Replies

=== This is a very troubling perspective on Bush.

See, this is the thing. It's NOT troubling. That's just it. In fact, it's only to be expected.

Only if he were to actually appoint a man of integrity to a spot where defense of human life were critical would I be troubled ... I'd have one hell of a time trying to figure that one out.

So, let us know when you get the whole Ashcroft Tenure figured out....

I see your point, Askel. I do expect it generally, but not to this extent.

Only if he were to actually appoint a man of integrity to a spot where defense of human life were critical would I be troubled ... I'd have one hell of a time trying to figure that one out.

John Ashcroft.

We're waiting................oh I guess you're still "figuring" ...... you'll probably be figuring for a long long while now.

What hobbes1 said, and do the same when you figure out Tommy Thompson at HHS.

Yep, George W. Bush...hero of pro-choicers everywhere...

From the Planned Parenthood website:

REDUCING ACCESS TO FAMILY PLANNING

Anti-choice governor Tommy Thompson selected as Secretary of Health and Human Services (December 29, 2000).
On his first day in office, the 28th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the president restores the Reagan-era global gag rule on international family planning assistance (January 22, 2001).
The president closes the White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach (March 29, 2001).
Contraceptive coverage for federal employees striped by the president from his first federal budget (April 9, 2001).
The president floats possibility of nominating John Klink - an ardent opponent of birth control and spokesperson for the Vatican in it's opposition to condom use - to oversee the U.S. Global population program (May 23, 2001).
"Abstinence-only" proponent Patricia Funderburk Ware named the head the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) (November 30, 2001).
House passes the "Child Custody Protection Act," which would make it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion unless the parental involvement requirements of her home state have been met (April 17, 2002).
U.S. delegation to the U.N. Children's Summit, led by HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, fights sexuality education and opposes condoms for HIV/AIDS prevention (May 2002).
Louise Oliver, former president of the pro-life Harvard Law School's Society for Law, Life, and Religion appointed special assistant to the U.S. State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (July 2002).
The president withholds $34 million in funding for birth control, maternal and child care, and HIV/AIDS prevention from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (July 22, 2002).
House passes abortion ban legislation H.R. 4965 (July 24, 2002).
Announcement made by administration that approximately $900,000 available for financial assistance and applications for embryo "adoption" (July 25, 2002).
The U.S. Department of Justice does an about-face and withdraws support for women's rights treaty, maintaining U.S. as only industrialized nation not to ratify the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (July 26, 2002).
Anti-condom "abstinence-only" proponent Dr. Freda McKissic named to the CDC Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention (September 6, 2002).
House passes the so-called "Abortion Non-Discrimination Act" (ANDA), a sweeping refusal clause that allows any health care entity to discriminate against any provider who provides or even gives information about abortion (September 25, 2002).
U.S. State Department freezes $3 million in funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to anti-choice objections to the WHO's Human Reproduction Program (October 2002).
HHS Web sites remove medically accurate information about condom effectiveness and the lack of a proven link between abortion and breast cancer (October 2002).
HHS Secretary's Advisory Committee on Human Research Protection Charter gives embryos new status as "human subjects" (October 2002).
"Abstinence-only" proponent Dr. Alma Golden named to oversee Title X, nation's family planning program (October 7, 2002).
Family Planning foe Chris Smith calls on USAID to exclude reproductive health organizations in developing countries from receiving HIV/AIDS funding, thus extending global gag rule (October 24, 2002).
U.S. delegation to U.N. regional meeting reverses U.S. position in support of 1994 global agreement affirming the right of all couples and individuals to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children, and to have the information and means to do so (United Nations, 1994) (November 2, 2002).
Anti-choice and religious extremist doctors opposed to contraception, mifepristone, and reproductive rights appointed to the Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (December 24, 2002).
The president's FY 2004 budget fails family planning programs and denies women access to abortion services (February 3, 2003).
Politics trumps women's health, Senate passes S.3 abortion ban (March 13, 2003).
Senate and House defeat Department of Defense (DOD) amendments that would have allowed access to abortion for women in the military who use their own funds (May 22, 2003).
Abortion ban, H.R. 760, passes the House of Representatives (June 4, 2003).
State Department denies funds for refugee AIDS prevention (August 1, 2003).
The president extends global gag rule to all international family planning programs (August 29, 2003).
Abortion ban, S.3, is sent to conference with the House of Representatives (September 17, 2003).
Congress passes S.3, dangerous ban on abortion, endangering women's lives for political gain (October 22, 2003).
The president signs abortion ban, the first federal legislation since Roe v. Wade to criminalize abortion, imperiling women's health (November 5, 2003).
Budget released for FY 2005 funds "abstinence-only" sex education and marriage initiatives, freezes funding for Title X family planning services (February 2, 2004).
FY 2005 budget pours money into discriminatory "Healthy Marriage" initiative (February 2, 2004).
FDA bows to political pressure and delays making decision on converting emergency contraception to over-the-counter status (February 13, 2004).
U.S. Delegation to Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean stands alone in refusing to join a declaration reaffirming the Cairo consensus on population development because it objects to the use of phrases like "reproductive rights," "reproductive health," and families "in all their various forms" (March 11, 2004).
July 16, 2004 — Bush administration withholds funding for UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund for third year in a row (July 16, 2004).
Congress denies funding for military women seeking abortion after rape or incest, strips bipartisan Boxer-Snowe amendment from Department of Defense Authorization Bill. (October 7, 2004).

