Stricter abortion bans are conservative-led states' gambit to overturn Roe vs. Wade
ATLANTA - When Republican lawmakers in Alabama weighed a stringent new bill that would outlaw almost all abortions, they did not pretend that it complied with federal law or that it would go into effect anytime soon. "Yes, it's unconstitutional," state House Rep. Terri Collins, the bill's sponsor, said last week at a hearing. "All our pro-life bills are unconstitutional right now. That's the goal." For years, conservatives in Southern and Midwestern states have been passing laws that restrict women's access to abortion: mandating women wait as long as 72 hours for the procedure after receiving counseling, banning widely used surgical abortion methods, limiting state Medicaid programs from covering most abortions. Now they are pursuing a more extreme legal strategy. Emboldened by the rightward tilt of the U.S. Supreme Court, states are passing more severe restrictions and near-total bans in a deliberate attempt to trigger a lawsuit that could push the Supreme Court to overturn its landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision, which recognized a woman's constitutional right to abortion.
Last week, Georgia followed Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio to become the fourth state this year to outlaw abortion once a fetal "heartbeat" is detected, typically at around six weeks - before most women know they are pregnant.
Georgia's new law gives an unborn child - an embryo smaller than a coffee bean that has not developed a brain or organs that allow it to survive outside the womb - the status of "a class of living, distinct persons" that deserves "full legal recognition." Alabama, meanwhile, is on the verge of passing another radical abortion law, the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, which bans abortion from the moment of conception. Any doctor who terminates a pregnancy in any circumstance, other than to save a woman's life, could face up to 99 years in prison.
"We've never seen states passing near-total abortion bans," said Elizabeth Nash, senior state issues manager at the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit research group that supports abortion rights. "This is new and different."
Legislators in red states have become more willing to experiment, in part because they think there's a greater chance an abortion ban could be upheld now that the Supreme Court has a solid conservative majority after President Donald Trump's appointment of Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh. They also calculate that in an era of intense political and cultural partisanship, rolling back abortion rights will carry less of a political penalty.
"There's more of a sense in some states that you can energize antiabortion voters and prevail at the polls by passing these laws even if a lot of other people might find them to be too extreme," said Mary Ziegler, a professor of law at Florida State University and author of "Beyond Abortion: Roe v. Wade and the Battle for Privacy." At the same time, lawmakers in a growing number of Democratic-controlled states are clamoring to shore up abortion rights. Last week, Vermont passed a bill that would enshrine a right to "personal reproductive autonomy" in the state constitution. In January, New York passed the Reproductive Health Act, which affirmed a "fundamental right" to abortion, allowed licensed professionals other than doctors to perform the procedures, and expanded access to abortions after the 24th week of pregnancy if "necessary to protect the patient's life or health."
Even as legislators pass ever more extreme state laws, abortion remains legal across the U.S. All the severe abortion bans violate Roe - which prevents states from restricting abortion before the fetus is viable, usually about 23 or 24 weeks of pregnancy - and are likely to be subject to long, drawn-out legal challenges.
On Friday, a federal judge struck down Kentucky's six-week ban. U.S. District Judge Joseph H. McKinley Jr. ruled the law was unconstitutional - that it would create a "substantial obstacle" to a woman's right to an abortion. Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, a Republican, vowed to appeal. For the architects of the new abortion bans, the ultimate goal is to get the Supreme Court to look at the moral question of when human life begins. "There's a conversation that has to take place," said state Rep. Rich Wingo, a Republican who worked with the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition to draft the Alabama bill. "We all know Roe says that an unborn child is not a person, thus it's not protected by the Constitution of the United States," Wingo said. "But in 1973, there wasn't 3-D or 4-D imaging; there wasn't fetal monitoring; the ultrasound was somewhat archaic." "The bottom line is we believe that life begins at conception, we believe that there is life in the womb, and we have evidence of that from these new technologies," he added. Many advocates for women's reproductive rights see the issue of fetal personhood as a red herring. "Even if the fetus or embryo is a person in the full legal and moral sense, it does not follow that it has the right to use another's body for its development," said Laurie Shrage, a professor of philosophy at Florida International University.
