American Life League has hit the nail on the head with a full-page ad in yesterday's Washington Times. According to ALL's press release, the ad explains that since 1973, more than 50 million babies have been killed in the womb. "Those are the very babies that, today, would be living, working — and paying into Social Security," said ALL president Judie Brown. She pointed out that "The government is largely responsible for the Social Security crisis. They have continued to fund abortion giants such as Planned Parenthood, which aid in the destruction of human life."

Mrs. Brown added, "It is not difficult to see the strong, direct connection between the Social Security problems and abortion. We have killed off our children who are no longer here to provide for us in the future. Until we can stop treating human life like a dispensable commodity, we will never see an end to the Social Security crisis."

AUSTRALIA - BABY'S FOOT SAVED IN-UTERO 
A Victorian medical team has saved an unborn baby's foot by operating on the 27-week-old fetus in-utero. The rare procedure — the second of its kind in Australia — was declared a success, with baby Ella Grace Turner, born in Launceston on January 2, able to move her foot and toes.

An ultrasound scan 19 weeks into the pregnancy of Joanna Dalton, revealed a band of tissue had broken away from the womb lining and tangled around the baby's left leg, cutting blood supply. Her obstetrician advised that the foot was likely to have to be amputated after birth, but referred her to the head of pediatric surgery at Melbourne's Monash Medical Centre, Chris Kimber.

Dr. Kimber performed a one-hour procedure that involved a team of 25. A 2mm operating telescope was inserted into the womb to identify the constricting tissue and burn through it with lasers. (news.com.au, 1/11/05)

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERS OUST PRO-LIFE LEADER FROM KEY COMMITTEE 
Rep. Chris Smith, co-chairman of the House Pro-Life Caucus, was removed from the chairmanship of the House Veterans Affairs Committee because Republican leaders felt he promoted excessive spending on veterans. In fact, he was ejected from the committee entirely! While he is a stalwart champion of the right to life, Congressman Smith is viewed as moderate to liberal on labor issues in particular, a stance that has long irritated many of his Republican colleagues. As columnist Bob Novak pointed out in his January 10, 2005 syndicated column titled "Arrogance on the Hill," "The leadership's problem with Smith has been his insatiable desire to make life better for veterans during 24 years on the Veterans Affairs committee (six years as vice chairman, four years as chairman.)." Such shabby treatment of a fine congressman for wanting to do as much as possible for our veterans, especially in light of the sacrifices being made by our military men and women in Iraq, seems at best inappropriate. According to Mr. Novak, several House Republicans were "stunned" by the action and paid "condolence calls" to Rep. Smith, including International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde of Illinois and Duncan Hunter of California, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

BUSH NAMES NEW DOMESTIC POLICY ADVISOR 
Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Claude Allen has been appointed by President Bush to be his chief advisor on domestic policy. Mr. Allen is a former aide to Senator Jesse Helms and served as health secretary for the state of Virginia. Mr. Allen is a strong advocate for pro-life and pro-family policies and is an enthusiastic supporter of abstinence education. Previously, President Bush nominated Mr. Allen to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals but his nomination was filibustered by Senate Democrats led by South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle, who was defeated in the November election.

MICHIGAN — CHARGES BROUGHT IN BASEBALL BAT ABORTION 
Over the course of a two-week period, a sixteen year-old boy repeatedly hit his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach with a baseball bat, eventually causing her to abort the baby, whom the young couple then buried in his back yard. The two of them decided on this method of ending the pregnancy.

Macomb County prosecutor Eric Smith authorized a criminal charge against the boy of intentional conduct against a pregnant individual resulting in miscarriage or stillbirth — a felony punishable by up to fifteen years imprisonment. The young mother has not been charged. Since she consented to the beatings, under the law she simply exercised her "choice."

How is it that killing an unborn baby with a baseball bat is a crime, but killing him in an abortion clinic is not?

How many more cases like this have to occur before the American people wake up and put an end to legal abortion?

WHITMAN BOO HOOS — "IT'S MY PARTY TOO" 
The former governor of New Jersey, the ardently pro-abortion Christine Todd Whitman, has been promoting her new book around the country. Titled It's My Party Too, her book, according to press reports, is full of advice for Republican officials that, if taken, would undermine all Republican gains and ensure victory for Democrats.

Pro-life Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan, who is Mayor of Bogota, New Jersey, had a lot to say about Mrs. Whitman and her book in release issued on January 6, 2005:

"Governor Whitman's administration was by all accounts a complete failure. In eight years, the Whitman Republicans increased state spending by 50 percent over [Democrat] Jim Florio's liberal, big spending budgets. Under Whitman, state tax collections increased by eight billion dollars — hardly a conservative record. And she packed the Supreme Court with some of the most far-out ultra-left radicals anywhere in the country. The Whitman years are the model for Republicans who want to fail.

"On the day Christie Whitman was elected Governor, Republicans held a 58-22 margin in the State Assembly and 27-13 in the State Senate. Today, after twelve years of liberal rule based on the Whitman model, Democrats hold a 49-31 lead in the Assembly and 22-18 in the Senate. This loss of 9 Senate seats and 27 House seats is directly attributable to Republican candidates not standing for anything.

"In that same time, the national party she so viciously attacked has won two straight Presidential elections and gone from a 176-259 deficit in the House and 44-56 in the Senate to a 232-202 Republican House majority and 55-45 Senate Majority today."

Christine Todd Whitman has failed, not only as a Governor but also as a leader in the attempt to remove the pro-life plank from the Republican National Platform. She has failed in her efforts to re-make the Republican Party in her liberal, elitist image. Those who choose to read her book may want to munch on something sweet in order to overcome the distinct taste of sour grapes.