Posted on 06/12/2015 9:18:46 AM PDT by wagglebee
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 11, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) -- The sponsor of the Senate's 20-week ban told LifeSiteNews that when it comes to laws about aborting children conceived from rape, "I'm going to leave that to the family, to the mother."
GOP presidential candidate and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, introduced the "Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act" shortly before a press conference on Thursday morning. During the conference, Graham referred to his desire to address saving late-term unborn children in a "fair way."
LifeSiteNews asked Graham about this comment after the press conference, noting that his bill -- which bans abortions after 20 weeks' gestation unless the unborn child is conceived from rape or incest, and if the mother's life is in danger -- has been criticized by some pro-life activists for the rape exception.
"You said we're going to talk about this issue 'in a fair way,'" LifeSiteNews said. "Do you have anything to say to pro-life activists who say that by allowing abortion for children conceived from rape, you're devaluing their pain?"
"I've always had exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother," said Graham, who appeared to interpret the question as reflecting criticisms from the abortion industry.
"These are pro-life activists who say that allowing children conceived from rape [to be aborted] is devaluing their pain, devalues their humanness," clarified LifeSiteNews.
"Everything's a balancing test," said the senator. "A balancing of interests. In a situation of rape, I'm going to leave that to the family, to the mother."
"You don't have to agree with me, but that's where I'm at," he said.
Last week, when he announced his run for president, the senator said, “I will be a champion of social conservative values without apology, or animosity,” reflecting what he had previously told a Boston radio show about how he is "for traditional marriage without animosity."
He repeated the word "animosity" again Thursday, saying, "This is about the baby, without animosity towards anybody else. ... We're going to have a long debate out there. It will be thoughtful, and it will be genuine."
Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser, who moderated the press conference and whose organization has been a prominent backer of the 20-week ban in its current form, said that she believes that rape exceptions are "abominable."
"I agree. I agree that the rape exception is abominable," she told LifeSiteNews. "I also know that with it, we were able to move forward, and we have the potential of saving 15,000 to 18,000 children a year. No one should give up or give over a rape exception unless there is simply no chance of saving those other children. I really believe that."
"I also think that -- look at this bill, it's a 20-week bill. We left out every other child. We've excluded, and excepted, most children from this. So by the same argument, I reject that, but I also know that we've found a sweet spot that we can get common ground on, and it's a place where the country is, and it's a place that we can actually get the legislation through."
Most pro-life leaders have publicly accepted that the 20-week ban is highly unlikely to become law prior to President Obama's departure from office. Obama has promised to veto the bill, and with 54 GOP senators, Graham would need at least six Democrats to support the late-term abortion ban just to get it to the president's desk. It would take 66 votes to overturn a veto by the White House.
One activist who opposes rape exceptions is Savethe1's Rebecca Kiessling, whose organization consists of pro-lifers who were either conceived through rape or who were impregnated in rape. She criticized inclusion of the rape exception, noting that Graham's bill "isn't going to save any [unborn children]. This is merely a message bill."
"They're not even concerned about the message they're sending," said Kiessling of D.C. pro-life groups that negotiated the bill's introduction and guided its passage through the House.
Dannenfelser told the Christian Broadcasting Network that she hoped to see "a pro-life president" sign the 20-week abortion ban in early 2017. That signature would require Republicans to win the presidency and to hold the Senate. The party is defending 24 seats in 2016 compared to 10 for Democrats. Many Republican senators who face re-election next year won with the support of the Tea Party movement in 2010, which has seen its influence wane.
Not exactly throwing a bone to social conservatives. But then, it appears that the GOP cares little for conservatives.
“Leave that to the family?”
Let me get the wash basin for you, Graham Cracker, so you can wash
your hands and will not have to be responsible for that decision.
I detest Lindseed Graham.
This is the position of the GOP’s 2012 Presidential nominee “rape and incest, and the health and life of the mother”.
August 27, 2012 CBS interview with Scott Pelley:
PELLEY: Well, the platform as written at this convention for the Republicans does not allow for exceptions on abortion with regard to the health of the mother or rape or incest. Is that where you are?
ROMNEY: No. My position has been clear throughout this campaign. I’m in favor of abortion being legal in the case of rape and incest, and the health and life of the mother.
Here is Rand Paul on abortion.
Rand Paul:
BLITZER: So, just to be precise, if you believe life begins at conception, which I suspect you do believe that, you would have no exceptions for rape, incest, the life of the mother, is that right?
PAUL: Well, I think that once again puts things in too small of a box. What I would say is that there are thousands of exceptions.
“The thing is about abortion—and about a lot of things—is that I think people get tied up in all these details of, sort of, you’re this or this or that, or you’re hard and fast (on) one thing or the other,” Paul told Elliott. “I’ve supported both bills with and without (exceptions), you know. In general, I am pro-life.
The Partial Birth Abortion Ban was enacted in 2003 and upheld by SCOTUS in 2007, yet it has done NOTHING to stop late-term abortions even though Pro-Life, Inc. went out of their way to praise themselves for it. Today, instead of inducing labor to kill the baby, the abortionist injects potassium chloride or digoxin into the baby's heart to kill it and it's completely legal.
Hey asshole, 60 MILLION MURDERED BABIES, is that too much of "detail" to get tied up in?
Even Rick Santorum supported Arlen Specter for president, on a campaign to end the GOP as an anti-abortion party, and Santorum supported him even for the 2010 election.
Romney was a serious threat to the GOP platform on life, and so is Rand Paul.
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