ProgressOhio

Mr. Postman brought me a mysterious letter from "Center social justice, Cols, Oh 43228" today. To my non-surprise it contained a poorly photocopied picture of a late-term aborted fetus and text quoting an "unnamed" doctor: "Sure, the money was important. And oh, it was an easy thing, once I had taken this step -- to see these women as animals and these babies as just tissue...."  Rrrright....

I'm getting used to these prolife quotes from unnamed doctors taken from unidentifiable sources and sent by anonymous mailers because I get them every year about this time! Apparently, I'm on someone's shitlist for being a Planned Parenthood supporter or something.

My experience in receiving creepy anonymous mail from prolifers predates my relationship with ProgressOhio, so I don't think anything I've written here is the cause of this spineless harassment. When I used to write pro-choice letters to the editor of The Dispatch and my address was published in the phone book, I could always count on receiving an anonymous Bible tract or two.

One guy sent me a perfectly typed, two-page, single-spaced letter talking about "foetuses" and the "Letters of Phinneas" or some such thing. Unlike the other weird prolife letters I've received, he signed his real name and that of his wife (although clearly his wife was not involved in the writing of his manifesto). The perfectness of his composition was a little too Ted Kaczynski-esque for me.

This is why I'm now unlisted and I use this silly pseudonym. (I don't really like my username -- I chose it quickly -- but I've never met a Jane, Jayne or even Jayn that I didn't like!)

Am I being paranoid? There hasn't been an abortion clinic bombing or anything like that lately, but who knows?

Whoever sent me an aborted fetus photo has got to realize that it's not going change my mind. It's only going to make me more determined to get the pro-choice story out.

Context seems to be the key to our beliefs and morals these days. Fans of Absolute Truth have to just give way to Relativism. For example....

We think urine testing is just fine for students and warehouse employee applicants, but we're outraged if the pee collection is for personal use. (Btw, I have one word for Allan Patton, the urophiliac: Ebay.)

Likewise, we think polygamy is disgusting when practiced by Mormon cults. But if we're talking oily Arab sheiks, polygamy is not only acceptable, it would be considered politically incorrect to criticize their culture.

We all love the idea of "protecting our families." But when that idea extends to stockpiling guns to the point of making your neighbors feel threatened -- not so good. Ironic, perhaps, but not good.

And isn't it great that our Republican state legislators want to "save the unborn"?  Well, actually, NO.  When legislators with no medical background craft anti-choice bills which actually threaten fetus and mothers' health that's no good at all.

That's an absolute truth from my undead perspective.

McSexist

McCain’s War on Women

Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) campaign and the media would have us believe that herds of disaffected women voters will be stampeding to the Republicans this year because a woman candidate won’t be on the presidential ballot in November.

McCain’s campaign has been making a clear play for women voters in recent weeks, hosting conference calls with Republican women and touting that his policies on national security, the economy and healthcare appeal to women voters.

But the suggestion that women — and feminist women, at that — will be lining up behind him is a fairytale. At least, it should be. McCain’s record and policies on issues of importance to women are neither moderate nor maverick.

Read The Full Story Here 

More on McCain's War on Women Here 

Will the Ohio General Assembly Give Men the Final Decision about a Woman's Reproductive Health Care Choices?

One year ago, State Rep. John Adams (R-Sidney) introduced one of the most outrageous pieces of legislation we have ever seen.

House Bill 287 would require a woman to have the written informed consent of the prospective father of her fetus before being allowed to have an abortion.

That's right...If the man says "No," there will be no abortion. Period!

This bill may actually be scheduled for hearings in the coming weeks.

To raise awareness about this offensive bill, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio is partnering with ProgressOhio, an outreach organization that builds awareness of legislative issues.

Please click here to help us stop this bill!

You're not going to believe this...

HB 287 also requires that, if the identity of the prospective father is unknown, a paternity test must be performed to determine his identity so that his consent could be obtained prior to performing the abortion.

What is left unsaid is that prenatal paternity testing:

• cannot be performed until at least the 10th week of pregnancy, near the end of the first trimester,
• is an invasive procedure using a long needle through the abdomen to collect fetal cells,
• is expensive - up to $2,000 per test, and
• poses a potential medical risk.

The practical effect of the paternity test requirement would prevent some women from obtaining an abortion during the first trimester.

Once paternity is established, if the man says "No," there will be no abortion.

Please make a secure contribution to help us say "No!" to this outrageous bill!

