We the People Have Only Begun to Fight

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for a people to dissolve the political bands which have subjected them to public officials who insist on turning fantasy into disastrous public policy, get ready to roll.

Last night's tragic setback for life and liberty has galvanized people and other public officials to stand up and thwart the policy that President Obama is expected to sign tomorrow.

Republicans in the House and Senate are already introducing bills to repeal the Democrats massive health care legislation. While the repeal measures won't pass this Congress, they will draw a sharp line of distinction for this November's Congressional elections. Even a decisive Republican victory will unlikely produce the veto proof margins required to enact repeal. That may have to await a new president in 2013. Bill Bennett comments on the people having the final say.

The Attorneys General of Virginia and numerous other states are preparing to challenge the constitutionality of the monstrous legislation, primarily over the issue of mandating citizens to purchase health insurance. While I don't have the constitutional law expertise to predict the course of these actions in the courts, we may be witnessing a historic push back by states against encroaching federal power.

One factor that changes this situation from other historical analogies is the emergence of a diverse and feisty array of alternate media sources that will enable the public to learn of the onerous new taxes, rationing of care, impact on medical research, etc. plus the cost of the deals required to ram this thing through. If you rely primarily on CNN, NBC, NYT and other conventional sources you may find yourself bewildered by what they're not telling you about the lively and tumultuous time ahead as the nation deals with this situation. People are turning to alternate sources of information. From Drudge:

THANKS FOR MAKING MONDAY THE SECOND MOST-VIEWED DAY IN 15-YEAR HISTORY OF DRUDGE REPORT! THE PAGE WAS SEEN 36,407,277 TIMES FROM OVER 50 COUNTRIES [including 4 vists from Swaziland, and 17 from Malawi]

Moving Toward a Reality Challenged Health Care Bill

Bart Stupak & a few other Democrats have broken the hearts of many who were supporting them when they appeared to be giving priority to the protection of unborn human lives. This afternoon they announced they are going with a deal in which President Obama issues an executive order that supposedly would prohibit any taxpayer funding of abortion in the health care plan. That is a worthless guarantee as an executive order can be easily overturned by Mr. Obama or a future president.

Even if the President has the best of intentions (which I doubt), knowledgeable people say that an executive order cannot change established law, only new legislation can. (Here's a statement released earlier today from Richard Doerflinger of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.)

Unfortunately, Mr. Stupak seems to share the liberal tendency to believe in fantasies, such as that a national health plan will will usher in some new utopia of guaranteed health care without any loss of quality. Unfortunately, he compromised his prolife principles in pursuit of this fantasy.

Tonight the debate is drawing to a close and Republican leader John Boehner is delivering a spirited challenge to the broken process that has brought the bill to this point. Liberal Democrats are comparing this day to past glories like Social Security, Medicare, etc. However, this bill is much more massive and intrusive. Moreover, with an engaged citizenry and a new variety of alternate media able to mix it up, the rumbling civic and political debate is just beginning.

Down to the Wire, Fighting for the Republic

Spring came to the northern hemisphere and Washington DC today on this pivotal weekend as the nation struggles over its direction. I joined a crowd estimated at at least 25,000 this afternoon on the Capitol west lawn rallying to support life and liberty and oppose the latest mutation of the ObamaReidPelosi health care bill.

Here are the Senate passed bill plus other relevant documents plus the latest House proposed changes ("reconciliation").



President Barack Obama's second cousin, Dr. Milton R. Wolf, explains why the health care bill would be bad for his patients and the nation, as he explains in this earlier article.



Among many creative signs, note the one in the center held by one of many docs who say that ObamaCare is bad medicine.



The image of Congress has been cheapened in the eyes of many Americans by the desperate dealing to try to pass this severely flawed legislation. (Watch this 8 sec. video clip of one House Democratic leader admitting they make up the rules as they go along.)

Today's citizens' actions included not only the rally, but visits to the House members offices. At the three Maryland offices I visited, Staffers at Reps. Van Hollen and Hoyer politely listened to citizens' objections to the bill, while Rep. Cummings' office was closed.

Rally activities were continuing into the evening and into tomorrow. Media reports indicate that the vote tally is still extremely close with intense pressure being put on ambivalent Democratic House members. Time to watch and pray.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Artist unknown, Link by Saints.SQPN.com

Wednesday is March 17, St. Patrick's Day. Celebrations have started early over the weekend. So, be blessed, safe, and happy whenever you are celebrating Ireland's patron saint.

Catholic Forum provides links to descriptions of St. Patrick here and here.

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort me and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

In the spirit of the holiday, check out LiveIreland.com for webcasts of Irish music and other media direct from Ireland.

But of Course He's not Bush

Remember when candidate Barack Obama promised that his administration would be much more refreshingly open than the Big Bad Mean Bush Administration? Here's a reality check.

One year later, Obama's requests for transparency have apparently gone unheeded. In fact a provision in the Freedom of Information Act law that allows the government to hide records that detail its internal decision-making has been invoked by Obama agencies more often in the past year than during the final year of President George W. Bush.

Major agencies cited that exemption to refuse records at least 70,779 times during the 2009 budget year, compared with 47,395 times during President George W. Bush's final full budget year, according to annual FOIA reports filed by federal agencies.

It's Getting Crazy in Fantasy Land

No, I'm not talking about Disney World but the struggle on Capitol Hill, where Democratic leaders are trying desperately to round up the votes to pass the ObamaReidPelosi health care bill over broad opposition. A few highlights:

- Nancy Pelosi is considering a gimmick whereby modifications to the Senate bill that will have been "deemed" to have passed will be voted on (while promising even more bizarre legislation to come if she succeeds this time). I think enough Americans will see through this dubious (and constitutionally questionable) move that if it is implemented it could trigger an unprecedented peacetime political crisis in the nation.

