Janet Colm's column, "Health care reform without abortion coverage unfair" [Nov. 25] cites political pressure by the U.S. Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops as a main factor in the adoption by the House of Representatives of the Stupak Amendment to health care reform legislation which would place a de-facto ban on insurance coverage for legal abortions in this county.
No other medical procedure has been the target of relentless lobbying in the history of the United States. This is just one more example of the Roman Catholic Church subjugating the rights of women and their role in society, lasting now over three millenia. The church priesthood is closed to women and they are therefor excluded from adopting or implementing Church policy.
It would be interesting to see the result of sex discrimination litigation brought against the Church when five of the nine current Supreme Court justices are Roman Catholics.
DAVID R. WORK
Chapel Hill
The writer is a member of the board of directors, Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina
Suggestions for GOP
The Republicans are very concerned about the ever rising national debt, and the amount of money this administration has proposed to spend. I ask, where was this concern when George W. Bush raided the record surplus Clinton left him? Where was the concern when G.W. started a needless war with Iraq? That is a war that has cost thousands, and still counting, of American lives; tens of billions of dollars in military equipment and billions in no-bid contracts with Halliburton and with Blackwater and their mercenaries.
Now Republicans are concerned about taking back the White House in 2012. I suggest the GOP get Dan Quail -- you remember him, the former vice-presidential candidate who had trouble spelling potato on national TV. Team Dan with Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska, the same one who displayed her foreign policy knowledge by stating, "I can see Russia from here." It does not matter if Sarah or Dan becomes the president, the GOP will have a sure winner. The reason for the win -- Americans love a clown. This was proved to be true when G.W. was in for eight years. Now for the good part -- the GOP can set up Fox News to air from the White House, and get Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Ann Coulter to be advisers to the president.
J. ALBRIGHT
Hillsborough
