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Barack
Obama referred to being “punished with a baby” when confronted with a pro-life
Democrat in Pennsylvania recently. Obama
also disparaged abstinence education at the event. Politico
has the details.
By
Daniel Herbster
When
I first read recent
media reports about research which seemed to indicate mice with Parkinson’s
disease were successfully treated using a form of cloning called somatic cell
nuclear transfer (SCNT), I was skeptical.
But even if the media reports of success were correct, it still would
not make SCNT ethical for use in humans because it would amount to cloning and
killing human beings (embryos). I wanted
get an expert opinion on the actual science behind the reports so I contacted
Dr. David Prentice whom I’ve had the privilege to hear speak and meet on
several occasions.
Reinforced
my concerns with the unethical nature of the research if it were ever tried in
humans, Dr. Prentice told me…
…the whole idea of
so-called "therapeutic cloning" is unethical on several levels. It requires creating and destroying an
embryo, a young life. It also requires a
tremendous number of eggs to make just one dish of cells, so it risks women's
health, making them factories for raw parts for the experiments.
Dr.
Prentice also mentioned three crucial points the reports neglected to point
out.
- 1 out of every 6 mice showed
"graft overgrowth". In
other words, the implanted embryonic stem cells grew too well.
- They only let the animals go for 11
weeks, so we don't know if they would have gone on to form tumors, or if
the treatment has any lasting effect.
- The technique is also already
outdated. The paper was originally
submitted in Feb 2007, long before most of the results with iPS cells
[induced pluripotent stem cells].
So the science has already passed this by, with easier, ethical,
and successful procedures.
Thank
you Dr. Prentice for sharing your expertise with us. Find out more about Dr. Prentice’s work at FRC.org and at DoNoHarm.
Dr. David Prentice
Graphic source: FRC
Click here for more
information on human cloning, and click here for more
information on embryonic stem cell research.
Planned
Parenthood has released its annual
report for 2008. The following
points are a few important and outrageous facts AdvanceUSA has been alerted to:
- An increase in the number of
provided abortions from 264,943 in 2005 to 289,650 in 2006.
- A doubling of “excess of
revenue over expenses” funds from $55.7 million in 2005 to $112 million in
2006.
- Acknowledge receipt of over
$336 million in [local, state, and federal] government grants and
contracts.
With
all the recent controversies regarding potential illegal activity by Planned
Parenthood centers across the country, why is Planned Parenthood getting our
tax dollars?
To
sign the Family Research Council’s petition to withhold federal Title X funding
from Planned Parenthood click
here.
Janice
Shaw Crouse, Ph.D., has a helpful column today about the
importance and effectiveness of abstinence education and explains why
radical leftist organizations and politicians are so determined to eliminate it
completely. Congress should increase
abstinence education funding, not cut it.
Read Crouse’s
article for more details. Excerpts:
It is incomprehensible that leaders of
organizations working with teens would oppose abstinence. The increase in abstinence programs has been
effective in reversing trends that some believed were irreversible. It is clear from my analysis of official data
that abstinence education is behind the current decreases in teen births, teen
abortion and the number of teens engaged in sexual activity.
While the left claims that abstinence
education is a too-simplistic “just say no” campaign, the programs teach teens
how to say “no” and give them the skills and character development needed for
them to be able to say “no” effectively.
And many teens need to learn that sexually active girls regret their
early sexual activity — nearly two-thirds (63 percent) state that they wish
they had waited to have sex.
…
Many teens don’t know the facts, and the
comprehensive sex education programs do not inform them. A Maryland teenager, Stephen, was part of a
conversation with friends who claimed that “everyone is doing it.” Stephen told them that, statistically, teens
today are less sexually active. They
were surprised; they had not heard that important fact in their so-called
“full-coverage” sex education program.
Stephen summed up our view when he asked,
“Don’t you think our sex ed programs should tell us that more and more teens
are choosing to stay abstinent and how they are doing it?”
The
Columbia Missourian reports. Let’s
hope the Appeals Court upholds Judge Joyce’s
ruling allowing Missourians to see an
accurate summary of the proposed human cloning ban on their 2008 ballot.
Cures
Without Cloning is waiting until the court makes its decision before beginning its
signature gathering campaign to get the cloning ban amendment on the
ballot. If you live in Missouri click here to find out how you
can be a trained signature gatherer.
