AZ Policy Blog
AZ Policy Blog
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Recent Posts
*Planned Parenthood Afraid of Truth? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 23, 2008, 12:17 pm
Why is Planned Parenthood in South Dakota closing their doors? This is a prime example why laws help limit abortions. Before performing abortions in South Dakota, doctors must now inform patients that the procedure will be ending the life of a human being.
Do we really need a law that tells us abortions will kill human beings?
Sadly, many Americans have bought into the lie that we can justify killing a fetus because it is smaller, is dependant upon a mother,
*"Pregnant Man" Shows Off Baby? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 24, 2008, 1:39 pm
I am perplexed by this story. A so-called \"pregnant man\" gave birth to a baby named Susan recently, and is now showing Susan to the world.
The story is more about the mother, but let's take a different angle:
Who is the baby? Her name is Susan. Is Susan a daughter or a son? Susan is a daughter. Is Susan male or female? Susan is a female.
So is gender something fixed or is it something that can just change arbitrarily over time?
If we can decide
*Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon, in Arizona - AZ Policy Blog Jul 31, 2008, 2:45 pm
In Oregon, public officials would rather kill a patient instead of give them health care.
Physician-assisted suicide has been a recent problem in Oregon. Pretty soon, it might be a bigger threat in Arizona. In each legislative session for the past few years, a new bill has been introduced to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Arizona. Why haven't you heard about it? Because pro-life legislators wouldn't allow the bill to pass through committee hearings.
When we v
*Who am I voting for? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 31, 2008, 2:46 pm
Hopefully, that's a question we're all asking ourselves with the upcoming primary elections.
Have you checked out our Voter Guides? Just type in your address and you'll find survey answers filled out by your district's candidates.
Taxes, school choice, judicial reform, abortion, religious freedom --- these are all important issues that candidates have strong positions on. Visit our guides to find out where your candidate stands.
Be an informed voter this year
Prayer Walk at Capitol this Saturday - AZ Policy Blog Jan 9, 2009, 12:58 pm
With the 2009 State Legislature starting Monday January 12, CAP will be leading our annual prayer walk this Saturday at noon. I hope you can join us at the State Capitol (17th Ave and Washington) to pray for our country, our state, and our elected officials. Children are welcome.
Starting Monday, check back often as we'll be giving updates on what is happening at the Capitol. For those that don't know how the legislative process works, this will be a great opportunity to learn.
Prayer Walk at Capitol this Saturday - AZ Policy Blog Jan 9, 2009, 12:58 pm
With the 2009 State Legislature starting Monday January 12, CAP will be leading our annual prayer walk this Saturday at noon. I hope you can join us at the State Capitol (17th Ave and Washington) to pray for our country, our state, and our elected officials. Children are welcome.
Starting Monday, check back often as we'll be giving updates on what is happening at the Capitol. For those that don't know how the legislative process works, this will be a great opportunity to learn.
Prayer Walk at Capitol this Saturday - AZ Policy Blog Jan 9, 2009, 12:58 pm
With the 2009 State Legislature starting Monday January 12, CAP will be leading our annual prayer walk this Saturday at noon. I hope you can join us at the State Capitol (17th Ave and Washington) to pray for our country, our state, and our elected officials. Children are welcome.
Starting Monday, check back often as we'll be giving updates on what is happening at the Capitol. For those that don't know how the legislative process works, this will be a great opportunity to learn.
Prayer Walk at the Capitol This Saturday - AZ Policy Blog Jan 9, 2009, 10:00 am
With the Arizona State Legislature starting next Monday January 12, CAPwill be lead our annual prayer walk this Saturday at noon. I hope youcan join us at the state Capitol (19th Ave and Washington) this Saturdayto pray for our state, our country, and our elected officials. Childrenare welcome.Starting Monday, check back often as we'll be giving an inside scoop onwhat is happening at the Capitol. For those that don't know how thestate legislative process works, it will be a great opportunity t
*Only Prevention? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 16, 2008, 5:43 pm
During this legislative session, there was a lot of discussion about banning partial-birth abortions through legislation. One legislator argued that we instead should focus on preventing unwanted pregnancies, and thus preventing abortions. This legislator was pro-choice, but I don't think she wanted more and more abortions to be performed in Arizona.
Is this something we can all agree on? \"We should work together to prevent abortions.\"
Certainly, we ca
*Planned Parenthood Afraid of Truth? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 23, 2008, 12:17 pm
Why is Planned Parenthood in South Dakota closing their doors? This is a prime example why laws help limit abortions. Before performing abortions in South Dakota, doctors must now inform patients that the procedure will be ending the life of a human being.
Do we really need a law that tells us abortions will kill human beings?
Sadly, many Americans have bought into the lie that we can justify killing a fetus because it is smaller, is dependant upon a mother,
*"Pregnant Man" Shows Off Baby? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 24, 2008, 1:39 pm
I am perplexed by this story. A so-called \"pregnant man\" gave birth to a baby named Susan recently, and is now showing Susan to the world.
The story is more about the mother, but let's take a different angle:
Who is the baby? Her name is Susan. Is Susan a daughter or a son? Susan is a daughter. Is Susan male or female? Susan is a female.
So is gender something fixed or is it something that can just change arbitrarily over time?
If we can decide
*Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon, in Arizona - AZ Policy Blog Jul 31, 2008, 2:45 pm
In Oregon, public officials would rather kill a patient instead of give them health care.
Physician-assisted suicide has been a recent problem in Oregon. Pretty soon, it might be a bigger threat in Arizona. In each legislative session for the past few years, a new bill has been introduced to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Arizona. Why haven't you heard about it? Because pro-life legislators wouldn't allow the bill to pass through committee hearings.
When we v
*Who am I voting for? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 31, 2008, 2:46 pm
Hopefully, that's a question we're all asking ourselves with the upcoming primary elections.
Have you checked out our Voter Guides? Just type in your address and you'll find survey answers filled out by your district's candidates.
Taxes, school choice, judicial reform, abortion, religious freedom --- these are all important issues that candidates have strong positions on. Visit our guides to find out where your candidate stands.
Be an informed voter this year
*Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon, in Arizona - AZ Policy Blog Jul 31, 2008, 2:45 pm
In Oregon, public officials would rather kill a patient instead of give them health care.
Physician-assisted suicide has been a recent problem in Oregon. Pretty soon, it might be a bigger threat in Arizona. In each legislative session for the past few years, a new bill has been introduced to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Arizona. Why haven't you heard about it? Because pro-life legislators wouldn't allow the bill to pass through committee hearings.
When we v
*Who am I voting for? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 31, 2008, 2:46 pm
Hopefully, that's a question we're all asking ourselves with the upcoming primary elections.
Have you checked out our Voter Guides? Just type in your address and you'll find survey answers filled out by your district's candidates.
Taxes, school choice, judicial reform, abortion, religious freedom --- these are all important issues that candidates have strong positions on. Visit our guides to find out where your candidate stands.
Be an informed voter this year
*"Pregnant Man" Shows Off Baby? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 24, 2008, 1:39 pm
I am perplexed by this story. A so-called \"pregnant man\" gave birth to a baby named Susan recently, and is now showing Susan to the world.
