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.
It's 880 am. If you can get 610, you should be able to get 880. They have very similar daytime coverages. As a matter of fact, 880 is a bit more powerful during the day.
"Unless a state goes in a new direction and, on having its law struck down by the Supreme Court, simply defies the court and enforces its law anyway."
This isn't feasible because the Supreme Court would vacate any penalty/conviction the state had imposed. This has happened before and the state was unsuccessful.
It doesn't matter what the President thinks about abortions and exceptions to it, etc, except to the extent that he will put strict-constructionists on the bench and that he would sign federal legislation restricting abortion laws in the States.
There are several ways to get past Roe:
-Congress (if they had a spine) can limit the Supreme Court's jurisdiction so that they can't hear abortion cases (then it would be left up to state law)
-Pass a Constitutional amendment
-Get a few more seats on the Supreme Court
Notice attacking Bush's personal (and consistent) opinion isn't on the list..it gets us no closer to making abortion illegal in this country.
Thanks. I'll see if I can get it today.
Hildy is always out there pushing for death so she might be mollified
by the death of the rapist. My guess tho is that she'd prefer the
death of the innocent as she did when advocating for the death
of Terri Schindler.
That's only partially true. They would have stoned her if she failed to cry out only if she were in a location where someone could've heard her. But if they were out in a field somewhere or outside the city she would not have been stoned.
It makes sense, because then a woman couldn't falsely accuse a man of raping her when the sex was consensual.
Has she slipped all the way over to the Dems?
I'm with you, Peach.
"...democrats celebrated abortion..."
I have come to believe that Hollywood's anti-moral lobbyist are behind the DemocRat's glee.
Let's face it, Hollywood is of the belief that everything they do is ethical because they're idols and have idol worshippers, and make tons of money, and can poop on anyone they please!
Not just last week. Since he was first elected, he has been bashing conservatives. And then expecting our support.
I call it a baby.
I was never raped. I believe that if I had of been raped and was pregnant, I would know it was my child and would never kill it.
Those of us who are legitimately pro-life have not been 'antagonized' by the progress he has made in changing America back to becoming a culture of life.
In fact, we are celebrating it, and praising God for a legitimately pro-active pro-Life President.
I agree with his views.
But then we keep seeing his vituperative. liberal rants...clearly castigating conservatives, because the timing is always in reaction to challenges on his right.
So while we are, hopefully, getting constitutionalist judges who believe in the proper role of the judiciary, let's not assume he is truly conservative. There is much to dispute that.
You're wrong.
He said nothing against the SD ban and repeated the same instances he supports abortion that he has since 2000.
What speeches have you been listening to. I've heard almost everything he's said, and there is NOTHING he's said that fits that (strange) description.
Let's back up. You said he was 'antagonizing' conservatives on a thread about ending abortion. As a strong pro-life, extremely conservative Bush supporter, I challenged your assertion.
At no point did I claim he was conservative in all areas..........because he's not. But in the areas of life and the judiciary he is. And to me this is the most conservative, and important thing that any President can do.
An interesting point--since there is no statute of limitations on murder, would millions of American women be tried and convicted? Millions of whom now have living children to care for. Many of us who've made the horrific mistake of having an abortion in our younger days have already repented and are active in pro-life and conservative movements. God will judge us..and forgive those who have repented and have asked his forgiveness.
Are you saying that God is insane?
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