For
more information on human cloning click here or visit MO Cures Without Cloning.
Some
hopeful news is
coming out of California for advocates of parental rights, specifically the
right to homeschool. The California
appeals court which recently ruled that parents do not have a right to
homeschool their children has decided to reconsider its decision. Our friends at the Alliance Defense Fund played
a pivotal role in this decision by filing a petition
to reconsider the case, which was accepted.
The Pacific
Justice Institute also reports on the decision. Excerpt:
This means the Rachel L. decision, which has sparked a nationwide uproar, will not
go into effect as it is currently written. The Second District Court of Appeal
has instead decided to re-hear the case, with a new round of briefings due in
late April. It would likely take the court several additional months to
schedule oral argument and issue another decision.
Today's announcement by the court that it will re-hear the case reinforces
PJI's position that homeschooling families should continue their current
programs without fear of governmental interference.
The
Home School Legal Defense fund also issued a statement. Excerpt:
Home School Legal Defense Association will
seek permission to file such an amicus brief and will coordinate efforts with a
number of organizations interesting in filing briefs to support the right of
parents to homeschool their children in California.
"This is a great first step,"
said Michael Farris, chairman of HSLDA. "We are very glad that this case will
be reheard and that this opinion has been vacated, but there is no guarantee as
to what the ultimate outcome will be.
This case remains our top priority," he added.
We
are privileged to have John Stemberger, the State Chairman of Florida4Marriage.org,
answer some of our questions about the crucial campaign going on in Florida. Here is Daniel Herbster’s interview with John. For more information check Florida4Marriage.org.
DH: Thanks for taking the time
to share about your work with our readers.
Let me start off with a softball.
Why is protecting the traditional definition of marriage so important?
JS: Goodness,
this something I could discuss for hours.
I guess the most compelling reason and yet simple reason is that kids
need a mom and a dad. Same sex marriages deprive children of the best
arrangement for human socialization.
Same sex marriages also provide the legal rationale for the creation of
polygamous marriages and group marriage arrangements. Our opponents really are trying to redefine
the human experience and radically change basic human institutions that have
served us since the beginning of time.
DH: What are you and the
Florida4Marriage.org committee hoping to accomplish in Florida and why do you
think it would be effective?
 Scientists in the U.S. believe they have been able to treat mice that have Parkinson’s disease using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) which was the same process used to create Dolly the sheep. (Some like to euphemistically call this procedure “therapeutic cloning” but they’re only right about the “cloning” part because there is nothing “therapeutic” in the procedure for the cloned embryo.) The scientists took the nucleus from a mouse cell and inserted it into a mouse egg cell. When the resulting mouse embryo developed to a certain stage it was destroyed so its stem cells could be harvested and injected into the original mouse.
As the media breathlessly reports, some scientists are hoping this type of treatment could one day be used on humans. They neglect to point out that if this research were to be done in humans it would, in effect, amount to creating a twin of the patient (a clone) only to destroy that twin at an early stage of development (embryo) for its stem cells. Cloning humans is unethical because it would violate the rights of the cloned embryo and because it cheapens human life to the level of a commodity. We should not be wasting our time and resources pursuing research we know to be unethical.
These limited results seen in mice pale in comparison to the many exciting results coming from ethical forms of adult stem cell research. Furthermore, with the new research being done in induced pluripotent stem cells (embryonic like stem cells obtained without creating or destroying embryos) we can ethically obtain pluripotent stem cells that do not appear to risk rejection from the bodies of patients.
For more information on human cloning click here.
The
Calgary Herald reports on Leah
Telder’s success in overcoming the ravages of MS with ethical adult stem
cell transplants. Excerpts:
There she was, the Telders' youngest child,
Leah, walking towards them in the airport lobby late Monday amidst the
disembarking passengers, grinning and waving a greeting.
"That was amazing. She walked off . .
. I mean, there she was, actually walking," said Jacky of the moment.
…
"I haven't felt this good since before
I was diagnosed," she said.
She can walk on her own again and talk
without difficulty. She can make a cup of coffee -- something she hasn't been
able to do since she was 21.
And the majority of her vision has been
restored.
