The President-elect's Reply to My Concerns on FOCA

Shortly after Mr Obama's Presidential election victory, I emailed him to forward my congratulations and express my concerns regarding the Freedom of Choice Act. I recently recieved this reply:

"Dear Joseph Henzler,

Thank you for contacting us with questions regarding the policy agenda of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden. They have listened to the hopes, concerns and ideas of people across our country and developed innovative approaches to challenge the status quo in Washington and bring about the change America needs.

The incoming Obama-Biden administration has a comprehensive and detailed policy agenda. Among many important domestic and foreign policy objectives, the priorities of the new Administration include: reviving the economy; provide affordable, accessible health care to all; strengthening our public education and social security systems; defining a clear path to energy independence and tackling climate change; ending the war in Iraq responsibly and finishing our mission in Afghanistan; and working with our allies to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.To learn details about the Obama-Biden policy agenda and share your ideas, please click here:http://www.change.gov/agenda/

We appreciate the outpouring of interest in the new administration and hope you will stay involved.

Sincerely,The Obama-Biden Transition Project"

My reply:

"Dear Mr Obama and Team,

Thanks so much for your recent reply to my email outlining my opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), but I failed to see in your email where my concerrns about this legislation was addressed. Perhaps it was blanketed by the statement about "provide affordable, accessible health care to all". I'm not sure that it is, but would like clarification on this point.

If such is the case, I would like to point out that abortion has and extremely deleterious effect on the development of the unborn child, not to mention recent research indicating long term mental and physical health risks faced by women who undergo abortions.

Further, in keeping with your statement that the determination as to when life begins is above your pay grade, it would seem to me that the most prudent course of action for the man about to assume the office of the highest law enforcement officer of the land would be to err on the side of caution by assuming that life begins at conception.

Thank you for attention in this matter. I eagerly await your response.

Sincerely,
Joseph O Henzler"

I encourage others to drop Mr Obama's team a respectful note on this matter. He asked us to do so. I'm sure he'll be delighted.

I'll keep you posted on any replies I recieve. Til next time, all the best. Joe