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Littleton [Change Location]

Abortion - it's a MORAL issue, not a VOTING issue.

Article Contributed on: 9/8/2008 1:46:07 PM

Over the course of this past year - since the time of the first Republican and Democratic primaries - I have heard numerous friends and acquaintances make the statement that they believe that abortion is a moral issue and not a voting issue. I've found this to be an interesting viewpoint, as I am forced to question whether or not it is true. Whether you think something is, does that make it so? As much as I respect the stance taken, is it accurate? When we vote, are we voting for, or against, abortion? More importantly, is abortion being voted on?

Without a doubt, everyone is familiar with the landmark case Roe v. Wade - that the right to privacy extends to a woman's decision of whether or not to have an abortion; therefore making abortion legal across the United States. This, of course, was not the first time the abortion issue had seen the inside of a courtroom, but it was by far the most important vote cast on behalf of the issue. That's right - I said vote. Since Roe v. Wade was decided on by the Supreme Court of the United States, several votes have been cast in support of, or against, abortion. Here are just a few quick facts in regards to abortion votes, legislation and debates:

By 2004, states had enacted 383 anti-abortion measures in just nine years. 1

In 2007, 13 states considered 26 near-total bans on abortion: AL, CO, GA, MS, MO, ND, OH, OK, SC, SD, TX, UT, VA. 2

According to a NARAL summary paper: "Since anti-choice forces gained control of the House and Senate in 1994, Congress has cast 166 votes on reproductive rights and health-related issues; pro-choice members lost all but 32 of those votes." 3

In response to the April 18, 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Gonzales v. Carhart) upholding the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, prominent Democratic members of Congress the next day reintroduced the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA), a proposed federal law to nullify virtually all federal and state limitations on abortion. 4 Barack Obama is a co-sponsor of this bill.

During a congressional debate on partial-birth abortion in 1999, Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer refused to affirm that she opposed the medical killing of children after birth, saying that children deserve legal protection only "when you bring your baby home." 5

Roe v. Wade has effected votes outside of the US: In Canada, its Supreme Court used the rulings in both Roe and Doe v. Bolton as grounds to find Canada's federal law restricting access to abortions unconstitutional in R. v. Morgentaler (1 S.C.R. 30) 1988, and to find provisional restrictions on abortion also unconstitutional, R. v. Morgentaler (1993). 6

By the end of his presidency, Bill Clinton had: twice used his veto to kill legislation that would have nationally banned partial-birth abortion; ordered federally funded family planning clinics to counsel and refer for abortion; ordered US military facilities to provide abortions; resumed funding to pro-abortion United Nations Population Fund Agency (UNFPA), which participates in management of China's forced abortion program; restored US funding to pro-abortion organizations in foreign countries and ordered US ambassadors to lobby foreign governments for abortion rights; unsuccessfully attempted to repeal the Hyde Amendment, the law that prohibits federal funding of abortion except in rare cases. And more. 7

During his presidency, George W. Bush has: signed into law the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, and appointed two Supreme Court justices who upheld the ban when challenged in the court; signed into law the Unborn Victoms of Violence Act, the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, and legislation that protects health care providers who refuse to perform abortions; restored the Mexico City Policy, which prevents tax funds from being given to organizations that perform or promote abortion overseas; twice vetoed bills that would have overturned his pro-life stance on embryonic stem cell research; cut off funding for the UNFPA, due to the agency's involvement in China's abortion program. And more. 8

2008 - ABORTION & THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES

As we look to November 2008, we will all be watching intently as the nominees for president debate the issues that affect every American. As many know, the 2008 Republican nominee, John McCain, and Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, differ on many issues, including abortion. This is nothing new, and most are already well aware that McCain is pro-life, while Obama is pro-choice; however, many Americans that I talk with are unaware of the political choices that these two have made in regards to those differences.

Obama
In April, 2007 Obama stated, "I strongly disagree with today's Supreme Court ruling..." after the court upheld the 2003 ban on partial-birth abortion.