The story is more about the mother, but let's take a different angle:
Who is the baby? Her name is Susan. Is Susan a daughter or a son? Susan is a daughter. Is Susan male or female? Susan is a female.
So is gender something fixed or is it something that can just change arbitrarily over time?
If we can decide
*Planned Parenthood Afraid of Truth? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 23, 2008, 12:18 pm
Why is Planned Parenthood in South Dakota closing their doors? This is a prime example why laws help limit abortions. Before performing abortions in South Dakota, doctors must now inform patients that the procedure will be ending the life of a human being.
Do we really need a law that tells us abortions will kill human beings?
Sadly, many Americans have bought into the lie that we can justify killing a fetus because it is smaller, is dependant upon a mother,
*Only Prevention? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 16, 2008, 5:43 pm
During this legislative session, there was a lot of discussion about banning partial-birth abortions through legislation. One legislator argued that we instead should focus on preventing unwanted pregnancies, and thus preventing abortions. This legislator was pro-choice, but I don't think she wanted more and more abortions to be performed in Arizona.
Is this something we can all agree on? \"We should work together to prevent abortions.\"
Certainly, we ca
*Remembering Tony Snow - AZ Policy Blog Jul 16, 2008, 1:20 pm
With the passing of such a great man, I thought we could all take a few moments to share our thoughts and memories of Tony Snow.
I didn't really know much about Tony until we began planning for our event in April. This past week, people have recalled Tony's passion and energy for life. Anyone who was at our Tony Snow Dinner can attest to that.
The night of his speech, our staff got to see a little bit of Tony \"behind-the-scenes.\" We noticed how he grimaced wit
*Does Gay Marriage Affect Me? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 3, 2008, 6:35 pm
As the marriage amendment has been picking up attention, you'll be hearing these words: \"Gay marriage wouldn't affect your life, why should you care?\" These are some pretty strong words, but they are completely misguided.
First, public policy is not about how it affects me personally. Take this example: Perhaps I live in a big city, does that mean I can't have an opinion about rural area legislation? Or if I don't have children, does that mean I can't vote for
*Was "Macie" really Macie? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 3, 2008, 6:37 pm
Have you seen this story? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364500,00.html It tells of the recent medical breakthrough that helped Macie McCartney be born twice. Yes, you read that correctly. Just a few months into her mother's pregnancy, doctors noticed that Macie had a dangerous tumor that needed to be removed. Only 25 weeks into pregnancy, surgeons removed the entire uterus and half of Macie, removing the turmor and saving her life. Macie was then born a few months
The dark side of Valentine's Day - AZ Policy Blog Feb 14, 2008, 1:30 pm
Here's a truly heart-breaking report on divorce and Valentine's Day.Valentine's Day is a popular day to file for The Big D in the Valley.
On average, 19 more divorces are filed on February 14 than on any other business day in Maricopa County Superior Court, according to a Republic analysis of divorce filings over the last decade. The phenomenon is known as the Valentine's Effect. Divorce lawyers and relationship experts theorize the calendar day reserved for passion and romance triggers the o
*Abortions targeting girls - AZ Policy Blog May 1, 2008, 4:14 pm
Recently, there has been a lot of coverage on the problem of prenatal screening being used to eliminate baby girls through abortion. It's a problem in India, China, and Korea--but it's also a problem here in the United States.
Here is a New York Times article on a speech delivered by Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. He makes his views on the practice very clear: No nation, no society, no community can hold its head high and claim to be part of the civilized world if it condone
Intolerance run amuck in Toledo - AZ Policy Blog May 15, 2008, 5:16 pm
Earlier this month, the University of Toledo fired Crystal Dixon from her position of associate vice president. Why? Because she wrote this letter to the editor of the Toledo Free Press. Here's an excerpt: As a Black woman who happens to be an alumnus of the University of Toledo's Graduate School, an employee and business owner, I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are "civil rights victims." Here's why. I cannot wake up tomorrow and not be a Black wom
*Abortions targeting girls - AZ Policy Blog May 1, 2008, 4:14 pm
Recently, there has been a lot of coverage on the problem of prenatal screening being used to eliminate baby girls through abortion. It's a problem in India, China, and Korea--but it's also a problem here in the United States.
Here is a New York Times article on a speech delivered by Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. He makes his views on the practice very clear: No nation, no society, no community can hold its head high and claim to be part of the civilized world if it condone
Condoms and corsages in Bisbee - AZ Policy Blog Apr 9, 2008, 7:44 pm
In a decision that is both stunning and outrageous, the Bisbee School Board decided to give each student attending prom this year two condoms. Here???s coverage from the Family Research Council and from World Net Daily. Here???s the Sierra Vista Herald???s original, nonchalant coverage of the 4-1 vote to hand out the condoms (the Herald is the local paper in Bisbee). And you can read outraged letters to the Herald???s editor here and here. Here's an excerpt from one of the letters:The informati
*Condoms and corsages in Bisbee - AZ Policy Blog Apr 9, 2008, 7:46 pm
In a decision that is both stunning and outrageous, the Bisbee School Board decided to give each student attending prom this year two condoms. Here's coverage from the Family Research Council and from World Net Daily. Here's the Sierra Vista Herald's original, nonchalant coverage of the 4-1 vote to hand out the condoms (the Herald is the local paper in Bisbee). And you can read outraged letters to the Herald's editor here and here. Here's an excerpt from one of the letters:The information that w
*Big Brother Knows Best? - AZ Policy Blog Mar 13, 2008, 5:45 pm
Parents do not have a constitutional right to determine the
best way to educate their children, said the California Court of Appeals in a
shocking ruling that came down on February 28. Rather than limiting its ruling to the specific family at issue, the court
used broad language to attack the rights of parents to determine what education
is appropriate for their children. The court placed the state???s interests in mandating education
above the parents??? beliefs about how to raise their childr
*Big Brother Knows Best? - AZ Policy Blog Mar 13, 2008, 5:45 pm
Parents do not have a constitutional right to determine the
best way to educate their children, said the California Court of Appeals in a
shocking ruling that came down on February 28. Rather than limiting its ruling to the specific family at issue, the court
used broad language to attack the rights of parents to determine what education
is appropriate for their children. The court placed the state's interests in mandating education
above the parents' beliefs about how to raise their children.
Sarah Silverman as Amy Winehouse: Spot On - AZ Policy Blog Mar 6, 2008, 5:45 am
How can you NOT love Vanity Fair to bits and pieces when they do covers and features like this??
Above, from left, Sarah Silverman, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz and styled by Michael Roberts, the April '08 edition is all about the Queens of Comedy: and includes a BRILLIANT pic of Sarah Silverman as Amy Winehouse.
Wanna see it?As Sarah Silvermania spreads across the globe (thanks largly to her \"I'm F***ing Matt Damon\" clip to boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel - and his Be
Dyer turns fire on Brit actors - AZ Policy Blog Mar 6, 2008, 9:38 am
Meeow!
Danny Dyer has launched a blistering attack on fellow British actors Orlando Bloom and James McAvoy.
