Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
In a legacy of appointing unqualified people to government posts, Bush may have hit the jackpot with the appointment of Eric Keroack as head of the Office of Population Affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services. What does that job entail? It entails overseeing the entire Title X family planning program, including 4500 clinics that provide pregnancy testing, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and birth control information. And who did Bush just put in charge of it? A guy who is opposed to birth control. Brownie, you're doing a hell of a job.
Keroack's organization, A Woman's Concern, takes the position that distribution of birth control is "demeaning to women, degrading of human sexuality, and adverse to human health and happiness." In Bush's world, that makes him the perfect guy to put in charge of a program that distributes birth control. Up next: NASA will be run by a man who opposes the space program and the Pentagon will be run by a pacifist.
Comments
If Bart Sibrel is a republican then he would be perfect to head NASA...
BTW, Ed, I asked this once, but I'll ask again. Do you by any chance have a spam filter on your published e-mail? I mailed you some updates from the latest Israeli supreme court ruling on gay marriage and was wondering if you got it.
Posted by: ParanoidMarvin | November 23, 2006 10:40 AM
And perhaps Peter Deusberg will be appointed to head up the AIDS committee.
Posted by: SLC | November 23, 2006 10:51 AM
He could pardon Ken Hovind and make him the head of the IRS...
Posted by: dogmeatIB | November 23, 2006 12:05 PM
"Pentagon will be run by a pacifist." that would actually be a good idea
Posted by: Lincoln | November 23, 2006 12:20 PM
Marvin-
I did get your email about the Israeli supreme court, I just didn't reply to it. I'm sorry.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | November 23, 2006 12:31 PM
Really no need to apologize, just wanted to make sure that I was getting through, since I've had problems with my e-mail for the past week. No idea why, it's a gmail account.
Posted by: ParanoidMarvin | November 23, 2006 2:40 PM
This would be funnier if I didn't think that we'd be able to measure Keroack's performance by the number of women who die as a result of his efforts.
Posted by: Jim Ramsey | November 23, 2006 2:47 PM
FTW!
Posted by: ArmchairAnarchist | November 23, 2006 3:07 PM
Nah. All he needs is a short remedial lecture. It'll make him see the light.
Posted by: Markus | November 24, 2006 8:11 AM
This is no surprise to anyone who remembers Bush's recess-appointment of failed right-wing moralist Ellen Sauerbrey as Assistant Secreatary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration.
Now let's see if the Democrats even notice.
Posted by: Raging Bee | November 24, 2006 8:39 AM
Since trackbacks don;t seem to be working for me. Here's my limited take on it.
The appointees current job as medical director of "A Woman's Concern" has him as head of a group that still uses the flawed study linking breast cancer to abortions and fetal pain as well as other false or suspect information to lie to women considering the procedure.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | November 24, 2006 9:19 AM
This is really infuriating. Somebody PLEASE tell the pres "uh" dent and Mr. Kerouack that unless they HAVE a uterus, they DO NOT get an opinion about what is and is not demeaning to women.
And lest someone WITH a uterus thinks she can tell me when I'm being demeaned; BZZZZZT! Sorry, wrong answer but thanks for playing. I'll be somewhat more likely to consider your opinion, but I really think I should be able to decide for myself how I feel about birth control (and other issues that affect me.)
What's demeaning is having others (men) try to tell us when we're being demeaned and by what because then they'll think they can tell us when we're NOT being demeaned ("No, no, dearie; subjecting yourself to your hubby isn't demeaning, of course not!")
Posted by: twincats | November 24, 2006 6:26 PM