[From the Family Research Council]

Most people are unaware that adult stem cells are treating patients, and saving lives, all over the world. The latest story comes from Greece, where a team led by British surgeon Stephen Westaby combined adult stem cells with a mechanical heart to save a dying man. Ioannis Manolopoulos had been in the hospital for four months after at least two heart attacks; all other treatments had failed to improve his condition. Westaby’s team implanted a mechanical heart and then injected the patient’s own bone marrow adult stem cells to initiate repair of the heart. The mechanical heart takes over pumping blood, allowing the patient’s heart to rest and repair.

Adult stem cells have already helped several thousand heart patients, as well as patients with stroke, juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and dozens of other conditions. Despite all the evidence for adult stem cell successes, the Obama administration, including the National Institutes of Health, have focused on embryonic stem cells, ignoring science and patient health in favor of politics. We should be pouring our resources into adult stem cells, and putting the patients first.

  This week, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell (D) issued an opinion upholding the validity and enforceability of state law allowing employees and customers to transport and store lawfully-possessed firearms in their locked, private motor vehicles in parking areas controlled by employers or businesses.

In his opinion, Caldwell clearly states that “[T]here are no express, field, or conflict preemption issues involving La. R.S. 32:292.1, with regard to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, or any safety/security plans submitted pursuant to each.”  In other words, employers, companies and facilities that have been refusing to comply with the 2008 statute can no longer claim that current OSHA or Department of Homeland Security regulations supercede state law and allow them to completely ban firearms from vehicles in their parking lots.  (Note: state law does provide that firearms may be restricted IF the parking area is secure AND the property owner provides facilities for the temporary storage of firearms OR provides an alternative parking area where firearms are allowed to be stored in private vehicles.  You can read the opinion in its entirety by clicking here.

Evodna’s note:  [Louisiana Congressman Charlie Melancon is becoming something of an enigma.  He classifies himself as a Conservative Democrat, yet he supports the agenda of President Obama and liberal Democrats in Washington.  Melancon’s statements and more importantly his votes will be worthy of extra scrutiny in the coming months, as he appears to be positioning himself for a run against David Vitter for the United States Senate.  The Louisiana GOP is posting valuable information on Melancon’s record.]
    From the Republican Party of Louisiana:
New Jersey’s liberal Senator Bob Menendez has decided that he not only wants government-run health care (except probably not for himself), but also wants it to cover illegal aliens.

This is the same Bob Menendez who chairs the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee, which recruited Charlie Melancon to run for U.S. Senate in 2010.  And it’s the same Bob Menendez who invited Charlie Melancon to the DSCC’s annual retreat with big money liberal lobbyists in Martha’s Vineyard back in July.

Now we know why.

For all of his “blue dog” rhetoric, Melancon seems to agree with his fundraiser Menendez on a lot about immigration.  In fact, Charlie Melancon voted in 2007 against funding an employment verification program that would ensure businesses wouldn’t be able to hire and pay illegal aliens.

Conversely, Sen. David Vitter secured unanimous support in the Senate for his amendment that put the critical “no-match” workplace enforcement provision back in place the same day President Obama’s administration tried to strip it out.  The “no match” rule notifies employers of any potential employees’ Social Security numbers that do not match, providing an important tool to prevent illegal immigrants from working fraudulently in the United States.

Sen. Vitter is also the chairman of the U.S. Senate Border Security Caucus and was a critical leader for Louisianians in derailing the bad 2007 amnesty bill.

So the question remains, why is “blue dog” Charlie Melancon putting the liberal amnesty agenda ahead of enforcement positions of Louisianians? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV7rrCMFq10