"Drawing the line between permissible and impermissible abortions involves balancing a number of important interests and rights - especially a woman's reproductive autonomy versus preserving a fetal human life," she added. "There is no perfect way to draw this line." Unlike the Bible-bashing sermons of past decades, many abortion opponents in conservative Southern states talk of how medical science and technology allow for more understanding of human development in its earliest stages.
They also use the language of equal rights. The Alabama bill, for example, frames the rights of unborn children as an issue of human equality - a natural step from the principle that "All men are created equal" and a continuation of movements against slavery and even for women's suffrage. "Abortion advocates speak to women's rights," the bill states, "but they ignore the unborn child, while medical science has increasingly recognized the humanity of the unborn child." Many who uphold abortion rights insist that such complex moral questions cannot be solved by politicians.
"This question about when life begins is a deeply personal belief," said Staci Fox, president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood Southeast. "For some, it's based on religion. For some, it's based on science. These issues are really between women and their families and their faith and their doctors, not between them and their politicians." Across the United States, a majority of Americans generally support abortion in the early stages of pregnancy. While 6 in 10 Americans say abortion "should generally be legal" during the first three months, according to a 2018 Gallup poll, support for abortion dwindles to 28% for the second trimester and 13% for the third trimester. Legal experts on both sides of the debate agree that the Supreme Court is likely to move slowly.
"It's going to be difficult for the Supreme Court to make an outright reversal of Roe," said Randall Marshall, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, which has vowed to challenge the state's bill if it passes.
"If the court were suddenly to reverse the last 40-plus years of its cases, then it looks less like an independent judicial branch than the political arm of whoever's in power," he said. "I think the court is concerned for its very legitimacy."
Critics of the abortion bans complain that the race to be the first to challenge Roe vs. Wade is a waste of millions of taxpayer dollars that could be used to address cash-strapped schools, children's health care programs, rural hospitals and prisons.
Politicians who advocate for the life of the unborn child, though, say they are following the morally righteous path, no matter the financial costs or legal challenges. "Our job is to do what is right, not what is easy," Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, said at a signing ceremony Tuesday at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. "We are called to be strong and courageous, and we will not back down. We will always continue to fight for life." In signing the law, Kemp fulfilled a campaign promise to his conservative base, but it is still a risky political strategy in an increasingly diversifying state where Republican power is slowly receding and Democrats have become increasingly competitive.
Even in the South, public opinion on abortion varies by state. While 59% of Alabama voters supported a constitutional amendment last year declaring it state policy to recognize and support the rights of unborn children, support is more tepid in Georgia. A recent poll suggested that 49% of Georgians oppose the six-week ban and 44% support it.
While the Georgia law makes exceptions for some cases of rape or incest, the sponsors of the Alabama law make an exception only for preventing a serious health risk to the mother.
Exempting abortions in cases of rape or incest, they argue, creates a knotty question for the Supreme Court: Is it OK to end a pregnancy if the mother is a victim of rape or incest? Instead, they advocate presenting an outright ban to the Supreme Court and tweaking the finer details later. Last week, the Alabama Senate dissolved into a chaotic shouting match when its leaders removed an amendment that would permit exemptions for rape or incest - without allowing for a full roll call vote that would show the public how each senator had voted. Senators postponed the debate until Tuesday. Yet not even the bill's opponents doubted that it would ultimately be signed into law. "I know you all are for this bill, and I know this bill is going to pass," said Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, a Democrat, as she urged her Senate colleagues - more than three-quarters of them Republican men - to hold a full and transparent vote. "You all are going to get your way," she said, "but at least treat us fairly and do it the right way."
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Wow, so these politicians are not only giving the middle finger to women and their rights, but also to the Constitution. At least now they're admitting it. And yet, people vote them into office. Go figure.
From your seed. “"But in 1973, there wasn't 3-D or 4-D imaging; there wasn't fetal monitoring; the ultrasound was somewhat archaic." "The bottom line is we believe that life begins at conception, we believe that there is life in the womb, and we have evidence of that from these new technologies," he added.”
