I write tonight to bring attention to an initiative that has slowly but steadily begun building solid support in both houses of Congress for the past several years.

This idea, which I believe will change our image of American public service, was not produced by a think tank or by a D.C. focus group.  

I am proud to announce my full and aggressive support of the creation of a United States Public Service Academy.  

This is most certainly premeditated, especially considering a fellow diarist's recent urging not to jump the gun at this juncture by looking toward 2008 but instead focus on our new congressional marjority.  However, the question came so strongly to my mind as a new diarist that I thought I might throw it out there.  I have not been associated with Dailykos long enough to have observed how the site and its readers/writers handle presidential primaries.  My questions toward this end after the jump...

Senator Tom Coburn M.D. (R-OK) announced at a press conference this morning his intention to add comprehensive opt-out HIV testing to the AIDS services packages provided by the Ryan White CARE Act, which is up for reauthorization as the Ryan White Care Act Reauthorization (S. 2823).  The reauthorization awaits favorable treatment in the Senate.

The Ryan White Act has suffered in the past from inadequate funding in Southern states, which now make up the majority of AIDS cases in the United States.  Coburn suggested that his reccomended opt-out (as opposed to opt-in testing that must be initiated by the patient) HIV testing will remove the discouraging stigma of testing and result in higher numbers of diagnoses and status recognitions.  

I think we should rethink the practice of postponing discussion of reproductive choice until the day we have a democratic majority.  We have now conceded this issue, which becomes ever more important with each passing day, to those who would consider it "fringe" even within the democratic party.  Have we really let reproductive choice become remote even for leftists? As a woman and a choice advocate, I must say, a democratic party that shies from mere discussion of choice is no democratic party I recognize!

We let spineless democratic candidates push through their elections without pressing for even minimal debate on this issue.  Even minimal debate would send the message, "Choice is NOT a fringe issue!  We are NOT afraid to talk about reproductive choice just because it involves discussing abortion!  We will NOT forsake American women because we fear estranging voters!  We will NOT elect a democratic majority we do not even recognize as our own!"