Even worse...
• If the pregnancy resulted from rape, the woman would be required to provide a police report proving it.
• If the pregnancy resulted from incest, the woman would be required to provide a paternity test or a police report.
• If the woman chooses not to identify the prospective father (perhaps out of fear for her own physical well-being), her only recourse would be to continue the pregnancy against her wishes or have an illegal abortion, a first degree misdemeanor.

Speak out! Help ProgressOhio and Planned Parenthood "veto" this bill now!

We Can't Let Them Get Away with This!

Here's what you can do to help us fight this outrageous legislation:

• Click here to make a secure contribution to the PPAO Action Fund to support our efforts to fight this legislation and to support pro-choice candidates.
• Sign our petition against HB 287.

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about HB 287, the Abortion Veto Bill.
Tell-a-friend!



Brian Rothenberg
Executive Director
ProgressOhio.org

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Please forward to your friends and colleagues!

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At the risk of confronting a self-flagellating albino hitman from Opus Dei at my front door, I've just got to say Pope Benedict XVI has been a bit disingenuous lately.

Pope in Australia will highlight climate change

DARWIN, Australia (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI began a pilgrimage in Australia Sunday, saying he wants to use his visit to raise awareness about global warming and to address the crisis of clergy sexual abuse.

Benedict's plane landed in the northern city of Darwin in the morning after a more than 20-hour flight from the Vatican. His plane was making a brief refueling stop before flying to Sydney, where he will lead celebrations at the World Youth Day festival.

Benedict, 81, will spend three days resting at a retreat in Sydney before taking part in the festival, including a vigil service with thousands of young people and an outdoor Mass....

Benedict said politicians and experts must be "capable of responding to the great ecological challenge and to be up to the task of this challenge."***

Is there any possible way to address environmental threats without also discussing human population growth?

No. As WOA! explains:

"Overpopulation is a serious problem getting worse every year: if we continue at the current rate, population will double to over 11 billion by 2035. Overpopulation is the root of most, if not all, environmental and many economic issues, timber overharvesting, loss of arable land, ocean depletion, food shortages, water shortages, air pollution, water pollution, flooding, plant and animal habitat loss, global warming and immigration."

As long as the Catholic Church prohibits birth control, it can't effectively respond to "the great ecological challenge." People cause pollution, and there's no getting around that.

It's our American tradition to allow people to practice their religion freely, as long as they don't affect nonbelievers adversely. I've merely been annoyed by Jehovah's Witnesses, but Catholic policies have caused me personal tragedy.

I don't think it's out of line to criticize the pope for choosing to overlook world overpopulation and the negative effects that it certainly will have on my children and grandchildren.

And, oh yeah, don't forget to apologize to those thousands of Australians who were molested by priests, XVI. I know you've got a lot on your 81-year-old celibate mind.

Got this email today from Gary Dougherty, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio: Will the Ohio General Assembly Give Men the Final Decision about a Woman's Reproductive Health Care Choices?

One year ago, State Rep. John Adams (R-Sidney) introduced one of the most outrageous pieces of legislation we have ever seen. 

House Bill 287 would require a woman to have the written informed consent of the prospective father of her fetus before being allowed to have an abortion.

That's right...If the man says "No," there will be no abortion.  Period!

This bill may actually be scheduled for hearings in the coming weeks.

To raise awareness about this offensive bill, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio is partnering with ProgressOhio, an outreach organization that builds awareness of legislative issues.

HB 287 also requires that, if the identity of the prospective father is unknown, a paternity test must be performed to determine his identity so that his consent could be obtained prior to performing the abortion.

What is left unsaid is that prenatal paternity testing:

• cannot be performed until at least the 10th week of pregnancy, near the end of the first trimester,
• is an invasive procedure using a long needle through the abdomen to collect fetal cells,
• is expensive – up to $2,000 per test, and
• poses a potential medical risk.

The practical effect of the paternity test requirement would prevent some women from obtaining an abortion during the first trimester.

Once paternity is established, if the man says "No," there will be no abortion.

• If the pregnancy resulted from rape, the woman would be required to provide a police report proving it.
• If the pregnancy resulted from incest, the woman would be required to provide a paternity test or a police report.
• If the woman chooses not to identify the prospective father (perhaps out of fear for her own physical well-being), her only recourse would be to continue the pregnancy against her wishes or have an illegal abortion, a first degree misdemeanor.

