ONE MORE REASON BUSH WANTS TO PACK THE COURTS: He wants to avoid decisions like this one:

The United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled that the State of Texas illegally denied federal funds for family planning agencies including Planned Parenthood of North Texas (PPNT), in a move that would leave more than 25,000 North Texans with no other accessible health care.

"We are naturally pleased but not surprised by the court’s ruling because the state law clearly violated federal law," PPNT Vice-President of Community Relations, Kathryn Allen said. "It is unfortunate Texas Legislators with a personal and partisan agenda went so far as to waste tax payers money, waste the state and federal courts’ time and put more than 25,000 North Texans' only source of health care in jeopardy. The authors of the bill knew it was an unconstitutional law while they were writing it and lobbying it."

The lawsuit was initiated by PPNT and five other Planned Parenthood affiliates against the State of Texas when Rider 8 was included in the state Appropriations bill. Rider 8 prohibits any federal family planning funding from going to organizations that also provide abortions through private funds. 98% of PPNT patients are seeking basic reproductive medical care; only 2% are seeking abortions.

(Thanks to Janis Delmonte of the GDCRF's email list for the notice.)