Posted on 02/28/2006 6:36:43 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
US President George W. Bush signalled his opposition to a South Dakota abortion ban that forbids the procedure even in cases of rape or incest, saying he favors such exceptions.
But Bush declined to predict the outcome of any legal challenges to the legislation, which would make it illegal to terminate a pregnancy except in rare cases when it may be necessary to save the life of the mother.
"That, of course, is a state law, but my position has always been three exceptions: Rape, incest, and the life of the mother," the US president told ABC news in an interview.
Asked whether he would include "health" of the mother, Bush replied: "I said life of the mother, and health is a very vague term, but my position has been clear on that ever since I started running for office."
The bill, which recently gained final approval from South Dakota's House of Representatives, directly contradicts the precedent set in 1973 when the US Supreme Court ruled that bans on abortion violate a woman's constitutional right to privacy.
The bill grants no allowances for women who have been raped or are victims of incest. Doctors who perform abortion would be charged with a crime. It also prohibits the sale of emergency contraception and asserts that life begins at fertilization.
The governor of South Dakota has indicated he is likely to sign the bill.
A leading pro-choice advocacy group has already vowed to challenge the ban in federal court. But that seems to be exactly what many promoters of the legislation seek.
Advocates of the ban do not deny they aim much higher than South Dakota, a rural and socially conservative state, which even today has only one abortion clinic.
Instead, they are hoping the bill will offer a full frontal assault on legal abortions now that the balance of power in the Supreme Court appears to have shifted with the confirmation of conservative jurists John Roberts and Samuel Alito, both of whom are seen as pro-life.
I can handle a l nasty response..... that is quite alright with me...
I don't expect it to be easy.. the right thing never is easy....
Because he stuck to what he's said for the last seven years?
Your remark was uncalled for.
Amazing that someone can see that picture, such a clear example of life, and honestly believe that it should be ok to kill it because of someone elses feelings.
I challenge anyone to take a look at that picture and tell me exactly what that baby did wrong that warrants it's death.
And is killing a child, born or unborn, wrong?
Many on here would argue that that birth control is abortion as well.
LOL!
If you'd rather talk about The Sheild.. you are on the wrong thread.....
/just sayin'
I realize it is heresay on this site ... but men do not understand this issue.
How dare you.
For you to keep the child would be a constant reminder of the rape incident, right?
I'm not disagreeing with you, don't get me wrong please. You and I come down on the same side of most if not all debates around here.
I look at her everyday.. and I see beauty.. I see an onery little pistol just like her mom! LOL!
she brings me more joy than any could ever know...
I'm sure she does bring you great joy, certainly more joy than those that choose abortion in such circumstances. I got a feeling there might be a couple here on this very thread regretting their decisions and fighting back the only way they know how, by defending their decision.
You've got to be kidding me? Of course the baby is "her" child - just as the baby is "his" (the rapist's) child - this is just basic biology folks.
Here's what I think. I think there are a lot of women who've had abortions after rape and have moved on with their lives much to the dismay of the radical pro-life movement. I think the whole depression-after-abortion thing happens with the 99.9% of convenience abortions and NOT abortion because of rape.
But that's not possible! I thought only Wal-Mart could sell the morning-after pill, and if they refuse to do so, then all those women will suffer needlessly.
/sarcasm
A-men, neighbor. It's like we're with Alice in Wonderland in the looking glass here sometimes.
Birth control that prevents the womb from accepting a fertilized embryo is indeed abortion.
I can take that to mean only that you prefer a live rapist and a dead baby.
Or is that too crude? Next time maybe I'll use some acceptable euphemisms. But it's late out here, and I'm all tired out beating up on folks who wanted to take the handicapped kid out of the theatre for laughing at a comedy and thereby annoying crotchity elderly people. You know the kind.
I really trust the doctors opinion, he is an idependent source, and he says that the morning after pill ONLY works if the egg hasn't already been released. He also said 30 years ago some speculated it worked by dumping the unfertilized egg out but that has been proven wrong. He admits that a small percent might have the effect, but all birth control does, and many OTC drugs for things like alergies has an even bigger effect.
It's 24/7 Bash Bush now on FR. When this dies down, there will be something else. And that they have to lie to try and make their point is very telling.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT BUSH!!! It's about whether or not a child has a fundamental right to live, just like everyone else. Some things are bigger than politics.
the pro-lifers fail to differentiate what tossing Roe means - it does not mean that abortion becomes illegal, it means the issue is returned to the states. and very few states are going to ban abortion for adult women in the first 10 weeks, very few.
as soon as the pro life single issue voters realize that, they will be arguing for federal bans on abortion - tossing their "states rights" beliefs out the window in about 2 minutes.
if we agree that Roe should go (and I do), we also have to accept that the states and their legislatures are going to decide it individually.
yes it sure would be and that's why I would give it up right away...not even look at it. I thought about this before and I don't think I could have an abortion ever in my life.
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