In a completely unprovoked tirade, angry Danny branded Bloom a rubbish actor and mocked McAvoy's foppish locks.
Find out what else Danny had to say about two of Britain's biggest exports...He stormed: 'Orlando Bloom? He's come straight out of drama school and gets The Lord of the Rings trilogy and then goes and gets another trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean.
'He's got all sorts of d
Book worm... - AZ Policy Blog Mar 6, 2008, 10:11 am
Who stopped off after a night of partying to brush up on history and get help filling in the blanks?
Looks like Amy Winehouse needs a reminder of her life over the past few months.
The star stopped to read Amy, Amy, Amy: The Amy Winehouse Story at an off-licence after a night at Bungalow 8 with celebrity buddies Mark Ronson, Kelly Osbourne and Peaches Geldof.
Amy, 24, left the Covent Garden club around 4.30am and headed straight to the shop to pick up her usual ice lolly treat and other g
The fur flies as Sarah has rant in store - AZ Policy Blog Mar 6, 2008, 10:21 am
Girls Aloud's Sarah Harding gave staff at a West End store a good talking to after spotting a fur jacket for sale in the shop.
Sarah, 26, revealed her anti-fur stance while out at the Arrogant Cat store in Soho, picking out some new items to go with her new rock-chick look.
The Can't Speak French singer had already snapped up two dresses costing £300 each before catching sight of the animal fur.
When Sarah realised it was real, she ranted: 'I wouldn't be seen dead wearing that, it's
Colin Farrell is a howler - AZ Policy Blog Mar 6, 2008, 10:24 am
Not only has actor Colin Farrell waved goodbye to alcohol, it turns out he's also given up some slightly werewolf-like tendencies as well.
The Irish star, who used to be best known for his drunken antics, has now been stone-cold sober for two years ' but it hasn't been easy for the Miami Vice actor.
Colin, 31, revealed to GQ magazine: 'I'd f***king love to be able to drink.
'I would love to have a couple of nights f***king howling at the moon.
'I miss howling at the moon.â€
Not a man
*The dark side of Valentine's Day - AZ Policy Blog Feb 14, 2008, 1:30 pm
Here's a truly heart-braking report on divorce and Valentine's Day.Valentine's Day is a popular day to file for The Big D in the Valley.
On average, 19 more divorces are filed on February 14 than on any other business day in Maricopa County Superior Court, according to a Republic analysis of divorce filings over the last decade. The phenomenon is known as the Valentine's Effect. Divorce lawyers and relationship experts theorize the calendar day reserved for passion and romance triggers the opp
*Gattaca Turns Prophetic - AZ Policy Blog Dec 18, 2007, 7:05 pm
Barely a decade after Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman act out what might happen when a world turns to creating genetically superior children, the genetically engineered world of Gattaca has arrived. Ethan Hawke plays the role of of an ungenetically-engineered (naturally conceived) man in a world dominated by the \"genetically superior.\" At birth, a reading of his genes purportedly foretold his life: he'd be a weak individual, destined to die early of heart problems. His inferior makeup kept him fr
*Go Forth and Multiply - AZ Policy Blog Dec 21, 2007, 5:47 pm
Families are making a comeback. The Washington Post reports that the United States' fertility rate has once again reached "replacement level" with an average of 2.1 children being born to each woman. A replacement level means stability, according to demographers. The United States is alone among major industrial countries in having a fertility rate that reaches replacement levels. Western Europe and Japan are hard hit by a birth rate that is causing their populations to shrink. That places a hu
2007 - "Year of the Transgendered Person"? - AZ Policy Blog Dec 28, 2007, 1:44 am
This fascinating editorial in the Wall Street Journal takes a look at the problems posed by attempts to mainstream gender-identity disorder. Here's an excerpt:John Nemecek, a business professor at Spring Arbor University, an evangelical college in Michigan, was demoted earlier this year because he started wearing makeup and earrings and calling himself Julie. According to a March story in this newspaper, he was diagnosed by a doctor with "gender-identity disorder" and started hormone therapy. P
*Winners and Losers - AZ Policy Blog Jan 10, 2008, 6:25 pm
The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network announced today the 2007 list of "Winners and Losers." Among the winners was Arizona's Jesse Ramirez, who is living today after his mother and sister fought valiantly to have food and water restored to him while he was unconscious. One of the losers is the Swiss Supreme Court, which last year ruled that the mentally ill can be assisted in suicide. The man who "won" the case had no physical problems and was not terminally ill. He has a bipolar disorde
*Government by bureaucracy? - AZ Policy Blog Jan 11, 2008, 11:15 am
Clint Bolick of the Goldwater Institute has this article on the Arizona Department of Administration's attempt to create "domestic partner" benefits through the administrative rule process.State agencies are not omnipotent; our state Supreme Court has ruled that agencies "have no common law or inherent powers-their powers are limited by their enabling legislation."State law gives the department authority to administer insurance for state employees-but no fewer than six statutes clearly define "
*Government by bureaucracy? - AZ Policy Blog Jan 11, 2008, 11:16 am
Clint Bolick of the Goldwater Institute has this article on the Arizona Department of Administration's attempt to create "domestic partner" benefits through the administrative rule process.State agencies are not omnipotent; our state Supreme Court has ruled that agencies "have no common law or inherent powers-their powers are limited by their enabling legislation."State law gives the department authority to administer insurance for state employees-but no fewer than six statutes clearly define "d
*Winners and Losers - AZ Policy Blog Jan 10, 2008, 6:25 pm
The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network announced today the 2007 list of "Winners and Losers." Among the winners was Arizona's Jesse Ramirez, who is living today after his mother and sister fought valiantly to have food and water restored to him while he was unconscious. One of the losers is the Swiss Supreme Court, which last year ruled that the mentally ill can be assisted in suicide. The man who "won" the case had no physical problems and was not terminally ill. He has a bipolar disorder
2007 - "Year of the Transgendered Person?" - AZ Policy Blog Dec 28, 2007, 1:44 am
This fascinating editorial in the Wall Street Journal takes a look at the problems posed by attempts to mainstream gender-identity disorder. Here's an excerpt:John Nemecek, a business professor at Spring Arbor University, an evangelical college in Michigan, was demoted earlier this year because he started wearing makeup and earrings and calling himself Julie. According to a March story in this newspaper, he was diagnosed by a doctor with "gender-identity disorder" and started hormone therapy. Pr
*Go Forth and Multiply - AZ Policy Blog Dec 21, 2007, 5:47 pm
Families are making a comeback. The Washington Post reports that the United States' fertility rate has once again reached "replacement level" with an average of 2.1 children being born to each woman. A replacement level means stability, according to demographers. The United States is alone among major industrial countries in having a fertility rate that reaches replacement levels. Western Europe and Japan are hard hit by a birth rate that is causing their populations to shrink. That places a hug
*Gattaca Turns Prophetic - AZ Policy Blog Dec 18, 2007, 7:09 pm
Barely a decade after Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman act out what might happen when a world turns to creating genetically superior children, the genetically engineered world of Gattaca has arrived. Ethan Hawke plays the role of of an ungenetically-engineered (naturally conceived) man in a world dominated by the \"genetically superior.\" At birth, a reading of his genes purportedly foretold his life: he'd be a weak individual, destined to die early of heart problems. His inferior makeup kept him fr
Record-Breaking Reinhardt - AZ Policy Blog Dec 13, 2007, 6:17 pm
Want to know how important the presidential power to appoint judges is? Just consider the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Reinhardt. Clint Bolick of the Goldwater Institute takes a look at the most overturned judge on the most overturned court in "A Lump of Coal for Schoolchildren." It's important for us in Arizona, because as Bolick puts it, "a bogus legal challenge to Arizona's individual scholarship tax credit program will be heard by a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th
*Huge Developments in Bioethics! - AZ Policy Blog Nov 20, 2007, 2:39 pm
What an amazing couple of days it's been! Here's a summary:
Nov. 13: Oregon researchers announce they have successfully cloned monkeys and obtained embryonic stem cells. They used over 15,000 monkey eggs to obtain just two lines of embryonic stem cells.
