Thankfully, Vice President Gore was gracious in his concession, announcing he will work toward uniting the nation behind our new president. I have been hard on Mr. Gore in the last several months - not because I think he is a terrible man, but because I think his policies would be disastrous for America. Speaking as an uncompromising conservative, I am glad Mr. Gore was ultimately magnanimous in defeat.
However, the Democrats are already actively pursuing their own interests in an attempt to design party control in the House and Senate in 2002 and in the White House in 2004. (History suggests that Democrats will indeed take control of the Congress in 2002.) Democrats even hope to advance themselves within the Bush White House and in congressional leadership roles despite the fact that Republicans control both Houses.
The important thing is that we who elected Mr. Bush continue to make our voices heard and not rest on our laurels after winning such a hard-fought political battle. Mr. Bush was elected on a conservative mandate and we must vocally support him as he works to advance his core agenda - improving our schools (not just continuing to throw money at them while they collapse), reinforcing Medicare, strengthening our military and cutting taxes.
I pray also that, under Mr. Bush's leadership, we will witness a halt to the present antagonism against people of faith and that we can see legislation passed to halt the senseless killing of unborn children through partial-birth abortion. It will be through Mr. Bush's court appointments--nominating jurists without activist agendas that ignore the Constitution--that these assaults on life and religious freedom will be halted.
Mr. Bush will enter a White House that has enacted an agenda strikingly contrasting his own.
In fact, as Mr. Bush prepares to enter the White House, President Clinton is attempting to convince Congress to approve a massive spending increase that would further erode the nation's traditional family values. At issue is a $109 billion funding bill for the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education departments, which--as it stands--contains an incredible 12% increase over last year's $97 billion funding level.
Worse, a major part of the massive increase would go to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider. This compromise bill has left out an important amendment sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), a great pro-family champion, that would keep school- based clinics from actually passing out the "morning-after" pill to teenage girls, unless they have parental notice.
This is the political environment Mr. Bush is entering. It is an environment that believes parents should have little or no say in their children's education ... that young girls should be given abortion information and, in some cases, abortion pills at school ... that women and girls should be able to terminate their unborn children--for virtually any reason--through partial-birth abortion ... and that Christian conservatives should keep their collective mouths shut while our nation's moral fabric is devastated.
According to the American Family Association, in recent months Planned Parenthood has spent at least $10 million to defeat pro-life conservatives in Congress. Nevertheless, Republican leaders have reportedly reached an agreement with Mr. Clinton that compromises many pro-family concerns in this bill. If this is the kind of weak congressional leadership from Republicans that awaits Mr. Bush, he will face many problems in the Oval Office.
That is why George W. Bush needs our prayers. And that is why we must continue to do our part to help him. The first place we can start to help is by fighting against the Labor/HHS bill--H.R. 4577--which could be voted on in Congress very soon, meaning it is important that we take action immediately.
Therefore, I am urging all my friends to call their congressional leaders to express their opposition to the compromise version of the Labor and Health and Human Services Appropriations bill. Remember to always be polite when expressing your opinion.
And please remember to keep George W. Bush in your prayers!