
Related news articles: AP story in Bradenton Herald, Florida Today, Miami Herald
For more information on protecting marriage, check the AdvanceUSA marriage page. To see how the 2008 presidential candidates stand on the Federal Marriage Protection Amendment check the Candidate Comparisons page.
Now you can see the evidence behind the candidate positions in our CCs. Simply check the Candidate Comparison page and click on the “Online Interactive Version” link for either the Democrats or the Republicans. Once you have opened an interactive version simply move your cursor over a candidate’s position and a text box will appear that provides more information. Clicking on the position will allow you to read the entire selection.
AdvanceUSA hopes these resources help you make an informed decision in the upcoming presidential caucuses and primaries. If you find these helpful, please forward our Candidate Comparison page to your friends and family across the nation (especially those in early primary states).
Click on the links below to view or print your own copies and don’t forget to try out the Online Interactive Version.
The Democrats
View document
ONLINE INTERACTIVE VERSION
The Republicans
View document
ONLINE INTERACTIVE VERSION
The 2008 primary and caucus season for the presidency is in full swing. Be sure that you, your friends, and family are well-informed. AdvanceUSA has prepared Candidate Comparisons for both the Democrats and the Republicans to help show you where each presidential candidate stands on some of the most important issues.
AdvanceUSA hopes these resources will be helpful as you begin/continue your research for this critically important election season.
The Michigan primary will be held tomorrow (January 15). All the remaining states conducting primaries, caucuses, or conventions in January of 2008 are Michigan (1/15), South Carolina Republicans (1/19), Nevada (1/19), South Carolina Democrats (1/26), and Florida (1/29).
On February 5 (a.k.a. “Super Tuesday”) 22 states will have primaries or caucuses.
Stay informed and spread the word about AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
KCRG reports.
A federal appeals court says it won't reconsider a ruling that the state cannot fund a Christian prison ministry program in Newton.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says the ruling from its three-judge panel was correct because state funding of the program violates the Constitution's separation of church and state.
For more information on the IFI case check the AdvanceUSA pro-religious freedom page (scroll to the bottom of the page).
 The 2008 primary and caucus season for the presidency is in full swing. Be sure that you, your friends, and family are well-informed. AdvanceUSA has prepared Candidate Comparisons for both the Democrats and the Republicans to help show you where each presidential candidate stands on some of the most important issues.
AdvanceUSA hopes these resources will be helpful as you begin/continue your research for this critically important election season.
The Michigan primary will be held on Tuesday (January 15). All the remaining states conducting primaries, caucuses, or conventions in January of 2008 are Michigan (1/15), South Carolina Republicans (1/19), Nevada (1/19), South Carolina Democrats (1/26), and Florida (1/29).
South Carolina is just around the corner (Jan. 19 & 26). On February 5 (a.k.a. “Super Tuesday”) 22 states will have primaries or caucuses.
Stay informed and spread the word about AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
 According to Dr. David Prentice, the answer is “no.”
LifeNews reports that the cloning company is claiming it produced ethical embryonic stem cells by extracting one cell from a multi-celled embryo. The company made similar claims earlier this year while neglecting to reveal that all the embryos used in the research died. Now they apparently expect us to “trust them.” Excerpt:
… Dr. David Prentice of the Family Research Council told LifeNews.com that ACT's process "still does not meet the ethical threshhold" because "there is significant risk of harm to the embryo by this technique."
Prentice, a former biology professor at Indiana State University, said Lanza's company continues to mislead the media with claims that the process doesn't harm unborn children.
"Not all of Lanza's embryos survived, and those that did were not followed to birth, but only for a few days and then they were frozen," he said. "[Several] recent studies, including in the New England Journal of Medicine, have indicated that there is indeed risk of harm to the embryo."
Even if they do manage to extract stem cells from a particular embryo some day without killing it, the endangerment of human life inherent in the procedure is enough to label the research “unethical.” Considering the amazing new breakthroughs in obtaining embryonic-like stem cells from ordinary skin cells (iPSC), there is no reason to destroy or in this case endanger innocent human embryos. For more information, check the AdvanceUSA stem cell page.
 Our friends at the Committee for Justice sent around an email updating people on a particular case of judicial obstruction that relates to Michigan. AdvanceUSA shares the Committee for Justice’s hopes that judicial nominees will become an important issue in next Tuesday’s GOP Michigan primary. If you have friends and family in Michigan, please remind them of the importance of appointing qualified originalist judges to the federal courts rather than liberal activists who legislate from the bench. Send them a link to our 2008 Candidate Comparisons while you’re at it.
Below is an excerpt from the Committee for Justice:
With New Hampshire behind us, the next stop for the GOP presidential contenders is Michigan, home of four Great Lakes and the worst obstruction of judicial nominees in anyone’s memory. It’s been more than six years since Michigan Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow started blocking Michigan nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Despite a nearly 50% vacancy rate on the court at one point, they have persisted in their campaign of obstruction to this day. As a result, two exceptionally qualified Michigan nominees, Raymond Kethledge and Stephen Murphy, have gone more than a year and a half without so much as a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The seats to which they were nominated have long been declared judiciary emergencies.
