The Republicans here in Concord and down in Washington D.C. would have us believe that the War on Women is a phony war. Michele Bachmann and Fox News would have us believe that the whole thing is political fiction.

The truth is that contraception saves lives, prevents unplanned pregnancies, improves outcomes for children and reduces the number of abortions.

Patience is a virtue, and Americans have it in short supply.

Go into the auto mechanic, youve got to know computers to be able to work on the cars.

Politics was sort of a way of life in our family.

Unplanned pregnancy is an equal-opportunity affliction.

We need to invest in peoples lives so that they can do the jobs of the 21st century.

What I believe in, in terms of getting our economy going again, is that we need to invest in opportunity today for prosperity tomorrow.

For the past 25 years as an adoption attorney, I have witnessed the extraordinary courage and compassion of women - from age 14 to 40 - facing unplanned pregnancy. Not once did I believe that the government should interfere with their personal and private decision.