- House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) says the despite the climactic sense surrounding this week, a vote on some mutation of health care legislation might be delayed until past Easter. The Democratic leaders really want to avoid that though. Going home for Easter recess means that Congress members would again be "contaminated" by their constituents, many of whom are already burning down the Congressional phone lines in order to be heard. Here's another report on a "Rush" of phone calls to Capitol Hill and a report on today's Tea Party rally in DC.

- President Obama has threatened to not campaign for Democratic members who vote against the ObamReidPelosi bill. Considering all the good his campaigning did for Creigh Deeds (Virginia), John Corzine (New Jersey) and Martha Coakley (Massachusetts), I wonder if that will be seen as a threat or a promise.

- The vote math in the House may be more dramatic then the March Madness basketball tournaments. This ABC News analysis indicates the challenge Pelosi and her leadership have in passing a bill (or "deeming" a bill to pass). Once again, Bart Stupak and a small number of fellow prolife Democrats may tip the balance. Stay tuned, as there may be some votes switching both ways since the House's November vote.

The Climactic Time (Again) for Health Care Vote

Nancy Pelosi claims she is confident that the votes are there to pass the latest mutation of ObamaReidPelosi health care (supposedly by the end of this week), even though her chief vote counter says the votes are not there now. If the votes for the scheme fall short, concerns over life will play a pivotal role.

It May All Hang on Abortion

The fate of ObamaRiedPelosi's attempt to ram through some mutation of their behemoth health care plan may hang on the issue of abortion funding (not that that's the only problem with the proposed legislation) and the actions of a small number of prolife Democrats.

Still More Water on the Moon

Plentiful amounts of water, in the form of ice, have been discovered by scientists using an American instrument on the Indian Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. Here is a report from the Principal Investigator for the instrument on the details and significance of the discovery.

New Weather Satellite Launch

Photo credit: NASA

The GOES-P weather satellite launched into orbit last night from Florida.

Raging Space Debate as March Storm Rises

Continuing debate among space leaders over the Obama Administrations new space policy was intensified this week by some feisty congressional hearings. Since my slow typing fingers haven't been able to blog at the crazy pace at which these developments are occurring, thankfully Alan Boyle has posted a good summary of these developments.

One particularly interesting twist covered in the article is the position of entrepreneur Burt Rutan who, after clarification following one confusing media article, comes out favoring the new policy's support for commercial services to low Earth orbit and for advanced technology development while calling for a stronger commitment for NASA to lead in exploration beyond Earth orbit.

Meanwhile the annual Prospace March Storm enters the fray this week, where I'll join other citizens in promoting a frontier enabling space agenda.

Chile Earthquake and Its Wideranging Effects

Chile was struck this morning by a massive magnitude 8.8 magnitude earthquake that also raised tsunami flags throughout the Pacific region. While this earthquake was 500 times as intense as the one that hit Haiti last month, there are some contrasting circumstances that indicate that this one, while still quite devastating, will likely result in a much lower death toll than the Haiti quake last month.

UPDATE: Here is info on organizations aiding the Chilean earthquake victims.

SETI: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Scientist engaged in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) looked at the history of and future challenges for the enterprise at a recent science conference.

Some astronomers say that in the grand scheme of things, 50 years isn't all that long, and the effort expended so far hasn't been all that exhaustive. "I think we have not yet begun to search," said Peter Backus, an astronomer at the SETI Institute in California's Silicon Valley.

But the technology is getting better all the time. "Fifty years ago, Frank Drake would never have imagined the directions in which SETI has moved," said Jill Tarter, director of the institute's Center for SETI Research (and the scientist who inspired the main character in the "Contact" book and movie).

Blogging this topic gives me the opportunity to finally get around to adding Alan Boyle's MSNBC Cosmic Log to the space section of my sidebar. Definitely worth checking frequently for wide ranging articles.

Health Care Summitry Takes an Unplanned Twist

I didn't see much of the health care summit held on Thursday, other than the brief clips shown later on TV. Apparently the outcome was not what President Obama and other Democratic leaders hoped for, with the Republican participants getting good reviews from at least some pundits for emphasising the substance and presenting positive alternatives.

A prime example is Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) dissecting the economics of the health care issue. Rep. Ryan really cuts to the chase in this brief (~3 min.) video clip.



These impressions appear to be consistent with the latest Rasmussen survey.

Night Landing in Florida

The Space Shuttle Endeavour landed safely last night after its highly successful mission to the International Space Station.

Checking Out After a Job Well Done

The Shuttle Endeavour and its crew departed from the International Space Station (ISS) this evening, completing a mission highlighted by the delivery of the Tranquility habitation module and its cupola observation deck providing spectacular views of Earth and space.

This YouTube clip (hat tip to Spaceports) only gives a hint of the spectacular views these astronauts are seeing for themselves.

Ash Wednesday Starts the Lenten Journey

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season of preparation for the glorious celebration of Easter. Pope Benedict XVI calls Lent a time for conversion.

Beginning his Ash Wednesday observance with the general audience, the pope told an estimated 6,500 visitors that Lent, in the words of St. Paul, reminds people "not to accept the grace of God in vain," but to recognize that God is calling everyone to penance and spiritual renewal every day.

