From Gary Bauer

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary Bauer


One Step Closer

Yesterday’s announcement by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Iran has successfully enriched a small amount of uranium stunned the world as it puts that nation one step closer to a nuclear bomb. While the U.N. has been negotiating for weeks about how to contain Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Iranian vice president stated that research and production at Iran’s nuclear facilities would be increased dramatically. Iran is not backing down, and the West appears paralyzed to stop this madman who has called for Israel to be “wiped off the map.”

We have seen this before. In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler blatantly violated conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, first launching a massive rearmament program and then marching German soldiers into the demilitarized Rhineland. France and England, the victorious allies of World War I, refused to lift a finger to stop Hitler. The mere thought of armed conflict was too much for them to stomach. Tens of millions died because of their pacifism.

Is the history of 70 years ago repeating itself before our eyes today? Perhaps so. President Bush acted to eliminate a perceived threat in Iraq. For that his critics now accuse him of war crimes, and they are beating the drums of impeachment. It’s an experience future American presidents will be loathe to repeat. The thought of armed conflict with Iran will likely be too much for American politicians to stomach. So, for now it seems we must trust Mr. Ahmadinejad when he says that Iran’s nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, just like Mr. Hitler who only asked for a little “living space.”


Pro-Life America

A Zogby poll on the life issue completed last month has not received nearly the attention it deserves. First, the sample polled was over 30,000 – an extraordinarily high number, which makes the potential “margin of error” in the results very small. And the results are a stunning contradiction of the Big Media claim that America is overwhelmingly “pro-choice” and that the life issue hurts the Republican Party.

First, Zogby discovered that America is split right down the middle on whether the Constitution requires an abortion right. Forty-six percent of the public said “yes” and forty-five percent said “no.” But by 59-to-29 percent the public believes abortion ends a human life and 50% of Americans believe life begins at conception, while 19% say it begins at birth.

There was good news in the survey for President Bush, who has fought tough battles with Senate liberals over federal court nominees. A whopping 71% of voters said that it was wrong for the Senate to only confirm pro-abortion justices, while only 17% said it was right. The president should keep this in mind if there is another Supreme Court vacancy and the “Nervous Nellies” in the Republican Party tell him he must nominate a “stealth” candidate. By the way, by 59%-to-28%, the public opposed using the filibuster to stop pro-life nominees.

What about specific abortion restrictions that conservatives generally favor? Guess what? The public favors them, too:

· 69% want no federal tax money used for abortions
· 69% favor parental notification for girls 16 and under
· 56% support a 24-hour waiting period on abortion
· 86% opposed sex-selection abortions
· 64% want criminals charged with two crimes when they assault a pregnant woman and injure her unborn child

Here’s the bottom line: The Republican Party has nothing to fear from being seen as the pro-life party. Ronald Reagan knew this and was an eloquent voice for the sanctity of life. Today’s Republican leaders may need to be reminded.