Help ProgressOhio and Planned Parenthood "veto" this bill now! We Can't Let Them Get Away with This!***

You're right, Gary, we can't let them get away with this. Furthermore, we need to get Republican noses out of our gynecologists' offices. This control-freak Big Brother attitude has got to stop.

Rep. Adams is not qualified to even vote on this bill, let alone introduce it. He apparently has no medical background whatsoever. "Attended Mesa Community College" is his only education credential.

It's like sponsoring a farm bill without bothering to talk to farmers about it. House Bill 287 is horrendously bad legislation. Please join me in signing Planned Parenthood's petition against HB 287.

If you thought government in the bedroom was bad, just wait until they start inspecting your toilet bowl. That could happen if right-to-life zealots in Colorado get their way. Washington Post:

LOS ANGELES -- A proposal to define a fertilized human egg as a person will land on Colorado's ballot this November, marking the first time that the question of when life begins will go before voters anywhere in the nation.

The Human Life Amendment, also known as the personhood amendment, says the words "person" or "persons" in the state constitution should "include any human being from the moment of fertilization." If voters agreed, legal experts say, it would give fertilized eggs the same legal rights and protections to which people are entitled.

The ballot initiative is funded by Colorado for Equal Rights, a grass-roots antiabortion organization. Its purpose, initiative sponsor Kristi Burton said, is to lay a legal and legislative basis for protecting the unborn. Its passage would also open the door to modifying other laws for the same purpose, she said.

As to what laws could then be modified, Burton would not elaborate. "We try not to focus on some of the issues that will be taken care of later on," she said, repeatedly saying that the amendment is not aimed at outlawing abortion....

"If we give fertilized eggs legal rights, abortion could be considered murder and a woman could be sent to jail for making the difficult life decision to terminate a pregnancy," said Crystal Clinkenbeard, spokeswoman for Protect Families, Protect Choice, a coalition of medical professionals, community groups and religious leaders who oppose the amendment.

The measure also could expand the reach of the law into other arenas, legal experts say. For instance, if a woman miscarries, she could be held responsible if it were found she caused it, even unintentionally. If she smoked or drank while pregnant, her behavior might be considered negligence. Damaged eggs might be eligible for monetary damages. The use of fertilized eggs at fertility clinics or in medical research labs would come into question because the disposal of unused eggs could be considered homicide.***

This Colorado ballot initiative is so absurd, it's bizarre. Putting something as deeply personal as family planning in the hands of voters is just dumb. Like John McCain says, people don't like government making decisions for them. This is like Big Brother watching you, except he's a control freak and misogynist.

As many as 40% of pregnancies end in miscarriage -- natural abortions. How is the government going to sort out which miscarriages are unintentional and which are induced abortions? Body Fluid Police?

That's only the beginning of the legal morass this legislation would cause if passed. If a pregnant woman is legally two people can she vote twice? Would Angelina Jolie get to vote three times?

Get a grip, Colorado.

21 Reasons R's should shut up about abortion

Help undo the mess left by abstinence-only education

One in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control. One in four! "Additionally, teen birth rates are going up and the cost of birth control is skyrocketing," said Gary Dougherty, State Legislative Director, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio.

On May 30, 2007, the bi-partisan Ohio Prevention First Act was introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives.  This landmark legislation will reduce unintended pregnancies through:

• Realistic sex education and teen pregnancy prevention programs
• Funding for family planning programs
• Guaranteed access to birth control prescriptions
• Contraceptive equity
• Emergency contraception access and education

It is critical that this commonsense legislation be scheduled for a hearing before the end of the year.  You can help make that happen. 

Sign the petition urging the Chairman of the House Health Committee, Rep. Lynn Wachtmann (R-Napoleon), to schedule a hearing on the Ohio Prevention First Act.

PPAO and I appreciate your support. I can't think of any legislation the General Assembly could undertake that could benefit more Ohioans more positively health-wise.

In a review of Obama's Zanesville visit, The New York Times says: "Obama's high-profile embrace of a key theme of Bush's time in office -- the 'faith-based initiative' -- is just the latest example of him trying to show his centrist side."

If I didn't know the guy was a professor of constitutional law and actually cared about things like the rights of nonbelievers and the importance of separation of church and state, I'd be worried. But he does.

In his outreach to evangelicals, Obama needs to watch out for charity workers who proselytize, religious-based organizations that restrict health care services to the public, religious leaders who distort the abortion issue, and a holy host of other stuff. He knows that.

