[CC] Urgent: Abortion Ban Raises Stakes in Judicial Battle (fwd)

[Alan Sondheim]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 21:22:49 -0500
From: People For the American Way <4599T035T at pfaw.inv9.com>
To: sondheim at panix.com
Subject: Urgent: Abortion Ban Raises Stakes in Judicial Battle

================================================================
People For the American Way
March 14, 2003

         FILIBUSTER ON ESTRADA NOMINATION GAINS SUPPORT
                       AT CRITICAL MOMENT

        Your Efforts to Stop Bush's Court-Packing Scheme
                 Have Never Been More Important
________________________________________________________________

In a sign that defeating President Bush's court-packing plan
just might be possible even with the Senate in Republican hands,
the Democrat-led filibuster on the nomination of Miguel Estrada
to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals survived a second vote this
week. Your continued calls and letters actually increased the
opposition to Estrada by one vote, with Sen. Bob Graham voting
for the filibuster after missing the first vote for health
reasons. Senate Republicans have scheduled another vote to break
the filibuster for next Tuesday, March 18, so please continue to
send messages of thanks to those senators standing up for the
Constitution and your rights.

To see how your senators voted and send an e-mail, go to:

    http://inv9.com/.l/4599T08XRD

All senators can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard at
(202) 224-3121.

The importance of stopping the president's right-wing judicial
nominees was brought closer to home this week with the Senate's
passage of the so-called "Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act" (S.3).
The House is poised to pass this unconstitutional legislation
and President Bush says he will sign it. "Partial-birth
abortion" is a political term, not a medical one, invented by
anti-choice legislators whose true goal is outlawing all
abortion procedures. The term is not recognized by the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other medical
professionals who oppose this bill for several reasons,
including its vague language, interference with the doctor-
patient relationship, and lack of an exception to protect the
health of the woman. A court challenge is almost certain since
the legislation closely resembles a Nebraska law that the U.S.
Supreme Court struck down by a 5-4 vote in 2000. The success of
that challenge, and thus women's reproductive freedom, will
depend greatly on whether President Bush is prevented from
appointing more judges like Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence
Thomas, who argued in 2000 that the Court should uphold the
Nebraska law.

Today, please e-mail your senators about their votes this week
on the so-called "Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act".

To see how your senators voted and send an e-mail, go to:

    http://inv9.com/.l/4599T08XRF

A final note: A lot has been asked of you in the past two
months. "Strengthen Public Schools", "Oppose Right-Wing Judges",
and "Protect a Woman's Right to Choose" are probably familiar
refrains in your inbox. These issues are always central to
People For's mission and to your life, but you may wonder
nonetheless why e-mails are arriving more frequently of late.
Simply put, the Radical Right has never before had so much power
on so many fronts and such confidence that it cannot be stopped.
And, sadly, if a war with Iraq begins, the Right isn't likely to
put its divisive agenda on hold. Thank you for every extra bit
of patience and passion you have shown and for everything you
will do in the weeks ahead. If you would like to experience this
level of involvement and activity on a regular basis, please
join People For's Action Alert network, which also offers more
personalized alert information.

To join People For's Action Alert network, go to:

    http://inv9.com/.l/4599T08XRG

Thank you again for all your hard work. As always, you can help
add strength and numbers to the movement by forwarding this
message to your friends.
________________________________________________________________

               *** CRACKS IN THE BUSH AGENDA ***

Next week will be an important one for President Bush's tax cut
proposal as Congress tries to agree to a budget resolution. With
the nation facing a war with a still unknown price tag, Capitol
Hill rumblings indicate that Bush's tax cut proposal is already
losing support, even in the more partisan House. It's time to
deliver a knock-out blow while the Right's agenda is staggering.

Next Wednesday will be a national call-in day to stop Bush's
tax cut sequel. Look for the toll-free number and more details
on Monday.
________________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________________

Circulate until March 19, 2003
________________________________________________________________

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================================================================
People For the American Way
2000 M Street, NW  |  Suite 400  |  Washington, DC 20036
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1-800-326-PFAW  |  202/467-4999
________________________________________________________________
endalert