When life seems exhausting and fraught with difficulties and failure, and when one is tempted to abandon the faith, it is a call to "open ourselves up to God's love in Christ and to live according to his logic of justice and love," he said.

Some ideas for Lent are posted by the St. Michael Society.

Settled Science? Never Mind!

Professor Phil Jones, one of the researchers at the center of the unraveling "climate change" affair, admits that the science is not so settled after all, and that some of the ambiguity may be due to his less than stellar organizational skills. (I guess a messy desk can set off a global "crisis".)

Professor Jones told the BBC yesterday there was truth in the observations of colleagues that he lacked organisational skills, that his office was swamped with piles of paper and that his record keeping is ‘not as good as it should be’.

The data is crucial to the famous ‘hockey stick graph’ used by climate change advocates to support the theory.

Professor Jones also conceded the possibility that the world was warmer in medieval times than now - suggesting global warming may not be a man-made phenomenon.

And he said that for the past 15 years there has been no ‘statistically significant’ warming.

For many links on the climate situation, check out Climate Depot.

Happy First Birthday Stimulus!

Public Domain Pictures.net

President Obama signed the huge stimulus package into law one year ago today. Whether this is an occasion for celebration is debatable at best, but it does give me an excuse to trot out "The Pig".

Getting to Know Our Sun

Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Tony Gray

The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) was launched yesterday to gain a greater understanding of processes in the Sun and how they affect conditions on Earth.

Blizzard Conditions!

Much of the Mid-Atlantic region is under a blizzard warning this morning as the second major snow storm in less than a week is coming through here. Less snow this time but I can hear some nasty winds outside.

Awesome Predawn Launch

NASA

In what was probably the last Space Shuttle night launch, Endeavour lifted off early this morning on the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to deliver a new module and a cupola that will allow sweeping views from the ISS along with other supplies.

They're just so Enlightened, Compassionate and Progressive

Gerard Alexander writes in the Washington Post about the attitude many modern liberals have about those who disagree with what they assume are their obviously enlightened opinions.

Every political community includes some members who insist that their side has all the answers and that their adversaries are idiots. But American liberals, to a degree far surpassing conservatives, appear committed to the proposition that their views are correct, self-evident, and based on fact and reason, while conservative positions are not just wrong but illegitimate, ideological and unworthy of serious consideration. Indeed, all the appeals to bipartisanship notwithstanding, President Obama and other leading liberal voices have joined in a chorus of intellectual condescension.

For example, Mona Charen writes at NRO how a recently published study affirming the benefits of abstinence education challenges the assumption that proponents of liberal positions on issues always have science and reason on their side.

The Obama administration had disdained and defunded abstinence education in favor of "evidence-based" programs to prevent teen pregnancy. (Note the assumption that liberal ideas are founded on evidence whereas conservative ideas spring from prejudice, ignorance, or downright orneriness.) No single study settles things, but this one, conducted by an African-American professor at the University of Pennsylvania, will be hard to ignore.

And of course, there are the Earth shaking revelations that in the last three months have caused the collapse of the "global warming"/"climate change" advocacy and it's claim that the science is "settled."

"I don't think it's healthy to dismiss proper skepticism," says John Beddington, the chief scientific adviser to the British government. He is a staunch believer in man-made climate change, but he also points out the complexity of climate science. "Science grows and improves in the light of criticism. There is a fundamental uncertainty about climate change prediction that can't be changed." In his view, it's time to stop circling the wagons and throw open the doors. How much the public will keep caring is another matter.

Just for grins, here's an article citing a recent proclamation from one famous activist that global warming has caused a scarcity of winter weather here in the DC Area.

Pictures from the Storm

Here are a few of the pictures I took yesterday and today of the storm from front and back of my house and of my car (the white lump with a side view mirror). My attempts to measure came up with about 33 inches. The digging out is underway, taking back our civilization one shovelful at a time.

"Snow-pocalypse" Arrives

The winter storm we've been hearing about for days has arrived. The predictions are for possibly 20-30 inches before it is out of here tomorrow. Spring will really be welcome here this year.

New Direction for Space

OK, the budget for FY2011 is out. Here is the NASA budget release with statements and related information and some media links.

The announcements accompanying the release, headed by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, described the new direction NASA is taking. In summary:

-Cancellation of the ongoing Constellation program aimed at a return to the Moon by 2020.

-Extension of the International Space Station to (at least) 2020 with a major push to enlist American commercial providers to transport crew and cargo to the ISS. Several companies were awarded funding to assist development of such projects under an existing program.

-Major investment in technology research and development including heavy lift vehicle (apparently no rapid Shuttle derived development though), in space propulsion (e.g. VASIMR), in -space propellant depots, radiation research and mitigation.

-Continuing unmanned exploration and science along with other miscellaneous initiatives.

So, the loss of the specific exploration goals and program is sad though the program was running into technical and budget issues that may have prevented its realization in the long run anyway. The Ares I/V launch vehicles were particularly troubled by design changes, escalating costs and delays. I think that a DIRECT type Shuttle derived launcher might have been workable and may re-emerge through Congressional action or, better yet, even as an initiative of a commercial consortium.

Needless to say, the reaction across the Internet space community is at such a high level that is virtually impossible to keep up with it all. Opinions range from exuberant enthusiasm for the new initiative to apocalyptic pronouncements of the end of (US) human spaceflight. Alan Boyle has a summary of the new direction and the ensuing debate here.

As for me, I think the initiatives to enable commercial human spaceflight and fund a range of frontier enabling technology developments are overdue and have my strong support. It will be exciting to see the additional initiatives of new and established space companies that may emerge in response to the new direction in space. I understand the cancellation of the troubled Ares I/V vehicles but had hoped that a more affordable heavy lift vehicle might have emerged. As I've said above , that may re-emerge one way or another.