BUILDING THE PLATFORM TO OUTLAW ABORTION

Extreme anti-choice zealot John Ashcroft proposed for U.S. attorney general (December. 22, 2000).
Anti-Choice governor Tommy Thompson selected as Secretary of Health and Human Services (December 29, 2000).
Chris Smith (R-NJ), U.S. House of Representatives' most ferocious opponent of international family planning programs, asked to address the annual "pro-life" march on behalf of the administration on the 28th anniversary of Roe v. Wade (January 22, 2001).
The president closes the White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach (March 29, 2001).
House passes the so-called "Unborn Victims of Violence Act" (April 26, 2001).
The president floats possibility of nominating John Klink - an ardent opponent of birth control and spokesperson for the Vatican in its opposition to condom use - to oversee the U.S. global population program (May 23, 2001).
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson announces new rules making fetuses, but not pregnant women, eligible for prenatal care in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (March 5, 2002).
House passes the "Child Custody Protection Act" which would make it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion unless the parental involvement requirements of her home state have been met (April 17, 2002).
Louise Oliver, former president of the pro-life Harvard Law School's Society for Law, Life and Religion appointed special assistant to the U.S. State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (July 2002).
House passes abortion ban legislation (July 24, 2002).
Announcement made by administration that approximately $900,000 available for financial assistance and applications for embryo "adoption" (July 25, 2002).
The U.S. Department of Justice does an about-face and withdraws support for women's rights treaty, maintaining U.S. as only industrialized nation not to ratify the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (July 26, 2002).
House passes the so-called "Abortion Non-Discrimination Act" (ANDA), a sweeping refusal clause that allows any health care entity to discriminate against any provider who provides or even gives information about abortion (September 25, 2002).
HHS Web sites remove medically accurate information about condom effectiveness and the lack of a proven link between abortion and breast cancer (October 2002).
HHS Secretary's Advisory Committee on Human Research Protection Charter gives embryos new status as "human subjects" (October 2002).
House passes Bankruptcy Bill HR 333. without Freedom of Access to Clinics (FACE) provisions that would have prevented violent anti-choice protesters from avoiding debts by declaring bankruptcy (November 14, 2002).
U.S. delegation advances position that life begins at conception at population conference for the Asia and Pacific region (December 11-17, 2002).
The administration supports anti-choice Sen. Bill First (R-TN) to take the helm of the U.S. Senate after Trent Lott (R-MS) steps down (December 23, 2002).
Anti-choice and religious extremist doctors opposed to contraception, mifepristone, and reproductive rights appointed to the Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (December 24, 2002).
The Presidents FY 2004 budget fails family planning programs and denies women access to abortion services (February 3, 2003).
House passes ban on therapeutic cloning (February 28, 2003).
Politics trump women's health, Senate passes abortion ban, S.3 (March 13, 2003).
Senate and House defeat Department of Defense (DOD) amendments that would have allowed access to abortion for women in the military who use their own funds (May 22, 2003).
Abortion Ban H.R. 760 passes the House of Representatives (June 4, 2003)
Abortion ban, S.3, is sent to conference with the House of Representatives (September 17, 2003).
Congress passes S.3, dangerous ban on abortion, endangering women's lives for political gain (October 22, 2003).
The president signs abortion ban, the first federal legislation since Roe v. Wade to criminalize abortion, imperiling women's health (November 5, 2003).
Congress aims to suspend FDA approval of mifepristone and restrict access to medical abortion — a safe and medically established procedure (November 21, 2003).
House passes so-called "Unborn Victims of Violence Act" giving zygote, embryo, or fetus the same legal rights as a person and further undermining a woman's right to an abortion (February 26, 2004).
Federal District Judge Phyllis Hamilton Protects Patients' Privacy by Denying DOJ's Request for Planned Parenthood Medical Records in Course of Federal Abortion Ban Trial (March 5, 2004).
U.S. Delegation to Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean stands alone in refusing to join a declaration reaffirming the Cairo consensus on population development because it objects to the use of phrases like "reproductive rights," "reproductive health," and families "in all their various forms" (March 11, 2004).
Federal judge in San Francisco strikes down federal abortion ban as unconstitutional; decision in Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) v. Ashcroft a victory for women's rights (June 1, 2004).
Justice Department Files appeal in Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) v. Ashcroft; Continues to pursue unconstitutional Abortion Ban (August 2, 2004).
Federal judge in New York strikes down unconstitutional federal abortion ban; ruling in National Abortion Federation (NAF) v. Ashcroft echoes June 1 decision in Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) v. Ashcroft (August 26, 2004).
Third federal court rules federal abortion ban is unconstitutional; decision in Carhart v. Ashcroft echoes rulings in San Francisco and New York (September 8, 2004).
Justice Department files appeal of Nebraska and New York Abortion Ban rulings; Continues to pursue unconstitutional law (September 27, 2004).