Leah Telder
Graphic Source: canada.com
CitizenLink
reports. Excerpt:
“With
3 million teen girls infected with STIs, safer sex in adolescents does not
exist,” said Linda Klepacki, sexual health analyst for Focus on the Family
Action. “For the current and future health of teens, we must teach them how to
have strong relationships not based on sex.”
The
American Journal of Health
Behavior published a study in January showing that students who
receive abstinence education are 50 percent less likely to initiate sex.
Furthermore, last
year’s report by the federal Department of Health and Human Services showed
that some comprehensive sex-education curricula taught in the nation's schools
essentially have no impact on behavior.
Valerie
Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association,
said it is important to look at the growing body of research showing abstinence
education as the only curriculum that successfully addresses teen pregnancies,
STIs and the emotional consequences of teen sex.
Tomorrow’s Advance Report newsletter will have a spotlight on the Home School Legal Defense Association. Here is Daniel Herbster’s interview with Will Estrada. For more information check HSLDA.org.
DH: We are grateful to be able to interview Will Estrada who is the Director of Federal Relations for the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). I’ve had the privilege to meet Will many times in our nation’s capital, and am excited about interviewing him for our readers.
Will, what is HSLDA?
WE: HSLDA was founded in 1983 by Michael Smith and Michael Farris. When HSLDA began, homeschooling was effectively illegal in 45 states. Today, we have over 80,000 member families and homeschooling is formally recognized in all 50 states. We have spent the past 25 years defending the right of parents to homeschool and advocating for homeschool freedom in the courts and legislatures.
DH: How long have you been with HSLDA and what kind of things do you do for them?
WE: I came to HSLDA in January, 2004 and worked as a legal assistant for HSLDA staff attorney Scott Woodruff. After graduating from law school in 2006, I became the Director of HSLDA’s Federal Relations Department, and serve as HSLDA’s federal lobbyist in D.C. My main task is to monitor federal legislation to make sure nothing is proposed that would negatively affect the freedom to homeschool. HSLDA’s message to the federal government is that homeschoolers want to be left alone and that homeschoolers should not be discriminated against in any scholarship or enlistment opportunity in the military. I have also recently been serving as the Director of Generation Joshua, a division of HSLDA that works to elect godly leaders. We also train and inspire the next generation to make a difference in our nation.
DH: I know a lot of people are concerned (and rightfully so) about the recent state appellate court ruling in California. Can you tell us a little about the ruling and what HSLDA is doing about it?
WE: Some have contended that the decision of the Court of Appeal in In Re Rachel L. only affects that particular family. While a court order can only direct one family to stop homeschooling, the case clearly sets a legal precedent that will be binding against all other families if this case is not reversed. (Technically, the decision is binding only in the Second District which consists of Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. However, other appellate districts will normally treat it as persuasive precedent. If ratified by the Supreme Court of California, it formally binds all California counties.)
There are two basic issues in the case:
- Does state law allow parents to homeschool without a state teaching credential?
- If not, is this law unconstitutional?
Below are three short quotations from the case which give the clear answer:
“It is clear to us that enrollment and attendance in a public full-time day school is required by California law for minor children unless (1) the child is enrolled in a private full-time day school and actually attends that private school, (2) the child is tutored by a person holding a valid state teaching credential for the grade being taught.”
“California courts have held that under provisions in the Education Code, parents do not have a constitutional right to school their children in their own home.”
“We agree with the Shinn court’s statement that ‘the educational program of the State of California was designed to promote the general welfare of all the people and was not designed to accommodate the personal ideas of any individual in the field of education.’ ”
In the first quote the court makes it clear that it believes that parents may not operate their own private schools. In the second they deny that a parent has a constitutional right to homeschool, and in the third they concur that California law does not accommodate parents pursuing their own education program for their children.
As you can see, the decision is categorical and was not written to be limited to just the facts of this case.
HSLDA plans to support the family’s petition for review to the California Supreme Court and file an amicus brief on behalf of all our members, and others we represent, if the California Supreme Court accepts the case for review.
DH: How can our readers help you in addressing the problem in California, and how can we prevent this kind of thing from spreading to other states?