Nobody is questioning the existence of life.
We disagree that an embryo has the same rights to bodily autonomy as the woman whose body is being involuntarily used to support it.
Pregnancy is voluntary in almost all cases.
For rape or incest, early abortion should be an option.
One's beliefs begins and ends with them. They do not have a right to push their beliefs onto others. In other words, an individual's personal decision to have an abortion is no one else's business!
Almost all.
But considering the number of pregnancies worldwide at any given time, even a small percentage of unplanned pregnancies yields a fairly significant number.
And involuntary pregnancies include those unplanned ones which occur despite the use of contraception. Those women should also be allowed to abort. And frankly, since you aren't the one pregnant, their reasons do not have to pass your muster.
Those are NOT options in these new bills.
And the decision to have an abortion or not should be too.
That's hypocritical! Why should abortion be an option for some, but not for others? Besides, the majority of abortions are performed early in pregnancy.
The real bottom line is these are already too many people on this planet
And yet, there are those that think women should be forced to put more people on the planet.
That assumes that she wanted to get pregnant, which is not true in 50% of pregnancies. Birth control is far from reliable.
Explain that to my neighbor who had an IUD and got pregnant and had her period the whole time.
I think what you meant to say was "Sex is voluntary in almost all cases" which would still be wrong considering the large number of sexual assaults each year.
" The 2016 Uniform Crime Report (UCR), which measures rapes that are known to police, estimated that there were 90,185 rapes reported to law enforcement in 2015. The 2016 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which measures sexual assaults and rapes that may not have been reported to the police, found that there were 431,840 incidents of rape or sexual assault in 2015"
As for "Pregnancy" being voluntary, even if you're trying to get pregnant, having sex does not equate to "voluntarily" getting pregnant.
According to Yolanda Kirkham, an OB-GYN at Women’s College Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, your chances of conceiving each cycle you try are 25 to 30 percent if you’re under 35, eight to 15 percent if you’re 35 to 39, five percent if you’re 40 to 42 and one to two percent at age 43.
So having sex multiple times during a month in an attempt to get pregnant, the average for a woman under 35 is just 30%. So to imagine that anyone who has sex is "volunteering" to get pregnant is just ridiculous. It's a risk, but with some care and education, a fairly low one for each time someone has sex.
Your bible doesn't agree with you.
Perhaps the good people of the USA are fed up with concept of abortion at any stage of the pregnancy, clear up to the date of delivery. That's overkill.
But it shows the inhumane mindset of the pro-abortion crowd.
Indeed it does. Consider said what we on the pro life side are not allowed to say here about abortion and know that we mean every word of it.
The majority of Americans support abortion rights. Bills like this one only seem to come from the more conservative/religious minded states (no surprise there). And abortions are generally not performed late in pregnancy or "up to the date of delivery" as you say, as that is illegal. So your statement is not only disingenuous, it's erroneous.
And you show your disingenuousness again, along with a transparent ad hom attack.
You can say whatever you want, as long as it's within the CoC.
And the rest of us don't really care!
This is why I know there's no god, or at least no just god. If there were that comment would have caused an immediate lightning strike on its author.
But it does show an emotionally disingenuous generalization. The trifecta of weak and illogical arguments.
You should learn what the medical truth is because that is not true. The current limit of elective abortion ends at 22 to 24 weeks when the fetus is viable.
Nobody is pro-abortion because women do not intentionally get pregnant so they can have an abortion.
The majority of Americans support the availability of abortion.
What are you being prohibited from saying?
I am not pro-abortion. I am pro-choice. There is a difference.
What are you not allowed to say here?
Not according to some. They equate the 2.
I assumed that, as the RA, you knew what he was complaining about.
I have an idea what his complaint is, but I'll keep it to myself.
Yet the turd in chief is spreading this lie also.
And those ignorant of actual facts buy into such nonsense hook, line, and sinker. Well, Trump did say once that he loves the uneducated. I can see why too: they'll buy into anything he says.