He also knows that it's worth the effort to extend a hand to religious folks. Even those suspicious of organized religion like I am have to admit that churches are the strongest social group in many Ohio neighborhoods. Church groups drive anti-poverty programs and are a rallying point for all types of social causes.

Unlike the online community, the faith-based community represents warm bodies with their shirt sleeves rolled up and ready to offer help.

Like the man said, "We need an all-hands-on-deck approach." (And I love the quasi-military phrasing.)

As tax-free institutions, I believe churches are obligated to give back not only to their members, but also to the community at large. This is a much broader task than just giving to the needy. ("Needy," in itself is problematic...Who decides who's needy?)

In Columbus, there are some black pastors (sorry I don't know their names) who have been working with the city on its new curfew law and mentoring young people. I applaud these men and their genuinely faith-based efforts.

In many neighborhoods, churches and synagogues can best support their communities by giving young people (especially teens) some place to gather. When I was a kid, churches sponsored Friday night "coffeehouses" and group activities for teens. Today, no church seems to want the liability.

My point is there are many worthy faith-based ventures that do not require federal funding.

I may not be a doctor, but I had a vision about medical ethics recently:  How can we as a community allow the surgical removal of prostate glands and all the potential life they represent?

This walnut-sized gland is responsible for maintaining, protecting and enhancing the viability of sperm in the ejaculate. Without it, men are unable to plant their seed, as God intended.

I think the Ohio Christian Alliance will back me up on this -- all life is sacred. And as the Center for Bioethical Reform says, medical ethical decisions belong in the hands of state government.

The Ohio General Assembly is gonna hear from me!  Prostate surgery has got to stop!

Well, maybe that's a little harsh. Perhaps we can write a bill that allows for exceptions for the life of the potential father. Legislation which will require that $300 ultrasound pictures of the swollen prostates be provided for free to men who request them is another great idea.

We won't go after the men with prostate cancer -- we'll only punish the prostate surgery providers.

Clearly this is a hot button issue that needs to be examined by our state legislators. Put your gloves on, gentlemen!

The REAL John McCain is not the "moderate maverick" the pundits like to swoon over. The REAL McCain has spent the last 25 years amassing one of the worst anti-choice voting records in Congress.

If elected president, he has pledged to be the anti-choice movement's most faithful ally, carrying their water and enacting their dangerous agenda:

"If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement." [Statement by Sen. McCain read by Sen. Sam Brownback at the March for Life in Washington, DC, January 22, 2008.]

 Learn More About John McCain's War On Women

In His Own Words

Think McCain is a moderate when it comes to a woman's right to choose? Think again. Here are some of the statements McCain has made about choice.

• Sen. McCain told Chris Matthews, "the rights of the unborn is one of my most important values."
  [Transcript, Hardball with Chris Matthews, April 15, 2008.]
• "I’m proud that we have Justice Alito and Roberts on the United States Supreme Court. I’m very proud to have played a very small role in making that happen." McCain explained further that he "will try to find clones of Alito and Roberts" to fill future court vacancies.
  [Transcript, Republican Presidential Candidates Participate in a Debate, May 3, 2007, and Carl Tobias, On judges, don’t doubt McCain’s conservatism: He pledges to appoint clones of Alito and Roberts, Christian Science Monitor, February 11, 2008.]
• "If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement."
  [Statement by Sen. McCain read by Sen. Sam Brownback at the March for Life in Washington, DC, January 22, 2008. http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=26539 (accessed January 30, 2008.)]
• "I'm proud that we have Justice Alito and Roberts on the United States Supreme Court. I'm very proud to have played a very small role in making that happen."
  [Transcript, Republican Presidential Candidates Participate in a Debate, May 3, 2007.]
• On the Federal Abortion Ban, Sen. McCain said, "Today's Supreme Court ruling is a victory for those who cherish the sanctity of life and integrity of the judiciary. The ruling ensures that an unacceptable and unjustifiable practice will not be carried out on our innocent children. It also clearly speaks to the importance of nominating and confirming strict constructionist judges who interpret the law as it is written, and do not usurp the authority of Congress and state legislatures. As we move forward, it is critically important that our party continues to stand on the side of life."
  [Press release, April 18, 2007 (accessed February 4, 2008). http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/f96d220f-b10d-48fe-aee9-d69c0d2802c3.htm]
• Sen. McCain said that he has supported "the rights of the unborn" for 24 years "without changing, without wavering."
  [Michael Finnegan, Republicans Enter the Ring in Iowa; At a Key Party Dinner, Frontrunners for the Presidential Nomination Take a Beating From Lesser-Known Rivals, L.A. Times, April 15, 2007.]
• When asked about whether he supported supplying condoms to Africa to assist in the fight against HIV/AIDS, McCain had the following exchange with a reporter:
  Reporter: "What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?"
  Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.
  Reporter: "So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?"
  Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "You've stumped me."
  [Adam Nagourney, McCain Stumbles on H.I.V. Prevention, The New York Times, March 16, 2007.]
• Discussing his pro-life voting record, McCain said, "I have many, many votes and it's been consistent. And I've got a consistent zero from NARAL throughout all those years... [M]y record is clear. And I think the important thing is you look at people's voting record because sometimes rhetoric can be a little... misleading.... As you know I don't support Roe v. Wade... I thought it was a bad decision, and I think that the decision should be made in the states."
  [Transcript, The Full McCain: An Interview, National Review, March 5, 2007. http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=MTMxOWRkYjgyNDhjOTU5ZTY2OWU2ZTg2ZmUxMzQ1NjQ=]
• "I do not support Roe v. Wade. It should be overturned."
  [Ann Althouse, Rudy & Mitt Hem & Haw on Abortion, The New York Times, February 24, 2007.]
• Sen. McCain's 2008 presidential campaign website states that he "believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned."
  [John McCain for President 2008 campaign website, On the Issues: Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life (accessed February 4, 2008.) http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/95b18512-d5b6-456e-90a2-12028d71df58.htm]

