Free Press – March 8, 2007

Mike Zowniriw, Cervical Cancer Vaccine, Michael Smerconish

Dear Friends,

Good morning. Most of my days are spent reading and writing. Whenever I see unusual news reports, I wonder how my readers react to them. So occasionally, I’ll give you my take on stories that catch my eye and see whether you agree. Today’s topics are: the debate over cervical cancer vaccine, Richland Township Supervisor Mike Zowniriw’s day in court, and radio talk show host Michael Smerconish’s suburban GOP Manifesto.

Let’s start with the Richland supervisor who’s become a household name throughout the region. A few weeks ago, Supervisor Zowniriw marched into Judge Robert Mellon’s Bucks County Courtroom to appeal his disorderly conduct conviction. Last year, District Court Justice Robert Roth found Zowniriw guilty of throwing a rock at his neighbor and fined him about $200 but no jail time.

I was astounded that Supervisor Mike appealed Justice Roth’s decision. What do you think our favorite son expected? First prize for victory in an anger management contest? Personally, I think Zowniriw was lucky he didn’t walk out of Judge Mellon’s courtroom in cuffs, and a deputy sheriff by his side, for a day or two in the clink.

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Did you read that Montgomery County is offering a controversial vaccine designed to prevent cervical cancer? The county health department says that all females between the ages of 9 and 18 should get the vaccine. Texas became the first state to make the vaccination mandatory although families may opt out of the plan.

The American Cancer Society estimated that 9,700 women in the U. S. would be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2006 and another 3,700 women would die from the disease.

Religious groups argue that the vaccine will encourage young women to become promiscuous. That’s hard for me to accept. Doesn’t it seem crazy that any family would deny the vaccine to their daughters? But what do I know? I’ll have to ask the Bucks County Commissioners whether they will follow Montgomery County’s lead? Stay tuned.

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Michael Smerconish is a popular early morning talk radio host on 1210AM. He’s a Central Bucks grad who’s become a huge success. Smerconish offered his Manifesto to the Republican Party after the November elections, which turned both congressional houses over to the Democrats.

He listed 15 items, which he believes the GOP will have to adopt if they wish to return to congressional majority…and win the presidency. I think that the Republican Party should pay attention to Smerconish. The suburban vote across America…especially the female suburban vote… determines who occupies the white house.

He listed the 15 questions on his website and received 3,449 responses. Here’s what he learned…and what the GOP probably won’t [learn]:

“For starters, 10 out of 15 agreed with my positions,” Smerconish began. “Specifically, there was significant agreement on the need for an Iraq exit strategy, even a timetable, and on the subject of hunting down and killing bin Laden- even if he’s in Pakistan.

“With a total of 80 percent, people agreed with me that we need to screen everyone at airports and borders, but some more than others,” he continued. “Yes, I refer to the dreaded p-sword, profiling.

“And also, by a similar margin, we agreed on something House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has embraced: that the 9/11 commission recommendations be enacted. There was overwhelming support for my view that the borders be closed before we deal with the illegals already here, the estate tax ended and term limits imposed. Each of these items was supported by 70 percent or more of my respondents.

“Already, I could see why the GOP got drubbed. These views should have been the core of the GOP platform, but they weren’t.

“And the social issues were even more revealing.

“My support of less-conservative social positions didn’t win such decided support, but I wasn’t in a lopsided minority, either. On embracing embryonic stem-cell research, half of the respondents agreed. The same result greeted my arguing for a party that has room for both pro-life and pro-choice folks, makes Plan B available over the counter and rejects federal intervention in end-of-life cases like Terri Schiavo’s. Even when I said marriage between a man and woman is not threatened by same-sex unions, half agreed.

“So when the GOP leadership is decidedly pro-life, against Plan B dissemination and for federal intervention a la Schiavo, or opposes gay rights on the grounds that it has an effect on heterosexual marriage, we are turning off 50 percent of the suburban base.

“And therein lies the future for the GOP. It’s time for moderation on social issues in order to advance a suburban agenda for the GOP. In short, a party that’s tough on the bad guys and not too preachy, and no longer willing to allow fringe elements to take over their platform. We’re not monolithic and should not be treated as such.

“The GOP future depends on a blend of pragmatism, moderation and conservatism of the kind advanced by Barry Goldwater, the man who started the movement and simply wanted government off our backs, and out of our pocketbooks and our bedrooms,” Smerconish concluded.

BRAVO Michael Smirconish! There are close to 3,000 Republican County Chairmen in America. I wish they could all read Smerconish’s 15 points. I’ll bet that Bucks County GOP Chieftain Harry Fawkes has.

Sincerely,

Charles Meredith