'Well, Trump did say once that he loves the uneducated.'
He must have been talking about himself then also.
He sure does love himself.
[deleted]
Two groups which are some of the poorest educated are the Democratic Party base.
Do SOME Democrats not love the poorly educated--even when it is their very own base?
[deleted]
Just admit that you view women as nothing more than brood mares and resent the idea that they have a mind of their own and have the ability to make decisions without your consent. Eliminating reproductive choice is step one in getting them back to where you want them.
You know he knows that. He doesn't care.
No, that's why they keep trying to improve education. Republicans like to keep 'em stupid, Trump admitted it.
That's nice. Prove it.
Yup, that's supposed to be how it works. Legislators make laws, not Judges.
The judges determine if the law is constitutionally permissible. That is the role of the federal judiciary as a check and balance to he power of either the legislative or the executive branch.
Legislators may pass laws, but they shouldn't be blatantly unconstitutional laws, as they even admit to it. That says a lot about the people that put up with that nonsense or vote them into office to begin with, to say nothing about the legislators themselves. Fortunately, the courts strike down such unconstitutional laws.
How many ways do you want to say the same thing?
That's a sneaky way of defending activist courts. Gordy, you may be getting a good dose of your own medicine very soon.
No, that is a way of saying if legislators pass unconstitutional laws, the courts can and should strike them down. That's how the system works. The faCT that legislators do pass unconstitutional laws and even admit it as a means of fulfilling some agenda should make voters outraged. And what "medicine" of mine are you referring?
That legislating the Court did in the early 70's. You see, there are now Conservative activist Judges too...Who Knew!
It would seem that you do not understand the critical role that the judiciary plays in the federal government as a check and balance to the other two branches.
What legislating did the courts do in the early 1970s?
What legislating? What law/s did the court pass specifically?
The Judiciary is not supposed to legislate, no matter how badly our elected officials refuse to do their duty (either through ideology or fear of casting a vote). You seem to want to say the Court can legislate. If so, say it.
There are a few cases of the Court legislating. In the beginning they were all decisions coming from leftist activists. In 2000, we even got one from the right and liberals finally got their comeuppance. But let me specifically go to the most famous offense, the one that has been so controversial for half a century: Roe v Wade!
That was a case the Court shouldn't have taken, the regulation of abortion not being a matter for the Judiciary. As a matter of Constitutional law the decision was preposterous. Justified on some mysterious "right of privacy", which can't be cited nor did it even constitute a valid argument for why a woman is entitled to terminate her pregnancy. There is also no mention of the rights of an unborn child. Is there any doubt as to why so many have come to regard the decision as the most obvious case of the Court overstepping it's authority?
I asked for what law did the court pass in Roe specifically? I did not ask for details of the case itself. I'm already familiar with the case. And of course the court didn't mention unborn rights, as the unborn do not have rights. So regardless of how one feels about the Roe decision, the ruling was sound, has only been affirmed and expanded on in subsequent abortion cases, and has also affirmed women's individual rights and autonomy. I'd say that's a good thing.
The judiciary didn't legislate anything. It only rules on legislation.
And I gave you the obvious answer.
And of course the court didn't mention unborn rights, as the unborn do not have rights.
You are wrong and so were the ultra liberal jurists
So regardless of how one feels about the Roe decision, the ruling was sound
Then why does it continue to be mired in controversy?
has also affirmed women's individual rights and autonomy.
It has created them. That will change
I'd say that's a good thing.
I call it despicable
No, you didn't. you simply cited a case. Not the specific law passed.
Merely your opinion. And do you seriously thing the SCOTUS Justices of 1973 were "ultra liberal?" Your "argument" is getting more laughable with each statement!
Because people can't accept it and are emotional about it, especially when it concerns a woman choosing for herself.
Are you suggesting women should be denied or have limited rights?
Recognizing individual rights and autonomy is despicable to you? That says a lot about you!
A minority of people 18-49. Only among conservatives, those over 50, the poorly educated and the lowest income bracket is there a majority that claim to be pro-life versus pro-choice.