WE: Concerned citizens can keep informed with the latest developments in California by going to www.hslda.org. At the moment the legal process is unfolding and we need to wait and see what the court decides before suggesting any new courses of action. In the long-term, amending the U.S. Constitution is necessary to uphold parental rights. Please visit www.ParentalRights.org for more information.
DH: What are some other issues HSLDA works on?
Pro-family groups are encouraged that the Supreme Court has decided to hear a broadcast indecency case brought by the FCC. Hopefully, the court will rule that the FCC can regulate even so-called “fleeting instances” of profanity during hours when children are likely to be watching TV or listening to radio.
For more information on this court case or about the issue of broadcast indecency, click here.
Dr. Miriam Grossman, M.D. takes an insightful look at the recent statistics regarding female STD rates and uses her professional experience to explain some of the educational factors contributing to this crisis. Excerpt:
That so many American girls have a sexually transmitted infection should come as no shock. Rather, the shock should be at the madness in our country that we call sexuality education.
LifeNews reports. We hope other states will take a look at these effective pro-life laws that seek to give women real choice through access to ultrasound information.
LifeNews reports.
AdvanceUSA’s Daniel Herbster had the privilege to hear the personal reports of Amy Daniels and Jill Rosen during their visit to Washington, DC. They told how they were literally dying until they were treated with their own stem cells. Today their health has improved dramatically. They are both concerned that many people in this country will die because they cannot raise the money to travel to nations where ethical adult stem cell research is allowed or because their insurance will not cover adult stem cell transplants.
Call your representative today and urge him or her to cosponsor and vote “Yes” on the Patients First Act which instructs the Health Department to make effective and ethical adult stem cell research a high priority.
For more information on adult stem cell research click here. For information on stem cells in general click here.
Last night the Senate rejected a pro-life amendment proposed by Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO), which would have covered unborn children under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Instead, the Senate passed the Boxer amendment which categorizes pregnant mothers as “children” in order to provide these women with health coverage without committing the liberal sacrilege of insinuating that the unborn are in fact children.
To see the vote results, check the vote box below or AdvanceUSA’s Congress Vote Watch Page. To see how your senators voted on the Allard amendment click on “Full Results.”
Senate Vote on the Allard Amendment (S.A. 4233) to allow unborn children to receive health coverage under SCHIP
March 13, 2008
Full Results
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PRES |
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NV |
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Republican |
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44 |
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4 |
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47 |
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1 |
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46 |
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52 |
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— |
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2 |
Sen. Ensign (R-CO) proposed an amendment yesterday which would have set aside money for the enforcement of the Child Custody Protection Act, which prevents minors from being transported across state lines to avoid state abortion laws requiring the consent of the parents. This common-sense, pro-life legislation failed by a vote of 49-49.
Senate Vote on the Ensign Amendment (S.A. 4335) to provide funds for the vigorous enforcement of the Child Custody Protection Act
March 13, 2008
Full Results
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Yeas |
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Nays |
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PRES |
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NV |
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Republican |
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44 |
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3 |
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— |
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1 |
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Democratic |
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5 |
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45 |
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— |
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1 |
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Independent |
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— |
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1 |
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TOTALS |
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49 |
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49 |
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2 |
 Make sure you cast an informed ballot this November with AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons for the presidential election. AdvanceUSA compared the major presidential candidates on twelve important issues of concern for conservatives.
If you found our presidential primary comparisons helpful, you are sure to appreciate our general election match-ups which offer more detail and nuance.
Since it appears the Democrat nomination will not be determined until the party’s convention, AdvanceUSA has prepared match-ups for the two most likely scenarios (Clinton vs. McCain and Obama vs. McCain). AdvanceUSA hopes you find these a helpful resource for comparing the candidates and determining which most represents your values.
Sen. Clinton vs. Sen. McCain
Click here
ONLINE INTERACTIVE VERSION
(Coming Soon!)
Sen. Obama vs. Sen. McCain
Click here
ONLINE INTERACTIVE VERSION
(Coming Soon!)
Please tell your friends and relatives about this helpful resource. Email them this blog entry, or send them a link to http://www.advanceusa.org/.
Keep checking AdvanceUSA for our Online Interactive Version which will allow readers to see the supporting evidence for the candidates’ positions.
Note: You can still view the Candidate Comparisons for the primaries and caucuses here.