As an Illinois State Senator, Obama voted against legislation that would have prohibited taxpayer dollars from being used to fund abortions.

Obama voted to block a bill that would have required physicians to notify parents when minors cross state lines for an abortion.

Obama voted against an amendment to allow states to provide federally subsidized health care insurance for an unborn child.

NARAL Pro-choice America has given Obama a 100% rating. 9

In 2003, Obama voted down an Illinois state bill that would have protected a fetus that survived a botched abortion, single-handedly defeating the bill. The Illinois bill was almost identical in speech to the federal version of the bill - the "Born-Alive Infants Protection Act" (BAIPA) - which passed Congress without any dissenting votes in 2002. Obama stated that the Illinois version of the bill did not include the "neutrality clause" that was included in the federal version - that nothing in the bill should "be construed to affirm, deny, expand, or contract any legal status or legal right applicable to any member of the species homo sapiens at any point prior to being 'born alive'". By 2003, the same clause had been added to the state bill - having not been added during two prior sessions due to the fact that Obama had stopped his committee from adding the federal wording. As a member of the Illinois State Senate, Barack Obama opposed a state version of BAIPA in three successive regular legislative sessions. Even after the pro-abortion group NARAL withdrew its opposition, Obama reportedly continued to oppose the bill, which did not pass the Illinois Senate until 2005, after Obama had left that legislative body. 10 This bill was first drafted after Jill Stanek, a nurse at Christ Hospital, revealed publicly that the hospital had been leaving babies who survived abortion - viable babies whose delivery was induced, and whom the abortionist intended to kill but somehow survived - in a utility room to die. 11 Following is a portion of Ms. Stanek's testimony in the presence of Mr. Obama and the Illinois Senate Judiciary Committee:

"One night, a nursing co-worker was taking an aborted Down's syndrome baby who was born alive to our Soiled Utility Room because his parents did not want to hold him, and she did not have time to hold him. I could not bear the thought of this suffering child dying alone in a Soiled Utility Room, so I cradled and rocked him for the 45 minutes that he lived. He was 21 to 22 weeks old, weighed about ½ pound, and was about 10 inches long. He was too weak to move very much, expending any energy he had trying to breathe. Toward the end, he was so quiet that I couldn't tell if he was still alive unless I held him up to the light to see if his heart was still beating through his chest wall. After he was pronounced dead, we folded his little arms across his chest, wrapped him in a tiny shroud, and carried him to the hospital morgue where all of our dead patients are taken." 12

McCain
John McCain opposes the Freedom of Choice Act, a bill which would prohibit states from setting limits on abortions.

McCain voted against an amendment designed to nullify the Mexico City Policy, which prevents US dollars from being used to fund organizations that promote or provide abortions over seas.

McCain voted against repealing the law that prohibits performance of elective abortions in military medical facilities.

McCain voted in support of a bill that would have required physicians to notify parents when minors cross state lines for an abortion.

McCain voted in favor of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which allows a second set of charges to be filed against perpetrators that injure or kill an unborn child during the commission of a violent crime.

McCain voted in favor of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.

McCain voted against an amendment that read, "It is the sense of the Senate that the decision of the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade was appropriate and secures an important constitutional right; and such decision should not be overturned." 13

FINAL THOUGHTS
Whether or not one thinks abortion is a voting issue is irrelevant - clearly the issue has been voted on more times than one can keep track of. During every senate and house session, at both the state and federal levels - during every presidential term - elected officials have repeatedly addressed, and voted on, the issue of abortion since that historic day in 1973.

Is it a voting issue? - UNDENIABLY. Is it a moral issue? - YES. But aren't most things?

It would have been unfortunate for African-Americans if Lincoln had felt the same about the issue of slavery, as many of today's Americans feel about abortion. Or if Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks had not stood up for equal rights for blacks, ultimately resulting in the true end of segregation (thanks to another historic vote by the Supreme Court). Thank God, pedophilia and rape are not regarded simply as moral issues in America (unfortunately, they are treated as such in other parts of the world, where legislation does not protect the victims of such crime).

