MILLIONS POUR IN FROM ABORTION SUPPORTERS TO DEFEAT PRESIDENT BUSH

By Carol Tobias
NRL Political Director

Billionaires and organizations that support abortion are organizing what they call an unprecedented effort to defeat pro-life President George W. Bush in the 2004 election.

This summer, several organizations, including EMILY's List, NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Sierra Club, and several labor unions met to begin coordinating their activities, with the early potential to put $40-$50 million into the election.

Ellen Malcolm, president of the pro-abortion EMILY's List and host of the first meeting, told the Washington Post, "There is a tremendous amount of common motivation given what the Bush administration has been doing to virtually every issue we care about."

What apparently came out of the meetings is a new group called America Coming Together (ACT). This group, headed up by Malcolm, is expected to raise $75 million to try to defeat President Bush. Malcolm told the Post that the group will focus on voter registration and a massive get-out-the-vote operation.

ACT will target 17 states with its activities: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

ACT has already received $30 million in contributions or commitments, including $8 million from labor unions. The largest gift was a $10 million contribution from philanthropist George Soros, who is reportedly worth $5 billion. Soros is a long-time supporter of abortion and euthanasia.

In other activities, the National Education Association (NEA) plans to target 16 states in an effort to defeat President Bush. At its annual convention, Randall J. Moody, federal policy manager, outlined the group's political goals at a strategy meeting. Unbeknownst to Moody, a reporter from the Washington Times was in the room and was able to write about the meeting.

Moody told delegates that the NEA will do polling for candidates it supports, raise funds for candidates, provide direct mail to members, and turn out the vote. Activities will be conducted through UniServe, NEA's system of paid coordinators for all school districts in the country, with salaries paid from local and national NEA members, the Times reported.

The 16 states targeted by the NEA are very similar to the 17 targeted by ACT but adding Tennessee, while dropping Maine and Washington.

For many years, the NEA has had an official position in support of abortion. Even though there was a strong effort by pro-life teachers to persuade the NEA to go neutral on abortion, the convention again adopted a resolution allowing "reproductive freedom," including abortion, for teenagers.

Pro-abortion organizations have always had more money than pro-life groups, but the strength of the pro-life movement has always been the grassroots people who volunteer their time and talents to make a difference. Rather than be overwhelmed by the money being poured into efforts to defeat President Bush, pro-lifers need to be organized and motivated to counter them.

The Pro-Life Movement has faced obstacles before and overcome them. 2004 should be no different. (See also story, page 3.)