Truman's daily prayer

The First Cold Warrior, Elizabeth Spalding's new book on Harry Truman, quotes this little prayer that the Missourian used daily during his presidency:

Oh Almighty and Everlasting God, Creator of heaven and earth and the universe: Help me to be, to think, to act what is right, because it is right: Make me truthful, honest, and honorable in all things: Make me intellectually honest for sake of right and honor and without thought of reward to me. Give me the ability to be charitable, forgiving, and patient with my fellow men -- Help me to understand their motives and shortcomings -- even as thou understandest mine: Amen.

I used this to open and close today's edition of Backbone Radio, remarking how different our political and media discourse would be if more us made this our standard of conduct and truly sought God's aid in living up to it. If only--

Let's help ICE agent Cory Vorhis

As noted tonight on Backbone Radio, there is a fundraiser on Thursday, Feb. 1 for the legal defense of immigration whistleblower Cory Vorhis. He's the heroic ICE agent who revealed those lenient plea bargains for illegal alien felons, during last year's Ritter-Beauprez campaign. It will be an evening event in the DTC area - donation optional. If you want to come and show your support, email me at andrewsjk@aol.com for the details.

Ritter's pro-life pose unmasked

By Krista Kafer (krista555@msn.com) Governor Ritter announced in his state-of-the-state speech that he intends to return funding to Planned Parenthood for “pregnancy prevention and family planning programs.” Nationwide, Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion providers, receives some $272 million in tax payer funds annual under Title X of the Public Health Service Act for “family planning and reproductive health.” The program, enacted in 1970, funnels state and federal taxpayer funds to public and private agencies for birth control, STD testing and other activities. Such entities can even provide “neutral” information on abortion which seems like an opportunity for some to expand business.

In 1999, the Owens administration blocked funding for Planned Parenthood when an audit revealed that the organization was subsidizing abortion with tax payer funds, a clear violation of the Colorado Constitution. This year, Ritter intends to return the subsidies. While taxpayer funding for abortion is the big issue, no one seems to be asking why tax payers are paying for contraception. I’m more than willing to buy someone food or emergency housing, but if a guy can’t afford the $5 for a box of condoms maybe he shouldn’t be having sex. Maybe he should be out looking for a job instead. If I have to pay for somebody to have sex, maybe others should pay for my hobbies. I could use a new pair of skis. But I digress…

Ritter’s support for Planned Parenthood casts doubt on his commitment to the sanctity of human life. He isn’t the only Democrat to fail the first test of authenticity. Several self-identified pro-life Democrat congressmen fresh from election victories failed to vote pro-life when the first opportunity arose earlier this year.

Talking pro-life isn’t the same as actually standing up for the civil rights of unborn children. Regardless of moderate talk, both top Democrat presidential contenders – Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama – support the taxpayer funding for abortion and the barbaric partial-birth abortion procedure. Each received a 100% rating from NARAL, the powerful abortion lobby. Warm smiles and conciliatory language won’t change that.

As the American public grows increasingly squeamish about abortion-on-demand, harsh feminist rhetoric doesn’t resonate as well. Even the most ardent abortion supporter wants to seem a little sensitive. In the end, though, actions speak louder than words.

Abortion holocaust anniversary: 50 million dead

By Krista Kafer (krista555@msn.com) On January 22, 1973 the Supreme Court struck down most state laws protecting unborn children in the notorious Roe vs. Wade decision. Thirty-four years and 50 million lives later, there seems to be no end in sight for this American holocaust. New “uses” for unborn children as scientific guinea pigs does not bode well; as Eli Whitney’s cotton gin accelerated the demand for slaves, new “uses” for unborn children will likely increase the death toll. Although legislative victories have reduced the incidence of abortion since the late 1990’s, new technology could unleash the demand for human life.

Recent articles foretell a dark road ahead of science used to create and exploit human life. A chilling January Economist article described how scientists are using cloning technology to create human embryos and fusing them with cells from other species. Less macabre but more tragic, a U.S. News and Weekly Report article heralds pre-implantation testing on in vitro embryos to “weed out” those with genetic diseases. Such tests, however, are “increasingly… being used for choices that are less clearly beneficial to the child” such as sex selection,” the article states. The implication here is that death is a benefit to a disabled child but not one for simply being a girl or a boy.

Another January article in U.S. News said that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists are now recommending that all pregnant women receive screening to check for Down syndrome in the first trimester “allowing plenty of adjustment time… or an opportunity for an early abortion.” Again, the use of science to “weed out” disabled children is heralded as a good thing. While the magazine may quibble with less noble reasons to snuff out a life, the distinction is quite arbitrary. Whether a child dies because of her gender, disability, or the timing of her conception, she joins the yearly million casualties of choice.

Dem payoff to big labor & teacher union

Democrats in control of the Colorado House, ignoring Gov. Bill Ritter's inaugural criticism of narrow-interest legislation, are racing to put on his desk a pair of bills that empower organized labor and the teacher union at the expense of workers and parents. Both bills sailed through committee this week on party-line votes and are up for approval by the full House on Friday morning. Insiders say Senate Democrats will then speed them to Ritter for signature before January is out. Heavy political support for Dems by the AFL-CIO and CEA in 2006 would thus reap an early payoff in 2007.

House Bill 1072, by Rep. Garcia, makes an all-union closed shop far easier for labor bosses to obtain in negotiations with an employer. It removes Colorado's unique protection against coercion of workers to pay union dues -- the Labor Peace Act provision allowing employees to vote before the closed shop is imposed.

House Bill 1041, by Rep. Benefield and Sen. Windels, tightens the top-down, centralized educational conformity that already hinders innovation and flexibility in local districts. It requires any school board seeking a waiver of state-imposed red tape and regulations to get 2/3 approval by the State Board of Education, instead of the simple majority required by current law.

These bills give the lie to Democrats' campaign rhetoric last year about supporting policies that will grow the state's economy, create jobs, and improve learning performance for kids. If passed and signed, they will make Colorado less competitive with other states and nations, economically and educationally.

To voice your opinion about this unwise legislation and the unseemly haste with which it is moving, send an email through the Colorado General Assembly website at www.leg.state.co.us, or call...

House House Senate Senate Democrats Republicans Democrats Republicans 303-866-2346 303-866-5523 303-866-4865 303-866-4866