An article
There's another pro-life article at America magazibne. I tried to leave a comment there, but I it didn't show up, so I thought I'd comment on the article here. Why? Because the article, like many of the pro-life articles at America, is filled with misleading statements, and that just really bothers me. Here are a few bits ...
Former Democratic Congressman: Pro-life politicians should rally around a 15-week abortion ban
[...] The misleadingly titled Women’s Health Protection Act passed the House twice but failed in the Senate twice in the current Congress. While this bill is portrayed by supporters as a modest guarantee that abortion will not be completely outlawed, it would instill into federal law abortion-on-demand through an entire pregnancy and prevent any state regulation. This extreme policy is opposed by a sizable majority of Americans—a supermajority, in fact.
The Women’s Health Protection Act does not "instill into federal law abortion-on-demand through an entire pregnancy". Like Roe, it allows for abortion up to the time of viability (24 weeks). It allows for an abortion after that time only if a woman's health or life are threatened. Lindsey Grahan'ss anti-abortion ban includes an exception for the "life of the mother" that would also allow a late term abortion. And no, there is not a pro-life supermajority in the US.
It is also important not to forget legislation that has been proposed in Congress for years without any constitutional objections but has never been enacted. This includes a bill that prohibits federal taxpayer funding of abortion and one that guarantees conscience protections for health care providers.
Why have these bills never passed? Because they would keep poor wommen from accessing an abortion, and because protections for health care workers already exists in law.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey were joined by a number of organizations in announcing the introduction of legislation that would restrict abortion on the federal level at 15 weeks of pregnancy. This bill includes exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother and makes clear that women will not be prosecuted for having an abortion. It also does not pre-empt any additional state regulation of abortion.
This bill will never be acceptable, because it does not make the 15 week ban and the exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother mandatory in every state, only in states which now have more liberal laws. It will allow states that have complete abortion bans with no exceptions to keep those complete bans in place.
The pro-life movement has never only advocated for legal restrictions on abortion. Recognizing the conditions that often lead women to seek abortions, many in the movement have endeavored to help pregnant women in other ways .... such a shift could help shape the public’s understanding of what motivates the pro-life community
Right, Republicans helping the poor with government money - don't make me laugh. Even if these government "pay women to have babies" plans ever came to pass, they would not be able to erase the fact that the pro-life movement has a history that stretches to today of lies and violence towards women. The pro-life movement will never be trusted as being "for" women.
Former Democratic Congressman: Pro-life politicians should rally around a 15-week abortion ban
[...] The misleadingly titled Women’s Health Protection Act passed the House twice but failed in the Senate twice in the current Congress. While this bill is portrayed by supporters as a modest guarantee that abortion will not be completely outlawed, it would instill into federal law abortion-on-demand through an entire pregnancy and prevent any state regulation. This extreme policy is opposed by a sizable majority of Americans—a supermajority, in fact.
The Women’s Health Protection Act does not "instill into federal law abortion-on-demand through an entire pregnancy". Like Roe, it allows for abortion up to the time of viability (24 weeks). It allows for an abortion after that time only if a woman's health or life are threatened. Lindsey Grahan'ss anti-abortion ban includes an exception for the "life of the mother" that would also allow a late term abortion. And no, there is not a pro-life supermajority in the US.
It is also important not to forget legislation that has been proposed in Congress for years without any constitutional objections but has never been enacted. This includes a bill that prohibits federal taxpayer funding of abortion and one that guarantees conscience protections for health care providers.
Why have these bills never passed? Because they would keep poor wommen from accessing an abortion, and because protections for health care workers already exists in law.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey were joined by a number of organizations in announcing the introduction of legislation that would restrict abortion on the federal level at 15 weeks of pregnancy. This bill includes exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother and makes clear that women will not be prosecuted for having an abortion. It also does not pre-empt any additional state regulation of abortion.
This bill will never be acceptable, because it does not make the 15 week ban and the exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother mandatory in every state, only in states which now have more liberal laws. It will allow states that have complete abortion bans with no exceptions to keep those complete bans in place.
The pro-life movement has never only advocated for legal restrictions on abortion. Recognizing the conditions that often lead women to seek abortions, many in the movement have endeavored to help pregnant women in other ways .... such a shift could help shape the public’s understanding of what motivates the pro-life community
Right, Republicans helping the poor with government money - don't make me laugh. Even if these government "pay women to have babies" plans ever came to pass, they would not be able to erase the fact that the pro-life movement has a history that stretches to today of lies and violence towards women. The pro-life movement will never be trusted as being "for" women.
posted by crystal | 10:33 AM
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