…the essential point is that the confluence of the Michigan primary and the outrageous obstruction of the state’s nominees provides a great opportunity for journalists to ask the presidential contenders about the proper role of senators in the judicial confirmation process. After all, one of the most important constitutional responsibilities of a president is the appointment of federal judges….
At best, Sens. Levin and Stabenow are being petty. They have tried to justify their campaign of obstruction as payback for the failure of two second-term Clinton appointees to the Sixth Circuit – one of whom is married to Levin's cousin – to get hearings. At worst, Michigan’s senators are willing to subject the residents of the Sixth Circuit – spanning Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan – to eight years of unnecessary delays in the justice system, in the hope that Levin and Stabenow cronies can be put on the court under a Democrat president.
Many suspect the latter motivation, given that Levin and Stabenow have been offered “generous” compromises that would put the two Clinton nominees on the federal bench, but the senators “can't take yes for an answer,” to quote a Detroit News editorial. No wonder the News said that the “intransigence by the Michigan senators goes beyond rough politics and verges on political malpractice.”
HT: Committee for Justice
The Daily
Mail reports on this outrageous
example of reducing human life to the status of a commodity. Excerpt:
Women are being given cut-price fertility treatment if
they donate eggs for controversial cloning research.
Those taking part in the taxpayer-funded scheme receive
half-price IVF treatment in return for giving half their eggs to scientists
working on human cloning.
Count
AdvanceUSA as one of the “critics” mentioned below as we share these concerns.
But critics say it reduces the sanctity of human life to
nothing more than the barter of body parts - and accused the researchers of
taking advantage of women when they are at their most vulnerable.
Here are
the two key problems with paying women for their eggs:
- the cheapening/destruction of
human life
- the exploitation of women
(dangerous procedures for benefits)
As
CitizenLink reports, “Nearly 50 pro-family groups [including AdvanceUSA] are
asking President Bush to pull federal funding from abortion providers.” AdvanceUSA was happy to partner with other
conservative groups to encourage the administration to prohibit tax-payer
dollars from supporting abortion providers under the guise of “family
planning services.”
CitizenLink
reports on the important work going on in states across the country to ensure the traditional
definition of marriage is protected.
These are the states listed in the article:
Likely state constitutional amendment
votes in 2008:
Florida
California
Arizona
Indiana
Working toward future votes:
Iowa
Pennsylvania
 The people of New Hampshire have spoken. Yesterday,
in America’s
first-in-the-nation primary, New Hampshire Democrats picked Senator Hillary
Clinton to be their presidential candidate in 2008 while New Hampshire
Republicans chose Senator John McCain. Below are the full results for
both parties (or click
here).
Keep checking AdvanceUSA for the
latest information as the presidential primary season continues (the Michigan
GOP primary is less than a week away on Tuesday, January 15!).
Additionally if you or your family
and friends have questions about where the major candidates stand on issues important
to you, check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate
Comparisons.
The Democrat Results
Hillary Clinton 39%
Barack Obama 36%
John Edwards 17%
Bill Richardson 5%
Dennis Kucinich 1%
The Republican Results
John McCain 37%
Mitt Romney 31%
Mike Huckabee 11%
Rudy Giuliani 9%
Ron Paul 8%
Fred Thompson 1%
Duncan Hunter 1%
USA Today has the full
results here.
Graphic Source: CNN
Please pray for the voters in New Hampshire today. AdvanceUSA plans to post the final results from today’s first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary tomorrow morning. Until then, USA Today is providing a helpful vote results resource that will be regularly updated throughout the process.
Make sure you’re ready for your state’s primary or caucuses by checking out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Graphic Source: CNN
 No, AdvanceUSA has not become a Star Wars fan site, but we are concerned about the multi-part battle over human cloning going on in Missouri and its implications for the sanctity of human life. Here are two important items relating to this issue.
Bruce R. Williams, a Missouri physician, has written an important op-ed piece entitled “Human Cloning's Curtain Call” in which he explains how recent scientific breakthroughs make the quest for human cloning and embryonic stem cell research totally unnecessary. Now that scientists can obtain induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from regular skin cells that have been coaxed into an embryonic-like state, the major argument for cloning human embryos for research is completely obliterated. It is also important for citizens to hear from people they trust (like doctors and scientists) who understand the science of the issue but also oppose violating ethical standards by using and destroying human life like a commodity. To hear about other scientists, doctors, and ethicists who oppose human cloning check out the Missouri Cures Without Cloning website.
Noted writer, lawyer, and bioethicist Wesley J. Smith responds to a recent column by cloning promoter Donn Rubin. Smith often exposes the distortions and outright deceptions frequently employed by the pro-cloning “Coalition for Life Saving Cures” and his latest piece, “The Mendacity of Missouri Coalition for Life Saving Cures”, calls Rubin to task for downplaying the significance of the recent breakthrough in ethical stem cell research, iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cells).
