Bush continues his policy

[Theophylact]

of appointing the worst possible person:

The Bush administration has appointed a new chief of family-planning programs at the Department of Health and Human Services who worked at a Christian pregnancy-counseling organization that regards the distribution of contraceptives as "demeaning to women."

Eric Keroack, medical director for A Woman's Concern, a nonprofit group based in Dorchester, Mass., will become deputy assistant secretary for population affairs in the next two weeks, department spokeswoman Christina Pearson said yesterday.

Keroack, an obstetrician-gynecologist, will advise Secretary Mike Leavitt on matters such as reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy. He will oversee $283 million in annual family-planning grants that, according to HHS, are "designed to provide access to contraceptive supplies and information to all who want and need them with priority given to low-income persons."

The appointment, which does not require Senate confirmation, was the latest provocative personnel move by the White House since Democrats won control of Congress in this month's midterm elections. President Bush last week pushed the Senate to confirm John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations and this week renominated six candidates for appellate court judgeships who have previously been blocked by lawmakers.

Democrats said the moves belie Bush's post-election promises of bipartisanship.

The Keroack appointment angered many family-planning advocates, who noted that A Woman's Concern supports sexual abstinence until marriage, opposes contraception and does not distribute information promoting birth control at its six centers in eastern Massachusetts.

"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," the group's Web site says.

Keroack was traveling and could not be reached for comment. John O. Agwunobi, assistant secretary for health, said Keroack "is highly qualified and a well-respected physician . . . working primarily with women and girls in crisis."

Mark Conrad, president of A Woman's Concern, said Keroack would be able to make the transition to leading a federal program in which provision of birth control is an integral part. "I don't think it's going to be an issue for him," he said.

No, I don't suppose it will...

[Mojo Risin']

OK, so what's wrong with this picture?

[BBA]

Theo, would you rather Bush appoint a person who ran an abortion clinic to be in charge of the department of health and human services?

Just because a person worked at or in a certain organization does not mean that person is a religious zealot. Your story should be based on the persons personal beliefs or actions instead.

But...you might get bored because you would not be able to produce the criticsm you like so much if you were to make decisions based on the whole picture instead, instead of incomplete one liners.

[Theophylact]

Theo, would you rather Bush appoint a person who ran an abortion clinic to be in charge of the department of health and human services?

Well, yes, I would.

But that's not the issue here, and he hasn't been appointed to head HHS (which would require Senate confirmation). He's an anti-contraception person who's been appointed to head the Family Planning program. Aside from his work with an anti-abortion women's pregnancy center, he has an exceedingly thin résumé; there's practically nothing in it besides his bare MD degree. At best he's another Michael Brown. More likely he's another James Watt.

And he looks like Sacha Baron Cohen with an exceptionally bad mustache.

[chipbgt]

I have to disagree with you theo. I think Hitler would make a worse appointee. Actually I can think of lots of people.

Oh wait, its the worst person because you dont agree with them. ok.

[Pexster]

If family planning were as simple as telling people not to have sex unless they wanted babies, the agency could be abolished. This is a prime example of how Christian zealots want to impose their will on everyone else. Then they cry when we complain about it. "Oh, you're so intolerant."

[Disley]

It seems Bush is being unnecessarily obstructionist.
Somewhat childish. My team didn't win, so I'm going to show those democrats, they can't make me act sensibly.

[Knothead]

Yeah, I heard about this on the radio today. This guy (Keroack) runs an organization called "A Woman's Concern" that opens "clinics" next door to Family Planning clinics.

They deliberately mislead pregnant women into their "clinics", where these women are browbeaten into deciding against abortion.

A slimy, slimy group!

And Our President has now appointed this fraud as Chief of Family-Planning Programs at the Department of Health and Human Services?

Which of these jerks is worse:

~A physician who practices deceit to run his religious agenda on unsuspecting women who are in trouble, or:

~A U.S. President who appoints such a miscreant to such an important position, heedless of the damage, in order have a laugh at the American people's expense?

Such ARROGANCE!

[chipbgt]

~A U.S. President who appoints such a miscreant to such an important position, heedless of the damage, in order have a laugh at the American people's expense?

Yes I am sure that is exactly why he appointed him, so he could have a good chuckle

Face it guys, Bush is just a diabolical asshole who does things to piss off non-republicans.

/sarcasm
/nod

What happened to the days of saying "Bush is wrong?" Now the statement is "Bush is pure Evil"

Bush doesnt have the same views as you, we get it.

Now I am going to go do what all good republicans do, I'm going to go eat some more puppies and kick some children. Or maybe the other way around, I havent decided yet.

[Knothead]

Now I am going to go do what all good republicans do, I'm going to go eat some more puppies and kick some children. Or maybe the other way around, I havent decided yet.

You crack me up, Chip!

[BBA]

They deliberately mislead pregnant women into their "clinics", where these women are browbeaten into deciding against abortion.

I think aborting a child is just as bad as killing a baby in the crib. It's just as bad as killing a child in school, a young adult, middle aged person or an elderly.

They are all people. Even the unborn ones.

So, if it takes being browbeaten to not murder someone, there you go.