NEW FAMILY PLANNING CHIEF WORKED FOR ORGANIZATION OPPOSED TO DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACEPTIVES
By Kenneth J. Theisen, 11/17/06
Like a leopard, the Bush regime is unable to change its spots, or in this case its fascist direction. The administration announced yesterday still another “moderate” appointment. The new chief of family planning at the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) is Dr. Eric Keroack. Dr. Keroack seems to be the perfect choice for the Bush regime as he is the medical director at A Woman’s Concern in Massachusetts.
This agency is a Christian pregnancy-counseling organization. It urges sexual abstinence before marriage, opposes contraception, discourages abortion, and refuses to distribute birth control information at its six centers in Massachusetts. According to its website, “A Woman’s Concern is persuaded that the crass commercialization and distribution of birth control is demeaning to women, degrading of human sexuality and adverse to human health and happiness.”
At his new post, Dr. Keroack will be responsible for matters at HHS such as reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy. He will also be in charge of federal family planning grants. These grants support 4,600 clinics across the country, serving over 5 million women per year. Among other services, these clinics provide counseling and patient education. With the new doctor in charge, one can only try to imagine who will now get these grants and what kind of counseling and education these five million women will receive.
The assistant secretary for health, John Agwunobi, was quoted by the Washington Post as stating Dr. Keroack “is highly qualified and a well-respected physician … working primarily with women and girls in crisis.” Given the type of counseling and education they received at the 6 centers run by A Woman’s Concern, there probably was no shortage of people in crisis for the doctor.
The Washington Post also quoted Dana Perino, a White House spokeswoman, who said, “The president has said we will look to reach common ground [with the Democrats] where we can find it. However, he’s not going to compromise on his principles.” For those who believed that somehow the elections would “moderate” the Bush regime program these words should make it clear. The Bush regime will work with anyone who accepts its fascist program, but it will not change its direction.
In the week since the election, the Bush regime has renominated John Bolton as permanent U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Two days ago, it renominated 6 reactionary judges that had not been previously confirmed by the Senate. This latest appointment is only the latest daily outrage.Where is the moderation? It exists only in illusions and in the minds of those who do not listen to the statements coming directly from the President and the regime. As I have said repeatedly in various articles on worldcantwait.org, the Bush regime program can only be halted by driving the entire regime from power. What are you going to do to make this possible? Or will you allow five million women to suffer at the hands of the regime’s latest appointment?