Check out AdvanceUSA’s human cloning page for more cloning information and news from Missouri.
Here’s a
piece of encouraging news from Oregon
for the New Year. A judge has halted the implementation of a domestic
partnership law for same-sex couples (which effectively grants the rights and
privileges of marriage to same sex couples) until the citizen signatures
gathered to overturn the law can be reassessed. Excerpt from LifeSite news article:
A federal judge in Portland
Oregon granted a temporary
injunction requested by pro-family activists, halting the implementation of a
law that would see homosexual couples afforded the same rights and privileges
granted to married heterosexual couples. The law was set to come into effect on
January 1, 2008.
The public interest legal alliance, the Alliance Defense
Fund, filed a lawsuit on Dec. 3, 2007, against the Oregon Secretary of State
and several county clerks, alleging that those offices had wrongfully
invalidated voters' signatures on a citizen referendum. If allowed to go
forward, the referendum would place onto the November 2008 ballot an option for
voters to repeal the state legislature's domestic partnership bill, HB 2007.
AdvanceUSA
has previously
reported on the effort of Oregonians to overturn two laws recently passed
by the legislature that provide the rights of marriage to same-sex
couples. The legislature passed these dangerous bills despite the fact
the people of Oregon
had democratically passed a constitutional amendment to protect the traditional
definition of marriage. We are encouraged that the will of the people to
protect the crucial institution of marriage might be heard after all.
For more
news and information on efforts to protect marriage click here.
The 2008 primary and caucus season for the presidency is in full swing. Be sure that you, your friends, and family are well-informed. AdvanceUSA has prepared Candidate Comparisons for both the Democrats and the Republicans to help show you where each presidential candidate stands on some of the most important issues.
AdvanceUSA hopes these resources will be helpful as you begin/continue your research for this critically important election season.
The New Hampshire primary will be held tomorrow (January 8). All the states conducting primaries, caucuses, or conventions in January of 2008 are New Hampshire (1/8), Michigan (1/15), South Carolina (1/19), Nevada (1/19), and Florida (1/29).
On February 5 (a.k.a. “Super Tuesday”) 22 states will have primaries or caucuses.
Stay informed and spread the word about AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Mitt Romney 67%
Fred Thompson 25%
Duncan Hunter 8%
John McCain 0%
Ron Paul 0%
Rudy Giuliani 0%
Mike Huckabee 0%
USA Today has the full
results here.
 The people of Iowa have spoken. Last night, in caucus gatherings across the state, Iowa Democrats picked Senator Barack Obama to be their presidential candidate in 2008 while Iowa Republicans chose former governor Mike Huckabee. Below are the full results for both parties (or visit the Iowa Votes 2008 website).
Keep checking AdvanceUSA for the latest information as the presidential primary season continues (the New Hampshire primary is just a few days away on Tuesday, January 8!).
Additionally if you or your family and friends have questions about where the major candidates stand on issues important to you, check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
The Democrat Caucus Results
Barack Obama 36%
John Edwards 30%
Hillary Clinton 29%
Bill Richardson 2%
Joe Biden 1%
Uncommitted 1%
Chris Dodd 1%
Mike Gravel 0%
Dennis Kucinich 0%
Other 0%
The Republican Caucus Results
Mike Huckabee 34%
Mitt Romney 25%
Fred Thompson 13%
John McCain 13%
Ron Paul 10%
Rudy Giuliani 3%
Duncan Hunter 1%
Tom Tancredo 1%
Check out the Iowa Votes 2008 website for the detailed vote tallies.
Graphic Source: The Connection
The AP reports on the latest assault on traditional marriage in the guise of “marriage equality” though same-sex civil unions. Starting January 1, New Hampshire began conducting and recognizing same-sex civil unions for homosexual partners.
Marriage is the crucial foundation of a civilized society and ought to be an important issue in presidential politics. Let’s hope the voters in New Hampshire take the marriage issue into consideration when they head to the polls on Tuesday, January 8 during their “first-in-the-nation” presidential primary.
If you want to find out where the major presidential candidates stand on marriage check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
LifeNews reports on this difficult situation. Once again, starving a person in a coma is being advocated in the name of compassion and convenience.
Javona Peters: in coma facing possible euthanasia
We’ve learned that the Republican Party of Iowa website will be the first source to relay who the Iowa GOP selects. Also, it appears this website sponsored by the Democrat Party of Iowa will have up-to-date information on the caucus results for Democrats in Iowa. These websites should be great resources for the most timely information and for Americans outside Iowa who would like to read about how the caucus process works.
http://www.iowafirstcaucus.org/index.php (Democrats)
http://www.iowagop.net/index.asp (Republicans)
On Friday, check back with AdvanceUSA to see which candidates won the important Iowa caucuses.
For more information on where the major candidates of both parties stand on important conservative issues, check AdvanceUSA’s new 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Graphic Source: The Connection
UPDATE: Unfortunately the resources above
are not as helpful as they were promoted. Check the Iowa
Votes 2008 website for the final results for both parties, or check our January 4 blog post.
|
|
|
| |