Mr. Gietzen went on to ask the GOP chairman, “Do you favor dropping the pro-life plank from the National Republican Party Platform? Doing so would be in keeping with your decision to welcome pro-abortion-choice Republicans into our Party. If YES, at least your logic would be consistent, but then please let people know that your pro-life views are ‘personally held’ only, and that you have no intention of promoting meaningful pro-life legislation in Kansas.”

Mark Gietzen points out that he has worked hard for Mr. Shallenburger in his 1998 campaign for State Treasurer and even harder when he ran for Governor. Mr. Shallenburger ran as a pro-life candidate.

“Culture of Life” Has No Room for “Plan B” 
President Bush, in his State of the Union speech on February 2, 2005, reiterated his desire to promote a “culture of life” in America. The fact that he included that sentiment in his address was welcomed and applauded by pro-life citizens across the country.

In the crush of issues confronting the President, from the war in Iraq to Social Security reform and immigration policy, he appears to be missing a very important policy change that may occur at any moment through the Department of Health and Human Services.

The so-called “Plan B,” otherwise known as the “morning-after-pill,” is being considered for over-the-counter sale by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The drug can cause a chemical abortion of a newly conceived baby. Its manufacturer, Barr Laboratories, has requested that the drug be made available over-the-counter for anyone over the age of 16 and by prescription to any girl under the age of 16.

There are no studies showing the long-term side effects of this drug on teen-age girls. Repeated use of the drug could bring about serious harm to them, as well as certain death to their babies.

The number of pregnancies among minor girls involved with adult males (statutory rape) is reportedly very high. Over-the-counter sale of the drug would make it possible for these men to purchase the drug prior to engaging in predatory sexual behavior with an under-age girl.

“Plan B” has no place in the President’s model of a society in which a “culture of life” is the ideal. We urge President Bush to immediately instruct his new Secretary of Health and Human Services, former Governor of Utah Mike Leavitt, to deny Barr Laboratories’ request. E-mail messages to President Bush may be sent to: President@whitehouse.gov.

Specter At It Again 
The January 21 edition of The American Spectator reports that Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter “went back on his word to Republican caucus members and conservative groups alike when he recently hired Hannibal G. Williams II Kemerer, who until recently was the NAACP’s assistant general counsel. Specter hired Kemerer against the wishes of his senior Judiciary Committee staff.

In addition, Specter has reportedly hired Carolyn Short, a Philadelphia attorney, who is married to former U.S. Constitutional Center executive director and Democrat congressional candidate Joseph Torsella.

Personnel is policy. Stay tuned.