Nov. 16: Dr. Ian Wilmut, the scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep, announces he no longer intends to pursue embryonic stem cell research saying that it is impractical and that research that does not destroy human embryos is \"easier to accept
Is science faith based? - AZ Policy Blog Nov 24, 2007, 4:56 pm
ASU physicist, Paul Davies argues convincingly that it is in this NY Times opinion editorial. Here's a taste: The problem with this neat separation into ???non-overlapping magisteria,??? as Stephen Jay Gould described science and religion, is that science has its own faith-based belief system. All science proceeds on the assumption that nature is ordered in a rational and intelligible way. You couldn???t be a scientist if you thought the universe was a meaningless jumble of odds and ends haphaz
*Pro Athletes and the Sex-Club Culture - AZ Policy Blog Nov 26, 2007, 9:28 am
Still think pornography and sexually-oriented businesses are harmless fun? Have a look at this story from USA Today on the sad consequences the sex-club culture has had on professional athletes.The after-hours connection between athletes and/or coaches and strippers and strip clubs is leaving a trail of criminal charges, lawsuits, coaching changes, negative headlines and broken marriages, according to a USA TODAY examination that included interviews with dozens of current and retired athletes,
*Great decision from the Arizona Court of Appeals - AZ Policy Blog Nov 27, 2007, 12:51 pm
In September, we told you about an important case pending before the Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals. Today, the Court of Appeals released its decision in State v. Stummer/Lumm. The case deals with the constitutionality of Arizona's overnight-closing-hours law for sex businesses.The State???s consolidated appeal of the dismissals raises two issues. First, does the free speech provision of Article 2, Section 6, of the Arizona Constitution provide broader protection to sexually-expli
*Great decision from the Arizona Court of Appeals - AZ Policy Blog Nov 27, 2007, 12:51 pm
In September, we told you about an important case pending before the Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals. Today, the Court of Appeals released its decision in State v. Stummer/Lumm. The case deals with the constitutionality of Arizona's overnight-closing-hours law for sex businesses.The State's consolidated appeal of the dismissals raises two issues. First, does the free speech provision of Article 2, Section 6, of the Arizona Constitution provide broader protection to sexually-explici
*Pro Athletes and the Sex-Club Culture - AZ Policy Blog Nov 26, 2007, 9:28 am
Still think pornography and sexually-oriented businesses are harmless fun? Have a look at this story from USA Today on the sad consequences the sex-club culture has had on professional athletes.The after-hours connection between athletes and/or coaches and strippers and strip clubs is leaving a trail of criminal charges, lawsuits, coaching changes, negative headlines and broken marriages, according to a USA TODAY examination that included interviews with dozens of current and retired athletes, c
Is science faith-based? - AZ Policy Blog Nov 24, 2007, 4:56 pm
ASU physicist, Paul Davies argues convincingly that it is in this NY Times opinion editorial. Here's a taste: The problem with this neat separation into 'non-overlapping magisteria,†as Stephen Jay Gould described science and religion, is that science has its own faith-based belief system. All science proceeds on the assumption that nature is ordered in a rational and intelligible way. You couldn't be a scientist if you thought the universe was a meaningless jumble of odds and ends haphazardly
*Huge Developments in Bioethics! - AZ Policy Blog Nov 20, 2007, 2:39 pm
What an amazing couple of days it's been! Here's a summary:
Nov. 13: Oregon researchers announce they have successfully cloned monkeys and obtained embryonic stem cells. They used over 15,000 monkey eggs to obtain just two lines of embryonic stem cells.
Nov. 16: Dr. Ian Wilmut, the scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep, announces he no longer intends to pursue embryonic stem cell research saying that it is impractical and that research that does not destroy human embryos is \"easier to accept
*Conscience in the Crosshairs - AZ Policy Blog Nov 16, 2007, 4:52 pm
Don't miss Matt Bowman's latest post over at Constitutionally Correct on the battle over whether pharmacists will be compelled to deny their convictions and issue prescriptions for \"Plan B.\" Matt exposes common, pro-abortion bait-and-switch tactics and boils the issue down to its essence:Cases like the one in Washington are in fact about whether medical professionals should be forced to kill people. Abortion advocates want to force pharmacists to dispense embryo-killing drugs, doctors to perf
*Egg-Harvesting: A $3 Billion Industry - AZ Policy Blog Nov 7, 2007, 1:49 pm
Today the Arizona Daily Star has a story on the explosive growth in the egg-harvesting industry. Much has changed since the first test-tube baby was conceived in a petri dish in 1978. Today, Karolczak, a 24-year-old Minneapolis artist and antique dealer, is a bit player in a $3 billion business that is thriving on the Internet. It is also being transformed by advances in medical technology and new competition among clinics promising miracles to couples often desperate to have a child. But as i
*AP Distorts Poll Results On Birth Control In Public Schools - AZ Policy Blog Nov 7, 2007, 4:08 pm
Last week an Associated Press article claimed that a new, AP-commissioned poll shows that \"people decisively favor letting their public schools provide birth control to students. . . .\" The AP is \"summarizing\" the responses to this question:
Which would you prefer for the public schools in your community?Provide birth control only to those students who have the consent of their parents 37%Provide birth control to all students who want it 30%Not provide birth control to an
*New Jersey Says No! - AZ Policy Blog Nov 8, 2007, 4:57 pm
On Tuesday, New Jersey voters wisely stood up and said, 'No!†to a measure that would spend $450 million dollars of the taxpayers' money on embryonic stem cell research. Proponents of the measure continued to provide lofty promises that are not close to being fulfilled. If you go to their web site and read the 'Stories of Hopeâ€, you will see that the first several stories are all people hoping for cures they are told 'are just around the cornerâ€. There is one person ment
Jesse Ramirez Update - AZ Policy Blog Nov 8, 2007, 4:57 pm
For an update on Jesse Ramirez, see Wesley Smith's post, "I Shook Hands with Jesse Ramirez" on his blog, Second Hand Smoke.