When we, as Americans, vote for a president, we also vote for, or against, the unborn child. During their term, most presidents will be responsible for nominating at least one Supreme Court Justice. Since 1973, every residing justice has had the opportunity to vote for, or against, the unborn child.

That's something to think about.

-------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Sources:
1. NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation, "Roe v. Wade and the Right to Choose," 1156 15th St. NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC

2. NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation, "Fast Facts: Near-Total Abortion Bans," http://www.naral.org/choice- action-center/in_your_state/ who-decides/fast-facts/near- total-abortion-bans.html

3. NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation, "2003 Congressional Record on Choice: Introduction," 1156 15th St. NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC.

4. National Right to Life Committee, "The 'Freedom for Partial-Birth Abortionists Act' - Pro-Abortion Lawmakers Propose 'FOCA' to Invalidate All Limits on Abortion," http://www.nrlc.org/FOCA/Lawma kersProposeFOCA.html

5. Gerson, Michael; The Washington Post, "Obama's Abortion Extremism," http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/article/2008/ 04/01/AR2008040102197.html

6. WikiPedia, "Roe v. Wade," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Roe_v._Wade

7. National Right to Life Committee, "The Presidenial Record on Life: President William Clinton," 512 10th Street NW Washington, DC 20004 ; www.nrlc.org

8. National Right to Life Committee, "The Presidenial Record on Life: President George W. Bush," 512 10th Street NW Washington, DC 20004 ; www.nrlc.org

9. National Right to Life Committee, "Senator Barack Obama Record on Abortion: United States Senate & Illinois State Senate," 512 10th Street NW Washington, DC 20004 ; www.nrlc.org

10. Catholic News Agency, "Evidence shows Obama misrepresents his opposition to Born-Alive Infants Protection Act," http://www.catholicnewsagency. com/new.php?n=13526

11. Focus on the Family Action: Citizenlink, "Obama Blocked Born Alive Infant Protection Act," http://www.citizenlink.org/ content/A000007034.cfm

12. Focus on the Family Action: Citizenlink, "Obama Blocked Born Alive Infant Protection Act," http://www.citizenlink.org/ content/A000007034.cfm

13. National Right to Life Committee, "Senator John McCain Record on Abortion: In the United States Senate," 512 10th Street NW Washington, DC 20004 ; www.nrlc.org

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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments
Gail S. Kirkegaard wrote on 9/10/2008 @ 8:31:49 PM

Sexuality is a moral issue, but abortion should be a legal issue; it involves taking a human life. In the extremely rare cases when a mother or infant might die, the family should make a decision.
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Lance Gideon wrote on 9/9/2008 @ 1:37:27 PM

@Bryant 1) Refute? Good luck - the facts are in...abortion is a voting issue. 2) Even after my "diatribe", you still missed the point of the article - it's not about overturning Roe v Wade. 3) According to your logic, we should make illegal options legal, and more accessible, as people are going to do it anyway - nevermind the moral implications. Should we just apply that across the board, or what is our standard of judgement?
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Dianne Lorang wrote on 9/8/2008 @ 7:05:28 PM

I agree that abortion is a voting issue. It just shouldn't be THE issue. I used to vote on just this one issue and regret it. I now support the Democrats who have a much wider view of what a "culture of life" is all about - caring for children already born as well as their struggling parents, no matter their race or religion.
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Bryant Pierpont wrote on 9/8/2008 @ 3:03:04 PM

Gosh - I don't want to type all day to refute that diatribe but a simple point was almost made. Roe vs. Wade isn't about legal or illegal abortion. It's about whether abortion is legal nationally. Should it be overturned, some states would still allow it - others would not. So, wealthy folks seeking abortions could still easily get them - poor folks would return to back alleys and quacks. Then the unborn and the mother die. Everyone who wants to keep the right to choose isn't pro-abortion. And, all of us don't agree with the partial-birth abortion concept. Some of us aren't willing to make it a class/wealth issue, which is what repealing Roe v. Wade would do.
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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments