THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION

But Congress has sent the bill outlawing it to Dubya, and he's expected to sign it.

ATTENTION RALPH NADER AND GREENS ACROSS AMERICA: Ralph told you, and us, that there is no substantial difference between the two major political parties in America. Bill Clinton twice vetoed the bill that Bush is about to sign. What would President Gore have done?

And what would Howard Dean do?

"As a physician, I am outraged that the Senate has decided it is qualified to practice medicine. There is no such thing as 'partial birth abortion' in medical literature. But there are times when a doctor is called upon to perform a late term abortion to save a woman's life or protect her from serious injury. Today the Senate took a step toward making it a crime for a doctor to perform such medically necessary procedures.

"This bill will chill the practice of medicine and endanger the lives of countless women. This kind of legislation serves the sole purpose of chipping away women's constitutionally protected reproductive rights and overturning Roe v. Wade."

Put that in your fatty granola bar and smoke it. And while you're at it, fax a copy of his statement to the fellow who held up a Green Party sign behind Dean's announcement speech in Burlington.

In terms of the law Bush is about to sign, this one's going to court. And furthermore, this just shows how well Republicans have mastered the language of political discourse. When they have a policy that is unpopular, they change its name, and poof, it polls better. "Partial-birth abortion" and "death tax" are two of the most egregious examples of this.