Bush Family Planning

It is not surprising that the Bush administration is delaying federal funding of birth control access in Georgia and other states (editorial, Aug. 19). The pivotal issue for President Bush seems to be how to stay in power by capturing the Catholic vote in 2004. By taking an overly conservative stance not only on abortion but on birth control as well, the administration hopes to win a majority of the Catholic vote in the next presidential election. That family planning is the most logical way to deal with unwanted pregnancies and abortions seems to be of no concern to this administration. This unrelenting push to the right by Bush may backfire on him even among Catholics, because many support both a woman’s right to choose and family planning access.

Edward C. Bayan

Northridge