REDEFINING THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE FETUS

House passes "Unborn Victims of Violence Act" (April 26, 2001).
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson announces new rules making fetuses, but not pregnant women, eligible for prenatal care in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (March 5, 2002).
Announcement made by administration that approximately $900,000 available for financial assistance and applications for embryo "adoption" (July 25, 2002).
HHS Secretary's Advisory Committee on Human Research Protection Charter gives embryos new status as "human subjects" (October 2002).
House passes so-called "Unborn Victims of Violence Act" giving zygote, embryo, or fetus the same legal rights as a person and further undermining a woman's right to an abortion (February 26, 2004).
Federal District Judge Phyllis Hamilton Protects Patients' Privacy by Denying DOJ's Request for Planned Parenthood Medical Records in Course of Federal Abortion Ban Trial (March 5, 2004).
"Unborn Victims of Violence Act" passes Senate, grants fertilized egg legal status distinct from woman, posing threat to the foundations of Roe v. Wade (March 25, 2004).
President signs so-called "Unborn Victims of Violence Act" into law, may help lay groundwork for future effort to reverse Roe v. Wade (April 1, 2004).

PACKING THE COURTS TO OVERTURN ROE

Anti-choice Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owens nominated to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (May 9, 2001).
Law Professor Michael McConnell, hardline opponent of Roe v. Wade who believes the U.S. Constitution does not protect women's right to choose, nominated to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals (May 9, 2001).
Anti-choice District Court Judge Dennis Shedd, with a pattern of ruling against plaintiffs in civil rights cases, nominated to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (May 9, 2001).
Lavenski Smith, past executive director of the right-wing, anti-choice Rutherford Institute of Arkansas, nominated to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals (May 22, 2001).
Anti-choice extremist Judge Carolyn Kuhl nominated to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (May 25, 2001).
Anti choice Federal District Court Judge D. Brooks Smith, who held a long-standing membership in a private club that excludes women, nominated to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals (September 10, 2001).
Anti-Choice Federal District Court Judge Charles Pickering, Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owens, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl, who had all been rejected by the Senate, re-nominated to Circuit Courts of Appeals ( January 7, 2003).
Miguel Estrada, who gave evasive responses when questioned by the Senate Judiciary Committee on reproductive rights, abandons his bid for appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (September 4, 2003).
Anti-choice, anti-civil rights hardliner Federal District Court Judge Charles Pickering appointed during congressional recess (i.e., without Senate confirmation) to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (January 16, 2004).
Alabama Attorney General William Pryor, who describes Roe v. Wade as "an abomination," appointed to 11th Circuit Court of Appeals during congressional recess, (i.e., without Senate confirmation) (February 20, 2004).
Anti-choice extremist James Leon Holmes, former president of Arkansas Right to Life, appointed to U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Arkansas (July 6, 2004).