*Conscience in the Crosshairs - AZ Policy Blog Nov 16, 2007, 4:52 pm
Don't miss Matt Bowman's latest post over at Constitutionally Correct on the battle over whether pharmacists will be compelled to deny their convictions and issue prescriptions for \"Plan B.\" Matt exposes common, pro-abortion bait-and-switch tactics and boils the issue down to its essence:Cases like the one in Washington are in fact about whether medical professionals should be forced to kill people. Abortion advocates want to force pharmacists to dispense embryo-killing drugs, doctors to perf
*New Jersey Says No! - AZ Policy Blog Nov 7, 2007, 4:08 pm
On Tuesday, New Jersey voters wisely stood up and said, 'No!†to a measure that would spend $450 million dollars of the taxpayers' money on embryonic stem cell research. Proponents of the measure continued to provide lofty promises that are not close to being fulfilled. If you go to their web site and read the 'Stories of Hopeâ€, you will see that the first several stories are all people hoping for cures they are told 'are just around the cornerâ€. There is one person ment
*AP Distorts Poll Results On Birth Control In Public Schools - AZ Policy Blog Nov 7, 2007, 1:49 pm
Last week an Associated Press article claimed that a new, AP-commissioned poll shows that \"people decisively favor letting their public schools provide birth control to students. . . .\" The AP is \"summarizing\" the responses to this question:
Which would you prefer for the public schools in your community?Provide birth control only to those students who have the consent of their parents 37%Provide birth control to all students who want it 30%Not provide birth control to an
*Egg-Harvesting: A $3 Billion Industry - AZ Policy Blog Nov 6, 2007, 6:30 pm
Today the Arizona Daily Star has a story on the explosive growth in the egg-harvesting industry. Much has changed since the first test-tube baby was conceived in a petri dish in 1978. Today, Karolczak, a 24-year-old Minneapolis artist and antique dealer, is a bit player in a $3 billion business that is thriving on the Internet. It is also being transformed by advances in medical technology and new competition among clinics promising miracles to couples often desperate to have a child. But as i
Choose Life Courtroom Audio - AZ Policy Blog Oct 16, 2007, 4:24 pm
For those eager to hear the oral arguments in Arizona Life Coalition's Choose Life license plate case in front of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, follow this link. Note that the judge's questions are often inaudible, but the attorneys arguing on behalf of Arizona Life Coalition and Arizona are easily understood.
*Building a Better Baby - AZ Policy Blog Oct 22, 2007, 7:40 pm
Sunday morning, CBS News ran a segment called \"Building a Better Baby.\" The subject was PGD, or Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, a way of analyzing the genetic material of a in vitro embryo to select out \"unfit\" embryos, whether it be for genetic predisposition for disease, sex, etc. The piece is introduced by saying that there are \"some very real ethical questions,\" but they never seem to get around to asking a whole lot of tough questions. In the end, the important limitation turns ou
*The Dehydration Agenda - AZ Policy Blog Oct 30, 2007, 6:46 pm
Wesley Smith has a new
article in the Weekly Standard about the lies swirling about the Teri
Schiavo case and anywhere else where there is a chance to cause death by
removing food and fluid.
yle="color: black;">This political revisionism about the Terri Schiavo
case coincides with a panicked retreat among many who once robustly opposed
dehydrating the cognitively disabled. Emboldened are those who seek to supplant
the equal sanctity of human life with a "quality of life" value
system that acco
*Building a Better Baby - AZ Policy Blog Oct 22, 2007, 7:40 pm
Sunday morning, CBS News ran a segment called \"Building a Better Baby.\" The subject was PGD, or Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, a way of analyzing the genetic material of a in vitro embryo to select out \"unfit\" embryos, whether it be for genetic predisposition for disease, sex, etc. The piece is introduced by saying that there are \"some very real ethical questions,\" but they never seem to get around to asking a whole lot of tough questions. In the end, the important limitation turns ou
Choose Life Courtroom Audio - AZ Policy Blog Oct 16, 2007, 4:24 pm
For those eager to hear the oral arguments in Arizona Life Coalition's Choose Life license plate case in front of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, follow this link. Note that the judge's questions are often inaudible, but the attorneys arguing on behalf of Arizona Life Coalition and Arizona are easily understood.
*A Must Read - AZ Policy Blog Oct 15, 2007, 12:41 pm
Over the weekend, I read U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas??? gripping account of his life from his childhood to his joining the Court. To hear in Justice Thomas??? own words not only the story of his confirmation battle but also the story of his life from childhood onward gave me an even greater respect and admiration for one of the true heroes of our age. The book has many lessons for all of us from the role of grandparents in the life of a child (Thomas??? grandfather) to the role o
*A Must Read - AZ Policy Blog Oct 15, 2007, 12:41 pm
Over the weekend, I read U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' gripping account of his life from his childhood to his joining the Court. To hear in Justice Thomas' own words not only the story of his confirmation battle but also the story of his life from childhood onward gave me an even greater respect and admiration for one of the true heroes of our age. The book has many lessons for all of us from the role of grandparents in the life of a child (Thomas' grandfather) to the role of a men
*More News You Won't See in the Newspaper - AZ Policy Blog Oct 5, 2007, 7:33 pm
The latest issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons published an article written by a British statistician named Patrick Carroll. Carroll used the extensive medical databases from eight European countries with socialized medicine and tracked both abortion and breast cancer rates. What did he find? Well, one thing he found was that there was a \"correlation coefficient\" of .98 between abortion and breast cancer. A \"zero\" means that there is no statistical correla
*Another Adult Stem Cell Success! - AZ Policy Blog Aug 22, 2007, 7:32 pm
Read today's Breakpoint commentary by Chuck Colson. An event planner named Carron Morrow says she had two choices when it
came to treating a serious heart condition: Sign liability papers for
an unusual new treatment???or drop dead.And as you can guess, the treatment involved using her own adult stem cells, derived from her bone marrow, to stimulate her heart to regenerate. The Adult Stem Cell vs. Embryonic Stem Cell scoreboard now stands at 73 to zero. Not a single effective treatment has aris
*New Times breaks assisted suicide story - AZ Policy Blog Aug 27, 2007, 1:52 pm
Last week the Phoenix New Times revealed that assisted suicide services are apparently being rendered in Arizona by an offshoot of the Hemlock Society known as \"Final Exit.\" The article reveals that the victim was not even terminally ill. Of course, a big \"selling point\" for those promoting Oregon-style assisted suicide law for Arizona is that it would be used only on those who are going to die within the next six months. (as if any one can foretell death with any accuracy.)
Instead, the w
*New Times breaks assisted suicide story - AZ Policy Blog Aug 27, 2007, 1:58 pm
Last week the Phoenix New Times revealed that assisted suicide services are apparently being rendered in Arizona by an offshoot of the Hemlock Society known as \"Final Exit.\" The article reveals that the victim was not even terminally ill. Of course, a big \"selling point\" for those promoting Oregon-style assisted suicide law for Arizona is that it would be used only on those who are going to die within the next six months. (as if any one can foretell death with any accuracy.)
