Pataki boldy asserted his moral stance: “I know that there are many New Yorkers who sincerely disagree with this position, and I respect and appreciate their views. But my action today is based solely on a desire to protect the health and safety of our youngest and most vulnerable women.”

Right, by keeping them knocked up. Everyone knows that unplanned pregnancy is the road to a bright future. After all, if unrealistic expectations of abstinence don’t work, how could proven science do better? Funny how many conservatives hate paying for unwanted children, but have no problem blocking legislation to prevent them.

An AP story on the subject states that “Anti-abortion groups see interfering with a fertilized egg as abortion.” What it fails to mention is that abortion is still legal, and will likely remain so in NY regardless of Roe v. Wade’s perilous future. The real problem abortion foes have with this pill is that it makes abortion easy and accessible when, as God-fearing, decent people know, it should be difficult, painful and traumatic.

As for Pataki, he’s already announced that he won’t run against AG Elliot Spitzer, mainly because Spitzer is set to demolish him. The minute Pataki made that decision, he stopped thinking about us as his constituency. Everything he does from now on will be part of an effort to position him as a viable candidate for president (or more likely vice president, due to his general lack of charisma). Just like any other NY politician moving to the national stage (Hillary Clinton, for instance), Pataki must move culturally to the right, while his budget-depleting tactics and assault on schools and social services put him squarely in the GOP mainstream fiscally. Banning the morning after pill will go a long way for George, but it’s just too bad we all have to live with it, joining such advanced states as Texas and Kentucky in striking down Plan B while California, Washington, Maine, and others go the way of the heathens.