NBC11 and CBS4 report
on the touching story of Dallas Hextell of Sacramento, California, a little boy
born with debilitating cerebral palsy.
Dallas has seen significant improvement
after being treated with ethical adult stem cells taken from his stored
umbilical cord blood.
 Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) has again proposed an amendment to the budget bill which would provide health coverage for unborn children on the SCHIP program. His amendment would codify this important policy into federal law, and will most likely be voted on when the Senate begins an intense session of voting this Thursday (March 13). AdvanceUSA thanks Sen. Allard for proposing this important pro-life legislation. Call both your senators today and urge them to vote “Yes” on Sen. Allard’s amendment (#4233) protecting unborn children under SCHIP!
For more information on SCHIP click here.
“Home-Schoolers 'In Shock' Over Court Ruling”
Homeschoolers in California and advocates of school choice endured a sneak attack recently when a California appeals court came out with a sweeping ruling that declares that parents have no constitutional right to educate their children in the home. The Washington Times reports. Excerpt:
National and California home-schooling advocates are banding together to fight a state court ruling they say could essentially outlaw the practice of allowing parents to teach their children at home.
 California Supreme Court Hears Marriage Case
As the LA Times reports, the California Supreme Court has heard the challenge to that state’s Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman only. Will the court usurp the will of the people and redefine marriage? We should know in less than 90 days. Excerpt from LA Times story:
The court is deciding four lawsuits brought on behalf of nearly two dozen same-sex couples. A trial judge here ruled in favor of same-sex marriages, but a Court of Appeal rejected that decision on a 2-1 vote. Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger argued in favor of keeping marriage an opposite-sex union, and Christian-affiliated groups joined them.
The California high court invalidated the San Francisco marriage licenses in August 2004, but will decide within 90 days whether gay men and lesbians should be permitted to marry in the future.
 The Pew Forum has provided this helpful resource for churches to know what political activities are permitted under IRS non-profit restrictions.
You can find this and other helpful resources at AdvanceUSA’s Church Involvement Page. Pastors and churches are often too intimidated speak out on important political issues for fear of losing tax-exempt status. Christians have a responsibility to act as “salt and light” in our society and culture, and must be armed with accurate information about what the law allows.
HSLDA reports. On their website you can
sign a petition in support of parents’ right to home school their
children. AdvanceUSA thanks HSLDA for
taking legal action in this case.
James Dobson comments here.
The
MBC Pathway reports on the status of the proposed
constitutional amendment to fully ban human cloning in Missouri. Excerpt:
[Missouri Secretary of State] Carnahan’s
rewrite of language submitted last fall by Cures Without Cloning (CWC) was
struck down Feb. 20 by Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce under
precedents established by previous judges as insufficient or unfair. Legally it
means her work is “inadequate, especially lacking adequate power, capacity or
competence. The word ‘unfair’ means to be marked by injustice, partiality, or
deception.” In other words, according to legal precedent, she stated the
consequences of the initiative “inadequately and with bias, prejudice,
deception and/or favoritism.”
An appeal filed by people sympathetic to
the argumentation of Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures will be heard by
the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, March 26. Once all legal
appeals are exhausted, it is believed that approximately 150,000 valid
signatures would need to be collected by May 5, the deadline for getting it on
the ballot in November. Many citizens are ready to fan out all over the state
to go get the necessary signatures once elected officials and judges are
finished with their work.
“We are confident the court of appeals will
uphold the ballot summary written by the circuit court and are preparing for
that outcome,” wrote Missourians Against Human Cloning (MAHC) Executive
Director Jaci Winship in an email alert that went out to supporters in the last
week of February. “We are hopeful the appeal process will move quickly so that
our volunteer army that has been preparing for months will be able to move
forward.”
HT: Sam Lee
LifeNews reports. Excerpt:
"Recently, my niece gave birth to her
first baby. It should have been a joyful moment for the entire family, but as I
stood looking at her cradling her newborn, I felt tears pricking at my
eyes," Woodgate wrote in a London Daily Mail column.
"All of a sudden, I found myself being
transported back in time almost 40 years, to the day that I was admitted to a
small cottage hospital in Leicester for a termination," she added.
Her memories of the abortion were so vivid
that she can still smell the disinfectant and see the "disapproving"
looks on the faces of the staff at the facility.