It must also be understood that there is some amount of risk in this new initiative and that some thought should be given to what happens if the the commercial transport services are delayed, leaving us reliant on Russian transort for an extended time.

I am concerned that while the dispersal of space activities into a diversity of innovative initiatives can be a very promising development, there is a risk that the smaller programs might be vulnerable to future cuts by Congress or the Administration (Obama or a successor) to fund other priorities. I hope the space community will not remain so divided over these changes that it cannot come together to ensure that our space development efforts are not diluted

Finally, even a transition to a wider future involves traumatic dislocation so I am concerned about the many fellow workers in the space industry that will be affected. I haven't seen or heard anything specific about the satellite servicing project I'm working on now but it would seem to fit in well with the enhanced technology development program.

The Budget and the Future in Space

Tomorrow is the day for the annual release of the President's budget request for the next fiscal year (2011). This will no doubt intensify the debate over the ballooning federal deficit.

Along with all other federal departments and agencies, NASA and those interested in our future in space are awaiting tomorrow's release. This year more than normal, the budget release will be pivotal in indicating NASA's future direction.

Media reports such as this Washington Post article emphasize the apparent cancellation of the goal of returning to the Moon by 2020 and a historic initiative to enable commercial provision of human transport to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The move to encourage commercial involvement in human spaceflight is to be applauded. (I know. Doesn't this President realize that free enterprise also works on Earth? That's a topic for other posts.)

The apparent cancellation of the lunar goal is disturbing, but the situation is more complex than most media reports imply. (When the NYT and Fox News are echoing each other, you know there's a media echo chamber at work.)

A NASASpaceflight.com article, based on internal NASA management documents, reports on plans for an early test (2-3 years) of a Shuttle Derived Heavy Lift Vehicle (SDHLV) that would be, relatively speaking, simpler and more affordable to develop than the endangered Ares I/V vehicles currently planned. There are reports that this vehicle would be eventually moved into the stable of commercially provided launch vehicles, perhaps in a similar manner to the United Launch Alliance (ULA) provision of Atlas and Delta rockets and associated launch services.

The report that reaching the Moon by 2020 is off the table is likely true as there is currently no funding for a manned lunar landing vehicle. However, development of an affordable heavy lift launcher, especially if it is commercially managed, may enable a return to the Moon, along with other possible destinations included in the "flexible path" scenario that currently appears to be gaining support.

One media report that does cover the possible heavy lift vehicle development is this BBC article, which includes the role of the "DIRECT" team (some members who are within NASA and industry) who have been independently tweaking old NASA plans for an SDHLV. Here is the DIRECT web site and a Popular Science article describing their role in the debate over our future in space.

Of course, like all of the media reports and commentary, this post may soon be overcome by events, starting with tomorrow's budget release and other forthcoming announcements.

Predators: Swords as Plowshares

Unmanned Predator aircraft like those usually used by the US Air Force to spy on and attack terrorists in Afghanistan and other locations are being used to assist recovery efforts in Haiti.

The Predators have flown two round-the-clock orbits over Port-au-Prince, feeding full-motion video of roads and buildings, devastated by the Jan. 12 earthquake, to service members, relief organizations and Haitian officials.

"We have focused a lot on roads and infrastructure because they want to see what is intact," said Maj. Jeff Bright, the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing detachment commander during a Jan. 28 telephone interview from Puerto Rico.

The Air Force didn’t receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration until Jan. 25. Predators and MQ-9 Reapers had never before received FAA approval to operate out of a civilian airport.

Brig. Gen. Darryl Burke, the Air Forces Southern vice commander acting as the Air Component Coordination with Joint Task Force-Haiti, said the Predator’s Haitian flights represent a historic first that could further debate regarding remotely piloted aircraft operations inside the U.S.

This development could also be relevant to future operations at US spaceports as commercial and military uses space expand.

Room with a View

Images and telecasts from the International Space Station (ISS) have become almost routine over recent years and members of the general public can be forgiven for becoming a little jaded with the glimpses of the interiors of ISS modules they usually see.

That is about to change with nest week's STS-130 launch, which includes among its cargo a cupola that will provide an expansive view of the Earth, space and the ISS structure. Here's a video from the European Space Agency (ESA) that illustrates this exciting addition to the ISS. (Hat tip to Spaceports)

Remembering Those Who Gave Their Lives on the Frontier

NASA is observing the anniversaries of its human losses in spaceflight: Apollo 1 (forty three years ago yesterday), Challenger (twenty four years ago today), and Columbia (seven years ago next Monday, February 1). SpaceRef has posted the NASA KSC press release announcing this year's remembrance.

Touchdown for Life

Plans for a Super Bowl ad featuring college football superstar Tim Tebow describing how his mother chose life for him during a difficult pregnancy situation has raised panic among the usual suspects.

"I don't think it’s anything that’s negative or anything like that," Tebow said, according to the newspaper. "It’s a good time and place. There are a lot of people watching. It’s a great opportunity to show something very happy and a special story and my mom fighting for me. There are a lot of great things in that"

CBS is, at least currently, planning to air the ad while allowing other possible advocacy ads during its Super Bowl coverage.

Good for CBS if they follow through and air the ad and for Sarah Palin who eloquently weighed in in support of the Tebow ad.

"What a ridiculous situation they're getting themselves into now with their protest of CBS airing a pro-life ad during the upcoming Super Bowl game," she continued.