REPLACING SCIENCE WITH RIGHT-WING IDEOLOGY

The president floats possibility of nominating John Klink - an ardent opponent of birth control and spokesperson for the Vatican in its opposition to condom use - to oversee the U.S. global population program (May 23, 2001).
House passes the "Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2001" (July 31, 2001).
The president prevents taxpayer funding for additional stem cells beyond existing stem cell lines, placing severe limits on stem cell research (August 9, 2001).
The president's FY2001 budget doubles education funding for dangerous "abstinence-only" programs (October 11, 2001).
"Abstinence-only" proponent Patricia Funderburk Ware named to head the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) (November 30, 2001).
U.S. delegation to the U.N. Children's Summit, led by HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, fights sexuality education and opposes condoms for HIV/AIDS prevention (May 2002).
U.S. Department of Education appoints Title IX commission that threatens athletic programs for girls and women. (June 6, 2002).
The president withholds $34 million in funding for birth control, maternal and child care and HIV/AIDS prevention from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (July 22, 2002).
The president withholds more then $200 million in funding for programs to support women and address HIV/AIDS in Afghanistan (August 2, 2002).
Anti-condom "abstinence-only" proponent Dr. Freda McKissic named to the CDC Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention (September 6, 2002).
HHS Web sites remove medically accurate information about condom effectiveness and the lack of a proven link between abortion and breast cancer (October 2002).
"Abstinence-only" proponent Dr. Alma Golden named to oversee Title X, nation's family planning program (October 7, 2002).
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Web site posts a "revised" fact sheet that suggests an unproved link between abortion and breast cancer (November 25, 2002).
House passes ban on therapeutic cloning (February 28, 2003).
State Department denies funds for refugee AIDS prevention (August 1, 2003).
Anti-choice hardliners resort to intimidation tactics to pressure NIH scientists to abandon research on AIDS, sexuality and high-risk behavior (October 28, 2003).
Budget released for FY 2005 funds "abstinence-only" sex education and marriage initiatives, freezes funding for Title X family planning services (February 2, 2004).
FDA bows to political pressure and delays making decision on converting emergency contraception to over-the-counter status (February 13, 2004).
FDA disregards recommendations of its own independent review board, and denies over-the-counter status to Barr Laboratories' Plan B® emergency contraception (May 6, 2004).
Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage fails to garner necessary votes in House; follows defeat of amendment in Senate (October 1, 2004).

CENSORING FREE SPEECH

On his first day in office, the 28th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the president restores the Reagan-era global gag rule on international family planning assistance ( January 22, 2001).
House passes the so-called "Abortion Non-Discrimination Act" (ANDA), a sweeping refusal clause that allows any health care entity to discriminate against any provider who provides or even gives information about abortion (September 25, 2002).
HHS Web sites remove medically accurate information about condom effectiveness and the lack of a proven link between abortion and breast cancer (October 2002).
U.S. delegation to U.N. regional meeting reverses U.S. position in support of 1994 global agreement affirming the right of all couples and individuals to determine freely and responsibiliy the number and spacing of their children and to have the information and means to do so (United Nations, 1994) (November 2, 2002).
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site posts "revised" fact sheet downplaying condom effectiveness (December 2, 2002).
USAID directs USAID-funded programs to reflect the anti-choice policies of the Bush administration on their Web sites (January, 2003).
The president extends global gag rule to all international family planning programs (August 29, 2003).
Anti-choice hardliners resort to intimidation tactics to pressure NIH scientists to abandon research on AIDS, sexuality, and high-risk behavior (October 28, 2003).
U.S. Delegation to Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean stands alone in refusing to join a declaration reaffirming the Cairo consensus on population development because it objects to the use of phrases like "reproductive rights," "reproductive health," and families "in all their various forms" (March 11, 2004).

Re: "Only if he were to actually appoint a man of integrity to a spot where defense of human life were critical would I be troubled ... I'd have one hell of a time trying to figure that one out."

Let me help, you see I am having a little trouble understanding the direction the GOP is heading these days, so maybe it will be useful to talk things out.

The way I see it is the GOP is full of statesmen (cough, ack) who truly believe abortion is a horrible fact of our modern life. In addition they "believe" something must be done about and soon, alas abortion is just one of many troubling issues facing our nation. They support the prolife position 110% as long as it does not interfere with the agenda of other issues of equal or greater urgency, such as:

The war on terror
The war in Iraq
The Patriot Act
Lower Taxes
Less government control
The Economy
Jobs
Unemployment
Job Training
More corporate welfare
ANWAR
Free trade
Tariffs for steel
Renewal sources for energy
making money
spending money
lower gas prices
higher profits for oil products
education
higher education
highest education
NAFTA
cheap Mexican labor
saving social security
funneling SS $ to stock brokers
making more money
Expanding the GOP base
more GOP senators
more Republicans in the House
More GOP power
Tort reform
undermining organized labor with illegals
making still more money
gaining still more power
pork
getting reelected
more pork
Job security for politicians
a lot more pork
more power
more money
pet projects
power
money
pork
the UN
undermining the UN
working within the framework of the UN
reforming the UN
Allies
telling our allies to kiss our behind
more money
more pork
more power
reelection.

I mean we have to have our priorities. Abortion is on the list. We must trust them they will get to it when it is politically correct. There is a strategy to this and all the caterwauling just isn't helpful.

So shut up and sit in front of the TV with your bag of Cheeto's and let the big boys handle this. They will let you know when it is time to get off your a$$ and vote because you know the alternative will be horrible and if the demoncrats get back in charge abortion will never end. The GOP has it on their list right behind these other grave issues. Besides they only have 55 in the Senate and those 45 other seats will have to be won before anything meaningful can be done anyway. You know how it is.

Oh yes don't forget the campaign in 06, I am sure they are taking donations now. Watch out for them mean ol' democrats. They eat aborted fetus for breakfast.