Posted on 10/17/2017 7:03:08 PM PDT by markomalley
Congressman Trent Franks wants his 20-week abortion ban to get a Senate vote. But to get there, he needs Mitch McConnell to end the filibuster — or find another line of work.
The House passed the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act — or “Micah’s Law” — on October 3rd. If it becomes law, abortions would be banned after 20 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
“We’re going to protect unborn children once they’ve reached the beginning of the sixth month, because that’s clearly at a time when there’s no real medical authority that would say that they don’t feel pain,” Franks told The Daily Caller in an exclusive “Newsmakers” interview. “They do indeed feel pain at that age.”
Currently, the United States is one of only seven countries, including North Korea and China, which permits elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The bill now awaits a Senate vote, but Franks says there’s that massive roadblock in the way — the filibuster.
“The only impediment to this bill at this point is the Senate rule that allows the Democrats to keep it off the floor because they won’t help with the 60 votes needed to bring it to the floor,” Franks explained. “It’s a bad rule. It means that the American people don’t get a debate and it’s something that has to be changed.”
President Trump agrees. He’s occasionally tweeted calls for the Senate to move to a simple majority vote process.
It’s within Majority Leader McConnell’s capability to change the rules, but — save for Supreme Court nominees — he’s resisted those calls.
And while the filibuster gives massive powers to the minority party, Franks says the majority — Republicans, presently — embraces the rule because they’re fearful of casting votes on uncomfortable legislation.
“I say this without trying to impugn anyone’s integrity: they’re recognizing that the Senate in many ways keeps this bill in place because it’s almost a hundred percent re-election insurance policy,” Franks explained. “If you have the advantage of being the incumbent senator and you never have to take a controversial vote. It’s almost impossible to dislodge you.”
But wouldn’t a Republican majority merely empower a future Democratic majority by changing the filibuster rules?
“I think that’s the best question of the day, and if you forget everything else I say, please remember this: the Democrats have made it clear that they’re going to change the rule when they get in power. They made that absolutely crystal clear,” said Franks.
“And to say that, somehow, now they’re going to have an epiphany of conscience once they gain, you know, power is just crazy. So the question is not, ‘Will it change?’ The question is, ‘Will people under a unified Republican government see or catch a glimpse of even Republican policy before that happens?'”
The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act is one of those policies, and Franks believes that getting a Senate vote on this legislation is important enough that Mitch McConnell’s job should ride on it.
“Now there’s a bill before him to protect thousands of pain-capable, helpless little victims that die in this country every year, and he’s the leader of the United States Senate. And all we want is a fair vote. All we want [for] them is to have a little chance. That’s all we’re asking, and he should do that. Whatever it takes.”
“Or he should find something else to do, because he’s lost his way otherwise.”
Yes....get it passed or find a new job Mitch!
Hard to find a better reason for Mitch to squelch the filibuster rule. No doubt, whatsoever, that the Dems would do it.
We citizens will only triumph when we finally wrest control of our country away from these people at the end of a gun.
Dump Mitch - he has only accomplished ONE thing I can think of - he did away with the filibuster rule for SCOTUS appointments.
Moore must win Tuesday and it is a dead heat at the moment GOPe and the f-n Chamber of Commerce are actually helping the Rat.
McConnell won’t change the rules because he is a traitor.
My Hope Is that when McCain dies this winter our governor will appoint Trent Franks to a seat or Paul gosar.
I’ll go one further.
Just go Mitch.
We’ll pick up the heavy lifting when you get out of the way.
It’s a BABY at CONCEPTION forget the 20 week thing. . . Woe to these congress men and women who will be held accountable to the Lord God Almighty . . .The God, Who by the way is in charge of everyone’s next breath.
>>>Currently, the United States is one of only seven countries, including North Korea and China, which permits elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy<<<
^^^^
THIS should be repeated far and wide every time Abortion is discussed. Compare those who try and justify Late Term Abortion to Rocketman and his Commie buddies (the DNC).
Although there are express constitutional exceptions to the Constitution’s Article V provision which prohibits the Senate from depriving any state of its equal suffrage in the Senate without the consent of that state, each House of Congress requiring a 2/3 supermajority vote to overturn a presidential veto for example (1.7.2), I don’t see how the Senate’s 60 vote filibuster reasonably complies with Article V’s equal Senate suffrage provision.
Article V: The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate [emphasis added].
The Senate filibuster is unconstitutional imo.
Insights welcome.
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