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.
AMEN TO THAT!
Sounds like you are imposing your religion on others. Namely, on innocent children.
Your story is heartening, and I wanted to thank you for telling it here. God has blessed you with your little "pistol" as you well know. Thanks again.
WOW!
You're still here!
thank you.... it is very nice of you to say....
you humble me... thanks...
I just love bizarre leaps of logic, don't you?
Some zealot? Like Reagan and Pope John Paul? I'm a bit confused by your remark.
LOL!
Makes for some interesting mental acrobats...
"it's easy to be objective when YOU'RE NOT THE ONE CARRYING THE CHILD IN YOUR BODY."
I agree with you Hildy. As a Christian, I know Christ would say that killing the child resulting from rape is wrong, but I also know him well enough to say that he would understand the horrible torment of the woman and forgive her for doing so.
I know I've done wrong, and through that admission, perhaps I've been tolerate for another day. I hope so.
Given the clear manipulations we see in the press every day I should think not.
I'm glad you're here, regardless of the circumstances that created you! Amen to your mom.
Did you see my post above, even with the best healthcare on the planet, pregnant women still die - you do realize that, right?
And, you think calling innocent unborn child the "spawn of evil" was any better?!
On pro-life matters, Reagan and John Paul the Great were zealots.
It's not a bad word.
Did you expect him not to answer the question?
You know "many" evangelicals who like to blab to you about their sex lives?
Enough, apparently, for you to make sweeping generalizations about those "strident pro-life folks."
Hey don't blame him for having the stones to say what most folks wanted to say to you but didn't for fear of getting banned. eeevil is too much of a lady and I could care less about you because karma is a cruel taskmaster indeed. You WISH you had one-tenth the writing ability of petronski. That's all I have to say about that.
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