She said there is nothing wrong with an ad that will "speak to the sanctity of life and the beautiful potential within every innocent child as Mrs. Tebow acknowledges her choice to give Tim life, despite less than ideal circumstances."

States of the Union

President Obama's State of the Union message is underway with an emphasis on jobs, on which there is much agreement as a top priority, though there is sure to be much debate about the specifics.. Much of it is his standard content and style.

As a positive surprise, the President did endorse nuclear power plants and apparently some new offshore oil drilling as part of a comprehensive energy strategy. Still talks about " overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change." Hasn't he heard of Climategate?

Export reform mentioned, including hint of reforming export controls consistent with national security.

The unavoidable topic of deficits and the need to address spending is addressed. Calls for a bipartisan commission to address the deficit challenge. I don't think the back-handed Bush-bashing will help win bipartisan support.

Wants to meet more with Republicans. One election in Massachusetts does make a difference.

Addressing National security, terrorism, Afghanistan and Iraq.

In summary, a laundry list of proposals, good, bad and TBD. Vows to keep fighting, but I don't think his defiant tone will win over the growing skepticism in the nation. Here's the text of the speech.

Next up, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell with the Republican response. (Here's the text.) Jobs first priority in the response as well. Addresses deficits and the need to address the proper role of limited government. Recommends "common sense" health reform. Supports comprehensive and innovative energy policy.

Supports Obama's actions in Afghanistan but concerned about response to terrorist threat.

"Government closest to the people governs best." "America must always be a land where liberty and property are valued and respected, and innocent human life is protected."

Two speeches. Definitely two contrasting visions for America.

March for Life: A Gathering of Hundreds of Thousands

While it marks a solemn anniversary, the March for Life is one of my favorite occasions of the year, as it brings together so many good people for such a great cause: the protection of the dignity of every human life at every stage and condition. You could say it is just an intimate gathering of hundreds of thousands of close friends.

Thursday evening, I attended the powerful vigil Mass at the National Shrine, standing in a corner at the very back of the very packed basilica.

Friday morning, I began a full day by attending the Blogs for Life 2010 conference, which featured an interesting agenda of prolife leaders presenting various aspects of the movement and expert panels on using new media to advance the cause.

Leading prolife bloggers discuss the new media and the message.

The Rally and March itself were an impressive display of support for protecting human life and opposing abortion.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the head of the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life women's group, called this year's March for Life "an impressive and visible sign of a quiet populist reality" where more than 300,000 people are estimated to have attended.

Following the March, I took time to rest with friends at Madonna House and at The Dubliner before heading to the Rose Dinner where Princeton Professor Robert George gave a powerful assessment of "Our Struggle for the Soul of the Nation."

Below are more pics from the March.

The young carry a message to society.

A message for President Obama

Speaking Truth to Power

Women and men hurt by abortion shout "We will be - Silent No More!"

The cause of life must be advanced in every political party.

"Let Justice Roll!" proclaims a Christian rock band in front of the Supreme Court.

Below: One graphic image, just as a reminder of what it's all about

Another Blow for Freedom

In the same week that the Massachusetts voters have apparently derailed the health care monstrosity, the Supreme Court today struck its own blow for liberty by removing many of the McCain-Feingold restrictions on campaign financing, thus restoring more free speech for corporations and non-profit advocacy groups alike.

From NRO:

"We...hold that stare decisis does not compel the continued acceptance of Austin. The Government may regulate corporate political speech through disclaimer and disclosure requirements, but it may not suppress that speech altogether," Kennedy says in his decision.

Now, if they would only recognize that stare decisis (respect for judicial precedent) does not compel the continued acceptance of abortion-on-demand imposed by Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton.

Why We March

This is a slightly revised and updated article I first wrote and posted in 2004 at this time.

Friday, January 22, marks the 37th anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions which imposed abortion-on-demand in the United States. Once again, concerned citizens will gather on Friday for the annual March for Life, which in recent years has usually drawn more than an estimated 200,000 participants. Now, why do so many people consider it so important to take time on a weekday to come to Washington, DC at the coldest time of the year to make their voice heard on this matter?

Before I go on any further, I need to say a couple of things. First, nothing in this article is meant to condemn anyone who has had an abortion or has been involved in abortion in some way. Far from condemning those with an abortion in their past, the people in the prolife movement are about healing and forgiveness, and want it to be clear that there is hope after abortion. Post-abortion counseling can be found through many church denominations and pregnancy counseling centers.

And second, while the prolife movement consists largely of people with strong religious convictions who feel called by God to defend the defenseless, that doesn't make the protection of human life a narrow, religious issue. The facts that the defenseless exist and that they deserve protection in the human family can be persuasively advocated by non-religiously reasoned arguments.

First, let's start with a little scientific background (from the Science for Unborn Human Life website) about how each of us began our lives as unique human beings. A new human being is conceived when a sperm fertilizes an egg. The sperm has 23 chromosomes and so does the egg. But the fertilized egg has 46, half from each parent, and is genetically unique. These 46 chromosomes, which are fixed at conception, establish the child's sex and are a blueprint for how it will develop, both during pregnancy and after birth.

Blood vessels start to form very early, about 13-18 days after fertilization. Then, on about the 20th day - nearly the end of the third week - the foundation of the brain, the spinal cord, and the entire nervous system is established. The heart begins to beat on about the 22nd day after conception, circulating blood throughout the child. The arms begin to form on about day 26, followed by the beginnings of the legs on day 28, the same day that the mouth opens for the first time.