Instead, the w
Judge: Tempe is ignoring the law - AZ Policy Blog Aug 23, 2007, 7:17 pm
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Frederick Martone issued an order denying motion to seal in a lawsuit brought by a sexually-oriented business against the City of Tempe. In 2006, CAP successfully lobbied for a new law prohibiting sexually-oriented businesses from locating within a quarter-mile of certain land-uses, including churches, homes, schools, and daycare centers. After the law passed, a sex-club sued the City of Tempe arguing that it should be allowed to locate in Tempe in direct violati
*Another Adult Stem Cell Success! - AZ Policy Blog Aug 22, 2007, 7:32 pm
Read today's Breakpoint commentary by Chuck Colson. An event planner named Carron Morrow says she had two choices when it
came to treating a serious heart condition: Sign liability papers for
an unusual new treatment—or drop dead.And as you can guess, the treatment involved using her own adult stem cells, derived from her bone marrow, to stimulate her heart to regenerate. The Adult Stem Cell vs. Embryonic Stem Cell scoreboard now stands at 73 to zero. Not a single effective treatment has arise
*Chance for Intelligently Designing Life? - AZ Policy Blog Aug 20, 2007, 6:39 pm
The AP is reporting that scientists are on the verge of creating life -- well not really life, but an intermediate step towards life called \"protocells\" -- in the next 10 years. The article says they only need to overcome the following hurdles:A container, or membrane, for the cell to keep bad molecules out, allow good ones, and the ability to multiply.
A genetic system that controls the functions of the cell, enabling it to reproduce and mutate in response to environmental changes.
A metab
*Admitting the Truth - AZ Policy Blog Aug 10, 2007, 7:45 pm
It looks like the federal partial birth abortion ban is having an effect on the pro-abortion crowd. Although late term abortions are still going on, read this Boston Globe article with striking admissions like this throughout the article:To avoid any chance of partially delivering a live fetus, they are injecting fetuses with lethal drugs before procedures.Please read the article and see how many times words like \"lethal,\"
\"death,\" \"executions,\" and \"died\" appear. If something can die,
*Risks - AZ Policy Blog Aug 9, 2007, 5:15 pm
You may have seen the story that came out yesterday: Women who have breast implants are three times more likely to commit suicide. It showed up in scores of papers throughout the country. But did the media ever pick up on the story that post-abortive women are seven times more likely than other women to commit suicide? The study, which examined the death certificates of each and every Finnish woman who died between 1987 and 1994, was definitive in its conclusion. Abortion is deadly not on
A Source of Pride - AZ Policy Blog Aug 7, 2007, 7:37 pm
Make sure you read this CNS News article about four firefighters who were forced -- against their objections -- to drive their company's fire engine in San Diego's "Gay Pride" parade. The firefighters were subjected to the vilest of harassment from parade participants who hurled sexual insults and exposed themselves to the firemen for three hours. For the full details (warning, what these firefighters were subjected to was incomprehensibly foul) read their "right to sue requests."
Is this how
*Travesty International - AZ Policy Blog Jul 25, 2007, 7:02 am
This Weekly Standard article by Ryan T. Anderson exposes Amnesty International's newly-adopted ethical incoherence in supporting abortion as a "human right." His conclusion is exactly right:
The pro-life community in the United States has always had genuine admiration for Amnesty International, particularly as the organization kept itself neutral in the abortion debates. But if it now insists on holding what pro-lifers see as a fundamentally flawed view of human rights, pro-lifers' trust in i
*Seriously? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 27, 2007, 7:20 pm
CNS News is carrying the story of a scholar, Jean Edward smith, who is quoted in the following paragraph:The number of justices on the Supreme Court should be increased because the "current five-man [conservative] majority persists in thumbing its nose at popular values," a legal expert has proposed, sparking debate and criticism.What I would like to know is where in the Constitution it describes the role of Supreme Court justices to be implementing popular ideas? Making an absurd statement lik
*The Rush towards Death - AZ Policy Blog Aug 1, 2007, 6:54 pm
The Jesse Ramirez, Jr. case in Phoenix demonstrates the medical community's willingness to rush patients to death's door, even before proper diagnosis and prognosis has been ascertained. The case may also be the tip of the iceberg; as it only came to light after some family members objected to sealing his fate with the removal of food and fluids.
Recent developments should give the medical community cause to slow down when making these decisions. For example, a study showing that a \"pe
*Seriously? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 27, 2007, 7:20 pm
CNS News is carrying the story of a scholar, Jean Edward smith, who is quoted in the following paragraph:The number of justices on the Supreme Court should be increased because the "current five-man [conservative] majority persists in thumbing its nose at popular values," a legal expert has proposed, sparking debate and criticism.What I would like to know is where in the Constitution it describes the role of Supreme Court justices to be implementing popular ideas? Making an absurd statement like
*Travesty International - AZ Policy Blog Jul 25, 2007, 7:02 am
This Weekly Standard article by Ryan T. Anderson exposes Amnesty International's newly-adopted ethical incoherence in supporting abortion as a "human right." His conclusion is exactly right:
The pro-life community in the United States has always had genuine admiration for Amnesty International, particularly as the organization kept itself neutral in the abortion debates. But if it now insists on holding what pro-lifers see as a fundamentally flawed view of human rights, pro-lifers' trust in it
*Fueling the Fires - AZ Policy Blog Jul 20, 2007, 7:30 pm
The New York Times article, "Debate on Child Pornography's Link to Molesting," reports on an eye-opening study on federal prisoners convicted of child pornography charges. Experts have often wondered what proportion of men who download
explicit sexual images of children also molest them. A new government
study of convicted Internet offenders suggests that the number may be
startlingly high: 85 percent of the offenders said they had committed
acts of sexual abuse against minors, from inappropriat
Corporate Tyranny - AZ Policy Blog Jul 19, 2007, 12:39 pm
Read this from The Huffington Post. The article explains that homosexual activists are making great strides in corporate America. \"Charting a course unplanned but nevertheless successful, Corporate America is shaping up to be the most persuasive gay activists of the decade.\" Kirk Snyder, starts off with this seeming \"contradiction:\"In a recent study by Gallup, almost ninety percent of Americans said they believe gay people should have equal rights in the workplace. Interestingly, only forty
*Nothing Like Schiavo - AZ Policy Blog Jul 12, 2007, 7:52 pm
When stories appear in the media about depriving incapacitated people of food and fluid -- like last month's case of Jesse Ramirez, Jr. in Phoenix -- reporters often go to great lengths to explain why the current case has no parallels to the Terri Schiavo case. But Terri Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler, explains in an op-ed in the North Country Gazette why there really is no distinction, and why the media is taking pains to say that there is. Take a look at "Please Don't Confuse This Story Wi
Wright or Wrong? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 11, 2007, 7:31 pm
Lesley Wright is at it again, reconfirming that the Arizona Republic is more interested in rewriting history than accurately reporting it. First, see the May 31 post entitled "Republic Not Interested in Accuracy." As reported this afternoon in Family Facts, the Scottsdale City Council took a step backwards last night by loosening up sex business ordinances, and the Republic took a stab at reporting on the issue again, but just as she did in the May 26 piece, reporter Lesley Wright chose to use t
*Clamoring for marriage? - AZ Policy Blog Jul 10, 2007, 7:11 pm