Angry Clinton Women ♥ McCain?

TEN years ago John McCain had to apologize for regaling a Republican audience with a crude sexual joke about Hillary and Chelsea Clinton and Janet Reno. Last year he had to explain why he didn’t so much as flinch when a supporter asked him on camera, “How do we beat the bitch?” But these days Mr. McCain just loves the women.

In his televised address on Barack Obama’s victory night of June 3, he dismissed Mr. Obama in a single patronizing line but devoted four fulsome sentences to praising Mrs. Clinton for “inspiring millions of women.” The McCain Web site is showcasing a new blogger who crooned of the “genuine affection” for Mrs. Clinton “here at McCain HQ” after she lost. One of the few visible women in the McCain campaign hierarchy, Carly Fiorina, has declared herself “enormously proud” of Mrs. Clinton and is barnstorming to win over Democratic women to her guy’s cause.

How heartwarming. You’d never guess that Mr. McCain is a fierce foe of abortion rights or that he voted to terminate the federal family-planning program that provides breast-cancer screenings. You’d never know that his new campaign blogger, recruited from The Weekly Standard, had shown his genuine affection for Mrs. Clinton earlier this year by portraying her as a liar and whiner and by piling on with a locker-room jeer after she’d been called a monster. “Tell us something we don’t know,” he wrote.

But while the McCain campaign apparently believes that women are easy marks for its latent feminist cross-dressing, a reality check suggests that most women can instantly identify any man who’s hitting on them for selfish ends. New polls show Mr. Obama opening up a huge lead among female voters — beating Mr. McCain by 13 percentage points in the Gallup and Rasmussen polls and by 19 points in the latest Wall Street Journal-NBC News survey.

Read The Full Piece From Frank Rich At The New York Times

Learn More About John McCain's War On Women

Sign the "Ex-Hillary Fans For McCain" Pledge

Just when we thought we were safe from divisive religio-politics, here comes The Matthew 25 Network, a faith-based Democrat PAC supporting Sen. Obama's presidential bid.

Hoo-boy. Here we go again. The last time I chided religious leaders, my computer shut down twice, apparently from outside security threats. It's flattering to believe someone is paying attention. I just wish they'd leave comments.

The Carpetbagger Report says: "Called The Matthew 25 Network, the new organization, which is still in its earliest stages, is being spearheaded by Mara Vanderslice, who was director of religious outreach for the Kerry-Edwards campaign in 2004 and did similar work for several statewide Democratic candidates, including Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio....

"In case you're wondering, the name of the project comes from the 25th chapter of the Biblical book of Matthew, quoting Jesus: 'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'"

So what's the problem?

Two things:

First and foremost, Democrats and Republicans alike: What part of "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" don't you understand?