Both the eyes and ears are developing rapidly during the seventh week after conception. At this time, the thumbs, neck, heels of the feet and all of the fingers are also present. Taste buds begin to form during the eighth week after conception. All parts of the limbs are apparent at this time. In addition, the fingers and toes have lengthened and are completely separated.

By the end of the eighth week the overwhelming majority (several thousand) of the body's organs, structures and systems have already begun to develop. Few, if any, new structures begin to form after this time. During the remainder of the pregnancy, development consists mainly of growth and maturation of the parts of the body that are already present.

Isolated arm, leg and backward head movements begin at about 7 to 10 weeks after conception. During the ninth week, a regular pattern of breathing movements is observed, with a median frequency of about 30 breaths each hour.

These are just the highlights of how you developed during the first 2-3 months of your life. Now consider that a majority of abortions are performed during the tenth to twelfth week of gestation. Some are performed much later in the pregnancy, when the child has grown larger and any unbiased observer would recognize a baby when they see one.

So why if the evidence so clearly indicates that a unique human life begins at conception, how did the deliberate and violent destruction of that life come to be imposed as a 'constitutional right'? Time does not permit describing the whole history of abortion or the intertwining influences of the eugenics and population control movements. Let's start with the socially turbulent late sixties when a growing pro-abortion movement subversively exploited the legitimate aspirations of women for greater rights and participation in society.

Dr. Bernard Nathanson, former abortionist and co-founder of the pro-abortion group NARAL, has since changed his mind and heart and is now a leading prolife advocate. He points out the disinformation at the heart of the pro-abortion campaign.

- "The statistics that we gave to the American public about illegal abortions annually; the statistics we fabricated regarding the number of women dying from illegal abortions annually; all of these matters were pure fabrication and still persist to this very day."

- "We spoke of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths a year. I confess that I knew the figures were totally false. It was a useful figure, widely accepted, so why go out of our way to correct it with honest statistics?"

- "We in NARAL were in the business of coining slogans principally for the media . . . we scattered catchy slogans for them . . . to use . . . in their stories. Slogans like "reproductive rights", "freedom of choice", "pro-choice". For many years we've known them to be hollow and meaningless. They're just catchy and, essentially, without substance."

The movement made rapid progress. California, New York and a few other states passed 'liberalized' abortion laws (though some other states rejected them). But what imposed abortion on American law were two Supreme Court cases, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, pronounced on January 22, 1973. The combined effect of the two decisions was to effectively impose abortion-on-demand throughout the nine months of pregnancy. Since that time, over forty nine million human beings have been exterminated by abortion in the United States.

Aside from the grave issue that was decided, the finding that abortion is part of a constitutional 'right of privacy' is considered an overreach of judicial power even by some legal scholars who describe themselves as 'prochoice'. The 'reasoning' was based on 'penumbras' the justices claim to have seen in the constitution.

Did you know that the two plaintiffs in the Roe and Doe cases, Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano, have filed affidavits to the effect that they were manipulated into their roles and that the decisions should be overturned? You would think that this development would be considered unprecedented in Supreme Court history, but I guess Chris Matthews, Katie Couric, the New York Times, etc. forgot to inform you.

One fact that is becoming evident that abortion-on-demand is not such a great thing for women. Abortion has left many women emotionally and sometimes physically scarred. Campaigns such as Silent No More and Women Deserve Better are tapping into this hidden anguish.

Also evident is the effect on our society, with conflicting attitudes on how we treat not only the unborn, but also the sick, disabled and elderly. Consider the heart wrenching case of the judicially imposed death of Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Abortion has torn marriages and families apart, and led to a hardened and increasingly violent culture. The raging debate over embryonic stem cell research and human cloning shows the growing risk posed by a disregard for the dignity of every human life.

So, we have had for the past thirty seven years, a culture that in some ways has grown cynical, forgoing the promise of a hopeful future for instant gratification, or more often, the resignation to unimaginative 'solutions' that pit mother against child or people against the planet. One is reminded of a quote from the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats:

"The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere a ceremony of innocence was drowned."

These Supreme Court abortion decisions were assumed to have 'settled' the issue in our society. Yet much to the consternation of the pro-abortion establishment, the movement of concerned citizens to protect life has only grown in strength over the past thirty seven years. The prolife movement has pursued multiple paths: educating the public, lobbying and litigating for change, participating in politics, and especially reaching out to help women with unplanned pregnancies. On the political front, abortion is playing a pivotal role in the debate over health care legislation. Polling data consistently indicates that, even when economic or other issues determine the outcome of an election, those voters that consider abortion decisive in their voting swing overwhelmingly for the prolife candidates. Presidents, economic cycles and other national controversies come and go, but the struggle for life goes on.

Particularly significant is that the change in public attitudes on abortion is most striking among young people (who've lost peers they've never met). This is manifested in polling results and an upsurge of prolife activism among teens and college students, much to the consternation of their professors and, in some cases, their parents. Sort of adds a new twist to some lyrics from the sixties by Buffalo Springfield:

"Young people speaking their minds, Getting so much resistance from behind."

So the buses are starting to roll, as thousands from distant states once again journey to Washington, where many will gather in prayer the night before or the morning of the March. Then we will rally and march, knowing that those we are trying to defend would some day defend our nation, write great literature, cure disease, compose stirring music, and explore and begin to settle the Solar System.

But more than for their potential accomplishments, we speak out for them simply because of the inherent dignity of each of their lives. In so doing we are responding to a great calling as individuals and as a civilization. And we'll continue to speak and march and work and pray, confident in the hope that, one of these years, we'll no longer face the cold winds. Instead, we'll gather on a warm spring day to celebrate the inclusion of the youngest in the human family within the protection of the law.

