LETTERS: GOP MAKES DEAL TO FUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD

To the editor:

The Republicans have once again proven they are no different than Democrats when it comes to real family values. In fact, it would seem they want to make sure the abortion business keeps right on rolling along even after President-elect Bush takes office. Could the Republicans be in the pocket of the abortion industry as well? You be the judge.

House speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate majority leader Trent Lott recently reached a deal with outgoing President Clinton granting the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education departments a 12 percent increase over last year's budget of $97 billion. This amounts to $109 billion dollars (three times last year's inflation rate), part of which is to be used by Planned Parenthood, the nation's No. 1 provider of abortions. Besides betraying all of the people who still believe that Republicans are pro-life, they also betrayed U.S. Sen. Jesse Helm when they left out his amendment to the bill that would keep school-based clinics from passing out the morning-after abortion pill to sexually active teens unless they have parental notice.

HARRY A. BARRY

Cape Girardeau