It's like the one thing our government is charged with keeping its nose out of -- religion -- and the pols can't help themselves but to take a heady whiff of this Pandora's box.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Father Michael "Mockmeister" Pfleger didn't do Obama any good.  Rev. John Hagee and Hometown Anti-Hero Rod "Lock n Load" Parsley didn't do McCain or their respective congregations any good. Partnering with religious groups looks like a sin-sin proposition to me.

Besides, Christian beliefs are as diverse as political beliefs. There are plenty of pro-choice churches, for example. They just aren't as vocal as the pro-life evangelicals.

Likewise, it's a bad idea to post the Ten Commandments in public places for a lot of reasons, but mainly because we can't agree on which version is the "right" one. (I, for one, won't be coveting my neighbor's wife, but I'm not making any promises about his ass.)

The second problem with The Matthew 25 Network initiative -- and I can't believe it takes an Ohio housewife slacker like myself to point this out -- is that the first story of Matthew 25 is a sad example of spirit-crushing sexism.

From the the New International Version (the most current widely available) Bible: "The Parable of the Ten Virgins: At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise...." (Note to Bible translators: If you mean "girl," say girl. If you're talking about Jesus's mother, say virgin. Otherwise, it's confusing.)

The name is disappointing and its goal -- to gain votes for Obama -- doesn't sound very Christian-like to me. I wish Democrats would stop trying to imitate Republicans and promote Obama for the secular hero that he is.

John McCain is ardently anti-choice — he wants to make abortion illegal and overturn Roe v. Wade. These positions put him out of step with mainstream voters.

McCain has voted consistently against women's health, and he supports overturning the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Roe v. Wade.

Watch it:

The Republican party platform has a strict anti-abortion policy that has been pushed for years by social conservatives and embraced the Bush Administration.

The "Maverick" John  McCain was in favor of exceptions to this policy for rape, incest, and the mother's life. 

Far right conservatives (the Religious Right) want to maintain the hardline policy, taking away all authority of a woman over her own body and placing it in the hands of those who are "pro-life" when that life is in the womb, but couldn't care less after it is born. 

Assuredly, the new McCain will bow down before his "spiritual masters" once again in an effort to maintain the Republican Party's extremely fragile coalition.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., faces enormous pressure from social conservatives to ignore his repeated commitment to change the GOP's platform on abortion. 

"If he were to change the party platform," to account for exceptions such as rape, incest or risk to the mother's life, "I think that would be political suicide," said Tony Perkins, the president of the conservative Family Research Council, to ABC News. "I think he would be aborting his own campaign because that is such a critical issue to so many Republican voters and the Republican brand is already in trouble."

A senior Republican close to McCain told ABC News that building a more inclusive GOP is a top priority for the Arizona senator.

But this adviser does not see changing the party platform to include exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother as necessary for achieving that vision.

Watch Bush, McCain, and Keyes in 2000 debating abortion.

Isn't it time we stop praising people who insist on overstepping their bounds reproductively?

Consider the Duggar family of Tonitown, Arkansas.  The subject of a TV reality show and an AP feature story published in The Dispatch today, the Duggars have 17 children and another one on the way.  All of the kids, whose names start with J, are home schooled. (My heart goes out to Jedidiah, #11.)

We're supposed to find this kind of non-stop breeding admirable? If everyone behaved this way, the earth's population would be at an unsustainable 60 billion or so, and we'd all be eating Soylent Green.  Add to that the crushing effects of CO2 emissions generated by each of us Americans, and you have a global pollution crisis caused by inconsiderate parents.

Uterus-with-a-head moms (as comic Carlos Mencia would describe them) like Mrs. Duggar don't deserve our respect.  According to the AP article, she said "she and her husband will continue to have children as long as God wills it."  Given this logic, infertile couples need not seek treatment. Extra-blessed couples like the Duggars will supply more than enough humans to populate the earth.

Belief in large families (except in areas where family farm laborers are truly necessary to sustain the group) is almost always fueled by religion. So it is with the Duggars. "Jim Bob Duggar, a former member of the Arkansas Legislature and an unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate, has not been specific when asked how he supports such a big family. But he said he was guided by a seminar about 20 years ago that blends finance and religion."  No surprise that Jim Bob is vague about how he supports 17 kids.

Religious arrogance -- and especially the belief that one's DNA is superior -- does not excuse any of us from practicing responsible breeding and parenting.

I know from experience: motherhood is great. I'm just saying, don't wear it out.