So what is the purpose of same-sex marriage? Apparently it isn't because homosexual couples are clamoring to \"tie the knot,\" because that just isn't happening. The latest news from Canada, where the courts have imposed nationwide same-sex \"marriage,\" shows that the demand for it is low -- really low -- from homosexuals. Just read what Matt Barber has to say on Townhall.com in his column \"'Gays' Don't Want 'Marriage' After All\" :Even more telling -- though not particularly surprising -- ar
*Abstinence Eye-Opener - AZ Policy Blog Jul 6, 2007, 7:42 pm
This week I had the opportunity to attend a very eye-opening training session for abstinence education providers. These programs are in serious danger of losing their federal funding when Congress goes into session next week. Why? The ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and the media want you to believe it's because these programs are ineffective and medically inaccurate. The ACLU went so far as to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services against spec
*Massachusetts Reality Check - AZ Policy Blog Jul 5, 2007, 3:52 pm
There have been plenty of columns and commentaries on what happens when same-sex marriage is instituted, but few have explained the far-reaching effects better than \"Surprise! You are now a bigot!\" from The Pilot, the Archdiocese of Boston's newspaper. Michael Pakaluk brings clarity by explaining what has really happened:They think that when 'same-sex marriageâ€
was recognized legally, the only thing that changed was that tolerance
was extended to a handful of people. Not so. What really hap
*Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness - AZ Policy Blog Jul 2, 2007, 4:52 pm
Constitutionally Correct has done an outstanding job of summing up the recent events in the case of Jesse Ramirez Jr.'s recent brush with death. As Alan Sears was quoted in the post, \"The value of the human person does not come from the potential of recovery or the quality of life. It comes from the fact that they are human.\"
*Hemlock Puff-Piece - AZ Policy Blog Jun 28, 2007, 7:57 pm
Today the Scottsdale Republic section of the Arizona Republic published a puff-piece on physician assisted suicide. The story, entitled \"Right-to-die advocates want state law\" gives itself up as a promotional piece by not including a single quote from opponents of physician assisted suicide, which is a decidedly controversial topic. It gives plenty of space to the views of Rep. Linda Lopez, who has introduced a physician-assisted suicide bill in every legislative sessi
*Expanding Freedom - AZ Policy Blog Jun 26, 2007, 8:37 pm
Yesterday's release of three Supreme Court opinions dealing with the First Amendment (See Peter Gentala's posts below.) underscores the importance of having Justices on the Court who will rule based on the meaning of the Constitution based on what the Founders intended. An insightful analysis of this comes from Wall Street Journal's Best of the Web, published yesterday which contrasts the liberal justices' views on two of the free speech cases.
Among Taranto's observations:At the same time, th
*Political Incumbents, Offended Observers, & School-House Censors - AZ Policy Blog Jun 25, 2007, 7:00 pm
The Supreme Court could have made great strides for the First Amendment. Instead it shuffled a few feet and called it good.
Political SpeechIn FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life, the Court reviewed a provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 ('BCRAâ€), a federal law banning organizations like CAP from referring to a candidate for office close to an election. The Court stopped short of striking the provision down. But it did say that the provision was unconstitutional as applied to r
*Judicial artistry from the Chief Justice - AZ Policy Blog Jun 25, 2007, 2:24 pm
Several important Supreme Court decisions were released today. I'm enjoying reading them, and I'm sure we will be talking about them for a long time. But for right now, I'd like to pause and honor the sheer aesthetic quality of Chief Justice Roberts's writing. This example comes from the FEC v. Wisconsin decision, footnote 9 (slip op. at 24--some citations and quotes omitted):
[W]e disagree with the dissent's view that corporations can still speak by changing what they say to avoid mentioning c
*What is Good Science? - AZ Policy Blog Jun 7, 2007, 5:36 pm
What is good science? Yesterday scientists announced what the media touted as a ???major breakthrough??? in stem cell research. They found that they could manipulate mouse skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells. This is being celebrated because scientists can now have embryonic stem cells without the ethical concerns of destroying human life.
Just a day after the headlines gushed about this amazing discovery that was going to cure disease, the media is changing their tune. Today???s headlin
*Coerced Abortion & Suicide - AZ Policy Blog Jun 12, 2007, 4:05 pm
Take a look at this article by findlaw.com columnist, and Professor of Law at Rutgers University, Sherry F. Colb. Professor Colb lays out some of the ???slippery slope??? arguments against physician-assisted suicide and abortion.
For physician assisted suicide:
First, the option of terminating one's life with the help of a doctor could, in theory, make one feel selfish for continuing to live and thereby taxing the resources of one's family and the surrounding society. After all, a person coul
*Massachusetts: Crucial Marriage Vote Today! - AZ Policy Blog Jun 14, 2007, 12:19 pm
Today the Massachusetts legislature, sitting as a Constitutional Convention, votes on whether the people will decide the future of marriage. Here's coverage from the Boston Globe. Here's a fact sheet from VoteOnMarriage.org.
UPDATE: Mass. voters will not be allowed to decide this crucial issue in 2008. The marriage amendment was defeated 151 to 45. Supporters needed at least 50 votes to put the issue on the ballot.
UPDATE II: For insight into how same-sex marriage advocates were able to pee
Popular Posts
*Was "Macie" really Macie? (211 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 3, 2008, 6:37 pm
Have you seen this story? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364500,00.html It tells of the recent medical breakthrough that helped Macie McCartney be born twice. Yes, you read that correctly. Just a few months into her mother's pregnancy, doctors noticed that Macie had a dangerous tumor that needed to be removed. Only 25 weeks into pregnancy, surgeons removed the entire uterus and half of Macie, removing the turmor and saving her life. Macie was then born a few months
*Does Gay Marriage Affect Me? (205 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 3, 2008, 6:35 pm
As the marriage amendment has been picking up attention, you'll be hearing these words: \"Gay marriage wouldn't affect your life, why should you care?\" These are some pretty strong words, but they are completely misguided.
First, public policy is not about how it affects me personally. Take this example: Perhaps I live in a big city, does that mean I can't have an opinion about rural area legislation? Or if I don't have children, does that mean I can't vote for
*Only Prevention? (151 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 16, 2008, 5:43 pm
During this legislative session, there was a lot of discussion about banning partial-birth abortions through legislation. One legislator argued that we instead should focus on preventing unwanted pregnancies, and thus preventing abortions. This legislator was pro-choice, but I don't think she wanted more and more abortions to be performed in Arizona.
Is this something we can all agree on? \"We should work together to prevent abortions.\"
Certainly, we ca
*Risks (132 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Aug 9, 2007, 5:15 pm
You may have seen the story that came out yesterday: Women who have breast implants are three times more likely to commit suicide. It showed up in scores of papers throughout the country. But did the media ever pick up on the story that post-abortive women are seven times more likely than other women to commit suicide? The study, which examined the death certificates of each and every Finnish woman who died between 1987 and 1994, was definitive in its conclusion. Abortion is deadly not on
*Who am I voting for? (114 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 31, 2008, 2:46 pm
Hopefully, that's a question we're all asking ourselves with the upcoming primary elections.
Have you checked out our Voter Guides? Just type in your address and you'll find survey answers filled out by your district's candidates.