LifeNews reports. Excerpt:
A pro-life organization for Republicans is
calling on John McCain, who has captured enough delegates to be the party's
presidential nominee, to keep the GOP platform pro-life on abortion. The
Republican Party currently supports a human life amendment to the Constitution
to offer legal protection to unborn children.
Delegates to the Republican convention in
Minneapolis this summer will reconsider the party's 93-page platform that
opposes abortion and supports President Bush's policy against using tax dollars
to fund embryonic stem cell research.
“Students Raise
Money for Teacher’s Adult Stem-Cell Transplant”
CitizenLink
reports on this heart-warming
story.
Adult Stem Cells on
the Cutting Edge of Joint Repair and Replacement
As
Reuters reports, doctors are making great strides in joint repair and
replacement using novel biological techniques, including ethical adult stem
cell transplants. Excerpt:
Stem cell therapy could eventually
eliminate the need for joint replacement, said Einhorn, who last year performed
his first hip replacement surgery using the patient's own stem cells.
The undifferentiated, unspecialized stem
cells can morph into specialized cells with specific functions in the body.
Adult stem cells are available from a number of sources, including bone marrow
and fat.
Stem cells from a patient's own body are
being used to repair bones, ligaments, cartilage, muscle, spinal cord and
nerves.
Politico reports. If a Senate “staredown” makes judicial
nominations an important issue in 2008, we say “bring it on.”
Robert
Knight comments on the case before the California Supreme Court which could
have drastic
implications on marriage across the country. Excerpt:
At issue is California’s marriage law,
approved by voters in 2000 by a wide margin, which defines marriage as the
union of a man and a woman. Because of California’s history of liberal legal
activism, court watchers are taking bets over whether the high bench will
sucker punch the electorate and impose “gay marriage” on the state.
 Yesterday’s presidential primary contests breathed new “hope” into the struggling Clinton campaign. Sen. Clinton won the contests in Ohio, Texas, and Rhode Island, while her Democrat opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, took Vermont. It appears the Democrat race will continue with no end in sight.
Sen. John McCain scored convincing victories against his chief GOP rival Gov. Mike Hucakbee. Sen. McCain has now won enough delegates to guarantee his nomination, and Mike Huckabee has withdrawn his candidacy. Only the libertarian-leaning Congressman Ron Paul remains in the GOP race as a high-profile contender.
To find out where the presidential candidates stand on important issues check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Also, keep an eye out for AdvanceUSA’s special Candidate Comparisons for the general election in November.
March 4, 2008 Election Results
State Democrat Winner Republican Winner
Texas (primary) Clinton McCain
Ohio Clinton McCain
Vermont Obama McCain
Rhode Island Clinton McCain
Texas (caucus) Obama na
Full results here.
Graphic source: Leader-Post
While Sen. John McCain is looking to seal his nomination from the Republican Party tonight over rival Gov. Mike Huckabee, Democrat Sen. Hillary Clinton is in a desperate race to reverse the momentum of Sen. Barack Obama and hold on to viability. Will the general election match-up finally be determined? The elections tonight in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont could be crucial.
AdvanceUSA will post results tomorrow. Until then, USA Today will be reporting results as they come in tonight.
Find out how the major candidates stand on important issues with AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidate Comparisons.
Coming Soon: AdvanceUSA will be releasing a special Candidate Comparison for the eventual general election match-up. Stay tuned!
CNS News reports. Excerpt:
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) told a crowd at
Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, Sunday that he believes the Sermon on the
Mount justifies his support for legal recognition of same-sex unions. He also
told the crowd that his position in favor of legalized abortion does not make
him "less Christian."
By Daniel Herbster
I had the opportunity to speak to sophomore biology students and senior chemistry students at my high school alma mater about stem cells, cloning, and the pro-life cause. The students at Community Baptist Christian School were great, and showed genuine interest in the presentation. I'd like to thank Miss Anderson for inviting me to speak to her students and for taking these photos.
Explaining the science of human embryo development.
For more information about bioethics and life issues check the pro-life, stem cell, adult stem cell, and human cloning pages at AdvanceUSA.org or check the stem cell, adult stem cell, pro-life, abortion, and human cloning categories at AdvanceUSA Blog.