The Revolution's Here!!

The calls are coming in from AP and other sources: Scott Brown wins the Massachusetts senate race! This really changes the political landscape, especially compared to the Obama inaugural euphoria of one year ago tomorrow.

This has big implications for the 2010 general elections and beyond, but the most immediate impact will be on the Obama-Reid-Pelosi health care monstrosity (in its various mutations) now before Congress. Losing their "super majority" 60th vote, the Democratic leadership will have to consider whether to back off on pushing their ambitious plans or resort to desperate measures to try to ram a health care bill through.

Mark Steyn celebrates the "chowdah revolution". Once again, the people have spoken and political winds have shifted direction once again. May those winds shift across the land, including here in Maryland. There is new hope in the air in the wake of change we can believe in.

Haiti Catastrophe

The death, suffering and devastation following Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti is just too overwhelming to describe. Aid from the US and around the world has been pouring in but distribution has been slowed by Haiti's damaged port and roads and congestion at the airport at Port-au-Prince.

Catholic Relief Services and many other major organizations are collecting emergency donations over the Internet.

Satellite imagery is being used to guide rescue efforts amid the devastation in Haiti.

The Circus Opens while the People Rally

The Circus on the Severn (aka the Maryland General Assembly) opened on Wednesday in Annapolis for its 90 day 2010 run. Meanwhile, a large grassroots rally drew a large crowd of citizens on a cold night to express frustration with excessive government taxing, spending and regulation. (Baltimore Sun article here) (I was there, but I didn't have my camera with me this time so none of my own pics.)

Battle of Lexington and Concord

Actually, it's happening in the whole state of Massachusetts and could be decisive for the future of our whole Republic. I've just made a contribution to Scott Brown (link here), the Republican candidate who has a fighting chance of winning the late Ted Kennedy's US Senate seat. Today was a big day to rally nationwide support to Brown's campaign, though if you read this later this week, I'm sure contributions are still welcome.

Kathryn Jean Lopez points out that while Brown is, strictly speaking, not prolife, the differences between him and his opponent on pending life issues, particularly the pending health care vote, make support for Brown a licit and prudent position.

I understand completely the desire for political leaders who will defend what really is the human-rights issue of our day in the United States. With Scott Brown, you are not going to get the next Rick Santorum, a leader in the Senate for the most defenseless. But you will, if what he says and what he’s done are indications, get a vote with you more often than not.

While I don't have the time to look up the exact reference, Ms. Lopez's position is consistent with that of Pope John Paul II in Evangelium Vitae where he says it is licit to vote for an imperfect candidate or piece of legislation if it advances the cause of life in the right direction.

Blogs for Life!

I've just signed up for the Blogs for Life 2010 conference to be held on the morning of January 22 in Washington DC. After the conference, participants will then walk down to the Mall to participate in the March for Life.

Media Misses the Real Prolife Story

Jack Cashill, producer of the powerful video Thine Eyes, writes about how many of the conventional media sources overlook the real story of the prolife movement while seeming to portray abortion opponents as similar to one twisted violent individual. If you get most of your impression of the abortion dispute from the formerly mainstream media, Mr. Cashill's piece will give you a whole different perspective.

Failure to Connect the Dots

As a casual blogger with a day job and slow typing fingers, I sometimes take several days to catch up with events. Therefore, I'm going to say nothing about whatever Harry Reid said about Barack Obama, because it is trivial compared to recent events concerning national security.

Last Thursday, a White House directed report responding to the Christmas day attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 concluded that the intelligence community failed to "connect the dots" in putting all the pieces of information and analysis together. President Obama announced his response in a series of steps to prevent such lapses in the future.

The President appears to be starting to come to grips with a reality far different than that perceived in the liberal lala land which formed much of his political career. Mark Steyn points out that that world view has put us into a a dangerous position in the world and that voters should have given that more consideration over a year ago.

According to one poll, 58 percent of Americans are in favor of waterboarding young Umar Farouk. Well, you should have thought about that before you made a community organizer president of the world’s superpower. The election of Barack Obama was a fundamentally unserious act by the U.S. electorate, and you can’t blame the world’s mischief-makers, from Putin to Ahmadinejad to the many Gitmo recidivists now running around Yemen, from drawing the correct conclusion.

Star of Wonder

Well timed with this week's developments in space and astronomy, Pope Benedict XVI offers an Epiphany reflection on how the Wise Men illustrate the complementary nature of faith and reason.

The Wise Men are "models of genuine seekers of truth," "men of science ... observing the cosmos", but open "to further revelations and the divine call". Benedict XVI has taken a cue from the Feast of the Epiphany - which commemorates the journey of the Three Kings from the East following a star, until their encounter with Baby Jesus in Bethlehem - to repeat his call for collaboration between science and faith, for harmony between human research and divine truth.

A Stellar Week in Astronomy

(Please click on this image for enlargement.)

Several developments on our knowledge of the Universe:

- A new Hubble Ultra Deep Field imaged in the infrared was released on Tuesday. The imagery was taken by the Wide Field Camera 3, which was installed on Hubble during the STS-125 servicing mission last May.

- The Kepler space observatory, launched last March, has revealed five new exoplanets (planets around other stars). These newly discovered worlds are large objects comparable to Jupiter in size. It will take a longer period of time for the spacecraft to detect Earth sized planets.

- The WISE space telescope, launched in December, has its first image released. The goal of this mission is to map the whole sky for faint objects.

- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden issues a strong endorsement for science and for human space exploration (hopefully reflecting coming Obama Administration policy).

What Promises?

C-SPAN chief executive Brian Lamb requests that negotiations on a final health care bill be open to live TV coverage, as President Obama promised multiple times during the 2008 campaign. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismisses those promises of openness as she can't be bothered with informing the American people on the dubious legislation that would affect all of our health care.

The Iceman Cometh

For your entertainment during this frigid winter: a talking 4,000 lb. Al Gore ice sculpture. (Hat tip to Climate Depot)

Happy New Year...

...and Happy New Decade. Or not?

Eugene Volokh looks at the nuances of this debate.

The Passing of the Year

Every year seems to look weirder in retrospect than previous years and 2009, the year that "Octomom" became a household word has proven to be no exception.

The year began with great fanfare about the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States. As I asked in that post, would the policies reflect the soaring rhetoric? It soon became obvious that the policies would not favor protection of the lives of the most defenseless, though the prolife movement marched on with new resiliency.

This year we became all too used to hearing of dollar amounts in the trillions as stimulus, "Cap and Trade" and most of all health care became the issues of the day. While the acute financial crisis of late 2008 abated, rising unemployment caused continuing public anxiety over the economy. Meanwhile. the emerging "clinategate" scandal demonstrated that the certainty underlying much of the prevailing conventional wisdom is not so certain after all.

Economic turmoil and increased government intervention in citizen's lives spurred a new grassroots movement that recalls America's revolutionary roots by adopting the "tea party" logo as the political winds once again seem to be shifting direction.

With all of our domestic turmoil we are reminded that is still a dangerous world with the terrorist atrocity committed by a single individual at Ft. Hood and the averting of an even greater atrocity aboard Flight 253 on Christmas day. The struggles in Iran and other nations show how precious freedom and peace are in our world.

Progress continued in many fields of endeavor. This year I had the special opportunity to participate in the final mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. (To review my posts on the mission, go to my May 2009 archives and scroll to the bottom, then scroll upward to read the posts in ascending order.) The launch of other science probes and the near completion of the International Space Station and the continuing emergence of the commercial sector highlight the year in space while the nation underwent a major reassessment of the direction and implementation of its human spaceflight program. Look for decisions in early 2010, a year known for a fictional space odyssey.

So once again we need to be prayerful and vigilant while hopeful and proactive as we face another new year.

World at Unrest

While we are celebrating Christmas and other holidays, a Christmas day terrorist atrocity was narrowly averted on Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines Flight 253, revealing vulnerabilities in our security system.

In Iran, the the struggle between the government and its people continues to intensify in violence. Michael Ledeen summarizes what has been transpiring there over the last several days.

Finally, John F. Cullinan describes the situation of the often forgotten Christians in Iraq.

While the Iraqi government has belatedly taken some modest steps to ease the suffering of Iraqi Christians, the U.S. government’s consistent policy of studied and shameful indifference forms rare common ground between the Bush and Obama administrations. It is an indelible stain on American honor that two administrations did nothing to assist, much less protect, a beleaguered religious minority. Such was not the case in the Balkans a decade ago, when the Clinton administration came to the aid of embattled Muslim minorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo with decisive military force in similar circumstances. In Iraq, however, America’s unmet moral obligations were and are the direct consequence of the security vacuum arising from the American-led destruction of Saddam’s Republic of Fear.

Have a Holy and Merry Christmas!

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:1-14


Here are two stirringly beautiful Christmas music videos by Enya and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.




Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Canon

shadow | MySpace Video

Expedition 22 heads to Space

Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Expedition 22 crew arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday after launching from Kazakhstan at 4:52 pm EST Sunday (2152 GMT Sunday, 3:52 am local time Monday). This brings the ISS crew back up to five after several weeks of being down to a crew of two after others departed for Earth.

Winter Wonderland

The storm as seen from far overhead (NOAA satellite image emphasizing moisture content) and from my front door and from my kitchen overlooking the deck in back.





The East Coast is experiencing a really big December snow storm today. It is a really pretty site, but by the time I'm done shoveling out, I may begin to wish Al Gore was right.

Imagine No "Overpopulation" Hysteria

A video clip cited by American Papist and picked up at other sites shows John Lennon and Yoko Ono in an appearance with TV host Dick Cavett (I'm guessing around 1971) pithily popping the bubble of "overpopulation" hysteria.

John Lennon rightly ridicules those already living deciding who else can live and also (even if somewhat flippantly) suggests human expansion beyond Earth as part of a more positive human future than population control.

Copenhagen Ends With A Wimper

The Copenhagen climate summit finally ended on Friday with an underwhelming conclusion. Then again, the premise behind the mega-conference is far from settled. As I've said before, climate change is a complex scientific topic, so we should conduct vigorous climate research and monitoring and energy research and development, but not impose major social and economic disruption.

Code RED!!

Citizens gather to oppose the health care bill (above). US Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) addresses the rally (below). Note the "Palin-Bachmann" sign behind her held by a supporter of two of America's most dynamic political women.




Several thousand citizens gathered near the Capitol this afternoon in a "Code Red" rally to oppose the constantly morphing health care bill being debated in the Senate. Abortion funding, health care rationing, excessive bureaucratic control in personal decisions and excessive costs and taxes are among the fundamental flaws in this legislation.

The most fiery rallying speech was delivered by popular radio talk show host Laura Ingraham.

After the rally, many of us visited our senators' offices (In my case, MD Senators Mikulski & Cardin) and expressed our views to the staff who were present.