PRO-ABORTIONISTS ARE ON THE COUNTERATTACK

Our opponents pine for the days of the Clinton presidency. True, Bill Clinton lied and waffled and "triangulated" whenever his political survival was at stake, but he never disappointed his pro-abortion supporters. He was their friend.

When Al Gore lost the 2000 election to George W. Bush, they were furious. Al Gore was their friend, too.

The Florida election results were verified by the state and by unofficial recounts through accounting firms hired by the mainstream press. In all cases the result was the same: George W. Bush won that election and, therefore, the presidency. Nevertheless, the myth of a "stolen election" settled into the feverish minds of left-wing "progressives." So, undeterred by the facts, they are very angry at George W. Bush. They want to defeat him in 2004.

Given the public's steady drift in the pro-life direction, they are also very much afraid that the days of Roe v. Wade are numbered. How much longer will the pro-abortionists in the U.S. Senate be able to obstruct the appointment of judges who respect the Constitution and follow the law--instead of inventing it on the bench? How much longer will they be able to filibuster and impede pro-life legislation? There is only one thing for them to do: Defeat George W. Bush and as many pro-life candidates as possible in 2004.

For the pro-abortionists and their progressive friends these are desperate times, but they are not shrinking from their task. They have big, very big plans. Don't underestimate them!

So far, the pro-abortionists and their allies have already established three major initiatives for next year's election: The America Votes project with a budget of $85 million, the America Coming Together (ACT) political action committee with a budget of $75 million, and the March for Freedom of Choice on April 25, 2004, in Washington, D.C.

To start with the last, the March for Freedom of Choice is sponsored by the usual suspects: NARAL, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Feminist Majority, and the National Organization for Women.

NARAL's announcement of the march is quite overwrought. "It comes down to this moment. Only a powerful, grassroots pro-choice movement can avert the devastating consequences for women of losing their right to choose. It's our choice, and this is our moment. The moment is April 25, 2004, in our nation's capital. That day, millions of pro-choice Americans will take part in one of the most significant demonstrations in history to show that we will save freedom of choice the same way it was won: one person, one city and one state at a time."

Well, it will not be "millions" and it will not be "one of the most significant demonstrations in history." The "devastating consequences" of the choice to kill unborn children will not be discussed. And nobody at that demonstration will remind them that the "freedom of choice" was not won "one state at a time," but handed to them when seven unelected men unconstitutionally nullified the abortion laws of all fifty states. But the media will make a big ado about it. (At one of the past pro-abortion rallies, CNN actually moved its news anchor desk to the site of the rally.) One purpose of the rally is to intimidate fence-sitting politicians. Another and even more important purpose is to motivate pro-abortion voters for the election.

Getting out the pro-abortion and anti-Bush vote is also the clear purpose of the other two initiatives. (The 2000 election was a bitter disappointment for Al Gore's party, but in one respect it was a great success. Special-interest groups allied with the Democratic Party were extremely effective in getting their voters to the polls. A week before the election, George W. Bush was expected to be a clear winner, but due to this voter mobilization--and some other factors--Al Gore nearly won on election day and, in fact, got most of the popular vote.)

Here is what USA Today reported on August 20, 2003: "Groups allied with the Democratic Party are forming an elaborate election machine for 2004 that will coordinate how they reach out to voters in battleground states. The organization, America Votes, is referred to informally as 'The Table' because it serves as a forum to plan political activities. Its 15 interest groups have anted $50,000 apiece to launch the organization. The group plans to raise $85 million. The group is run by Cecile Richards, daughter of former Texas Democratic governor Ann Richards. She denies any partisan agenda, but her membership list includes the bulwarks of Democratic politics." Among these are organized labor (specifically the AFL-CIO and two of its largest unions), "women's groups," environmentalists, and "other liberal interests." A founder of America Votes "is Ellen Malcolm, who runs EMILY's List, a political action committee that backs Democratic women who favor abortion rights." Among the members are, of course, NARAL and Planned Parenthood. Ms. Richards is a former board member of these organizations.

With regard to ACT, an Associated Press story of August 8, 2003, reports this: "Making a foray into partisan politics, multibillionaire George Soros is committing $10 million to a new Democratic leaning group aimed at defeating President Bush next year. The group plans a $75 million effort to defeat Bush and 'elect progressive officials at every level in 2004,' targeting 17 key states: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The group is headed by Ellen Malcolm, president of EMILY's List. The new PAC's cofounders include Cecile Richards, president of America Votes."

According to ACT's web site, the group's chief executive officer is Steve Rosenthal, the political director of the AFL-CIO from 1996-2002. During that time, Mr. Rosenthal headed a voter contact program that increased union voter turnout by 4.8 million, while nonunion turnout decreased by 15 million.

My point is not to frighten you but to show you clearly what pro-lifers face. Now we must outwork the pro-abortionists and out-organize them. We have done it before. For pro-lifers there is no choice, there is only the obligation to do what is right and just.