LifeNews reports. Excerpt:
A Johnson County grand jury has failed to
issue an indictment against a Planned Parenthood abortion center near Kansas
City. The verdict of "no true bill" comes after several allegations
that the grand jury process had been distorted by a judge who sided with the
abortion business in limiting the panel's access to abortion records.
The
Washington
Post also reports.
Lee
Culpepper chronicles the advantages
and accomplishments of charter schools.
Excerpt:
Charter schools have benefited from a
similar philosophy. They, too, “accomplish more with less.” They entice
committed families and teachers searching for something better in public
education. They also strike fear in the hearts of teacher unions and slippery
politicians.
Overall, charter schools have produced at
least as good -- but typically better results than traditional public schools.
Charter
schools demonstrate that greater choice and greater parental involvement are
important elements of improving education in America. Having worked in a charter school during
college, AdvanceUSA’s Daniel Herbster can attest to the academic quality and beneficial
atmosphere of those institutions.
 AdvanceUSA is proud of the courageous leadership shown by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) yesterday on the crucial issue of judicial confirmations. As frequently reported by AdvanceUSA, the Senate has shamefully fallen behind on its duty to consider and vote on the Presidents nominations to critical federal court positions. The obstruction is particularly dangerous when considering Circuit Court vacancies. Our friends at the Committee for Justice helpfully report on the leadership meetings that took place yesterday, as well as commenting on the excellent floor statements made by several Senators.
Excerpts:
Monday’s meeting appeared to mark a turning point in what the letter calls the Senate’s “most bitter” controversy. A fight over judges has been brewing for weeks now, as GOP senators have become increasingly frustrated with Leahy’s obstruction of nominees. Sen. Specter had urged his colleagues to postpone any hardball tactics while he tried again to work things out with Leahy. But yesterday, “Specter indicated to the conservative leaders that he too had run out of patience and was ready to lead his colleagues into battle,” said Committee for Justice executive director Curt Levey, one of the participants in the meeting.
…
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell took to the floor after Specter to urge that his “Democratic colleagues resist the desire by some to drag us back into judicial confirmation brinksmanship.” McConnell noted that “many of these [judicial] nominees satisfy most or all of [Leahy’s] specific criteria for prompt consideration: they have strong-home state support, they fill judicial emergencies, and they have good or outstanding ABA ratings.” Nonetheless, McConnell said, “there have been no judicial confirmations so far this year, and there has been only one hearing on a circuit court nominee since September of last year.” In last year’s most contentious fight over a judicial nominee, both McConnell and Specter were instrumental in the successful confirmation of Fifth Circuit nominee Leslie Southwick.
Full story here.
To read the entire floor statements of Senators McConnell and Specter see below:
McConnell: End Brinksmanship on Judicial Nominees
Senator Arlen Specter Speaks on the Senate Floor Regarding Judicial Nominations
AdvanceUSA is encouraged that judicial confirmations might become a major issue in the 2008 election because the best strategy for getting well-qualified, originalist judges on federal benches is to rally voters to hold their elected officials accountable for who they nominate and how they vote (or don’t vote) on nominations.
To see how the major presidential candidates stand on judicial nominations and other issues, check out AdvanceUSA’s 2008 Candidates Comparisons.
Commentary by Daniel Herbster
 Last night my pastor gave a report on his recent mission trip to the poverty-stricken nation of Surinam in South America. During the presentation, he happened to mention how the practice of slavery hundreds of years ago has drastically affected the institution of marriage in that land, even to this day.
Apparently, when European colonial powers brought African slaves to Surinam, male slaves were dehumanized to such an extent that they were merely used for breeding purposes without ever being able to behave like actual fathers. This has led to a matriarchal culture where single women are left to raise the nation’s children alone while marriage is often considered unnecessary.
This is sobering evidence of how cultural decisions can have drastic effects on the institution of marriage, and how the deterioration of the family can prevent nations from achieving their full potential. We in America should redouble our efforts to protect marriage by encouraging stable, two-parent families and by protecting the traditional definition of marriage.
LifeNews reports. Ultrasound bills are important steps toward
fostering a “culture of life” in our nation.
Let’s hope even more states take a look at these effective pro-life
laws.
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