Taxes, school choice, judicial reform, abortion, religious freedom --- these are all important issues that candidates have strong positions on. Visit our guides to find out where your candidate stands.
Be an informed voter this year
*Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon, in Arizona (114 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 31, 2008, 2:45 pm
In Oregon, public officials would rather kill a patient instead of give them health care.
Physician-assisted suicide has been a recent problem in Oregon. Pretty soon, it might be a bigger threat in Arizona. In each legislative session for the past few years, a new bill has been introduced to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Arizona. Why haven't you heard about it? Because pro-life legislators wouldn't allow the bill to pass through committee hearings.
When we v
*Remembering Tony Snow (111 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 16, 2008, 1:20 pm
With the passing of such a great man, I thought we could all take a few moments to share our thoughts and memories of Tony Snow.
I didn't really know much about Tony until we began planning for our event in April. This past week, people have recalled Tony's passion and energy for life. Anyone who was at our Tony Snow Dinner can attest to that.
The night of his speech, our staff got to see a little bit of Tony \"behind-the-scenes.\" We noticed how he grimaced wit
*Planned Parenthood Afraid of Truth? (75 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 23, 2008, 12:18 pm
Why is Planned Parenthood in South Dakota closing their doors? This is a prime example why laws help limit abortions. Before performing abortions in South Dakota, doctors must now inform patients that the procedure will be ending the life of a human being.
Do we really need a law that tells us abortions will kill human beings?
Sadly, many Americans have bought into the lie that we can justify killing a fetus because it is smaller, is dependant upon a mother,
*"Pregnant Man" Shows Off Baby? (55 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 24, 2008, 1:39 pm
I am perplexed by this story. A so-called \"pregnant man\" gave birth to a baby named Susan recently, and is now showing Susan to the world.
The story is more about the mother, but let's take a different angle:
Who is the baby? Her name is Susan. Is Susan a daughter or a son? Susan is a daughter. Is Susan male or female? Susan is a female.
So is gender something fixed or is it something that can just change arbitrarily over time?
If we can decide
*Understanding the Gonzales decision (42 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Apr 20, 2007, 7:35 pm
Don't miss this insightful blog post from ABC's Jan Crawford Greenberg (HT: Constitutionally Correct).
Here's a snipet:
Yesterday's decision is a blockbuster because it completely retools the abortion debate.
It says, emphatically, states do have a role. States can make moral choices. States have a legitimate interest in protecting and promoting the life of the unborn—and therefore in actively discouraging abortion.
That's going to produce a monumental shift. In practical terms, it will
*More on Baby Amellia (36 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Feb 21, 2007, 4:10 pm
It's interesting to see the various reactions to the news that Baby Amellia is doing well after being born at just 22 weeks. The website of the Australian paper Sunshine Coast Daily has a touching story with the distinctively down under reaction of an Australian woman whose baby was born 13 weeks early. No-one was able to hold her until she was nine days old. Her father actually got the first kangaroo cuddle ... I didn't get my first cuddle until 19 days after she was born.
Another story from
*Coerced Abortion & Suicide (26 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jun 12, 2007, 4:05 pm
Take a look at this article by findlaw.com columnist, and Professor of Law at Rutgers University, Sherry F. Colb. Professor Colb lays out some of the ???slippery slope??? arguments against physician-assisted suicide and abortion.
For physician assisted suicide:
First, the option of terminating one's life with the help of a doctor could, in theory, make one feel selfish for continuing to live and thereby taxing the resources of one's family and the surrounding society. After all, a person coul
*Condoms and corsages in Bisbee (25 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Apr 9, 2008, 7:46 pm
In a decision that is both stunning and outrageous, the Bisbee School Board decided to give each student attending prom this year two condoms. Here's coverage from the Family Research Council and from World Net Daily. Here's the Sierra Vista Herald's original, nonchalant coverage of the 4-1 vote to hand out the condoms (the Herald is the local paper in Bisbee). And you can read outraged letters to the Herald's editor here and here. Here's an excerpt from one of the letters:The information that w
*Abortions targeting girls (24 hits)- AZ Policy Blog May 1, 2008, 4:14 pm
Recently, there has been a lot of coverage on the problem of prenatal screening being used to eliminate baby girls through abortion. It's a problem in India, China, and Korea--but it's also a problem here in the United States.
Here is a New York Times article on a speech delivered by Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. He makes his views on the practice very clear: No nation, no society, no community can hold its head high and claim to be part of the civilized world if it condone
*Expanding Freedom (23 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jun 26, 2007, 8:37 pm
Yesterday's release of three Supreme Court opinions dealing with the First Amendment (See Peter Gentala's posts below.) underscores the importance of having Justices on the Court who will rule based on the meaning of the Constitution based on what the Founders intended. An insightful analysis of this comes from Wall Street Journal's Best of the Web, published yesterday which contrasts the liberal justices' views on two of the free speech cases.
Among Taranto's observations:At the same time, th
*Victory for School Choice! (23 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Mar 7, 2007, 2:53 pm
Today, Superior Court Judge Janet E. Barton dismissed a lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Arizona and the Arizona School Boards Association challenging Arizona's corporate tuition tax credit law. This latest defeat for opponents of school choice comes after the Arizona Supreme Court declined to hear an identical challenge in January. Congratulations to Tim Keller and our friends at the Institute for Justice! You can read IJ's press release here.
Last September, many of you contacted your local sc
*Pro-Life Movement Filled with Vitality (23 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jan 22, 2007, 6:00 pm
Today in Washington, D.C. hundreds of thousands are participating in the annual \"March for Life.\" President Bush called in by phone and reiterated his support for the sanctity of life movement, saying, It is important for all Americans to remember that our Declaration of Independence states that every person has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It also states that these rights come from our Creator, and that governments are formed to secure these rights for all
*What is Good Science? (23 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jun 7, 2007, 5:36 pm
What is good science? Yesterday scientists announced what the media touted as a ???major breakthrough??? in stem cell research. They found that they could manipulate mouse skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells. This is being celebrated because scientists can now have embryonic stem cells without the ethical concerns of destroying human life.
Just a day after the headlines gushed about this amazing discovery that was going to cure disease, the media is changing their tune. Today???s headlin
*Seriously? (23 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Jul 27, 2007, 7:20 pm
CNS News is carrying the story of a scholar, Jean Edward smith, who is quoted in the following paragraph:The number of justices on the Supreme Court should be increased because the "current five-man [conservative] majority persists in thumbing its nose at popular values," a legal expert has proposed, sparking debate and criticism.What I would like to know is where in the Constitution it describes the role of Supreme Court justices to be implementing popular ideas? Making an absurd statement like
Columnist Shows Appreciation for Manross' Stand (22 hits)- AZ Policy Blog Apr 11, 2007, 12:44 pm
In catching up on newspaper clippings today, I came across this Sunday piece by Richard de Uriarte from the Arizona Republic, \"'Prissy' Scottsdale mayor deserves appreciation,\" regarding Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross. Check it out. While I don't agree with some of his comments, I applaud D'Uriarte for being willing to speak in defense of an elected official with values who actually stands for those values in office. D'Uriarte also makes a key point that our societal accommod
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