Of course Roe didn't pass any laws and wasn't in any way "legislation" as Vic claims. The premise is ridiculous on its face. Roe merely ruled on laws just like it did when it ruled against segregation laws with Brown v Board of education. It didn't pass a law that said you would be punished if you segregate, it simply shot down laws that were unconstitutional due to the fact that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal," and were not as the Topeka Board of Education claimed "separate but equal". In Roe, they ruled that bans on abortion exceeded a States right to intrude on individual privacy. It ruled that laws that gave the States the right to inject itself between a woman, her doctor and her health needs was too intrusive and therefore unconstitutional. If the State has a right to inject itself into the process of procreation then it could be seen to have a right to regulate a woman's ovulation, regulate contraceptives, regulated how a woman's limited number of eggs are used or even claim the right to ban tight fitting jeans on men that may hamper sperm production.
The real question was when does the State have a right to inject itself and the Supreme Court ruled it's when the fetus can live outside the womb without the mother. That's when States can inject themselves and that's when a fetus becomes a baby and has its own rights.
Now sadly, rarely, even after reaching viability, due to complications the mothers life is at risk trying to give birth or the fetus is brain dead, so the doctors and the woman have to make one of the hardest decisions any human ever has to make. And that is exactly the WRONG time a State agency should be injecting itself and it's constituents religious beliefs into the decision.
Thankfully, the vast majority of the next generation are pro-choice so Roe won't be overturned any time soon. The new Alabama law is the one that will soon be overturned and it won't be judicial activism, it will be a conservative court slapping their fellow conservatives with a dose of reality, the reality that the constitution does not give them the right to a woman's body no matter what unconstitutional State laws are passed.
Obviously.
Indeed. Anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of the case would understand that.
That is what was considered "state's interest."
not just the state, but anyone else who thinks such a decision or situation is somehow their concern or business.
Roe has survived, perhaps the worst of its challenges, for the last 46 years. It's not likely going to be overturned. If it were, that would set a very dangerous precedent.
Again.
Some legislators simply do not care and even seem proud to violate the constitution.
How can we possibly have civil rights and the US Constitution/Amendments be enforced if the legislative or executive branch can do as they please despite what the Constitution prohibits? Do you think that Congress can pass a law that violates the US Constitution? If we don't have the power of the Federal courts to set laws aside that are unconstitutional then who gets to determine constitutionality?
The judiciary is only reactive to the actions of the other branches. If the judges do not have the constitutional power to set aside laws and to determine constitutionality then there is no reason for them to exist because they cannot function as a check and balance to the power of either the legislative or the executive. Didn't you learn this very basic constitional concept in high school hisoty and civics class? Please read and understand the legal precedent that was set in Marbury v. Madison.
You're absolutely correct.
Can I get you on board to clarify the same fact about Citizens United?
This is a very important point. It is actually the complete difference between the two sides.... a difference of view on when life begins.
When "life" begins is irrelevant (and subjective) to the issue, and is just emotional rhetoric and appeals when used. It's about when one's rights become superseded.
Do you want the government to issue a list of what we can do? That sounds fascist to me and would give the government far too much power to control us. How is the ruling that we have the right to privacy from government interference into our private lives ultra liberal? That is the basic concept of freedom and is the core idea of the 4th Amendments prohibition of search and seizure without a warrant issued by an independent judge.
You may not like the Roe' decision but the right to privacy means that we can do as we wish until the government can prove that we should not be able to. The power of freedom is held by the citizenry and the government has to prove a very high hurdle to deny us the right to act as we choose. Do you want to ask the government's permission for your healthcare decisions? That sounds suspiciously like a death panel to me.
Subjective, yes.
Irrelevant, no. That's just silly.
Nobody believes in murdering children. There is simply disagreement on what constitutes a "child".
Irrelevant, yes!
No one is murdering children in an abortion. Neither is abortion considered murder.
It's a child after birth. A clump of cells is not a child. One can disagree on that, but they would be wrong!
Spending unlimited money by corporations in elections is not free speech because a corporation is not a person so it has no rights. the fact that the decision is a debacle and has taken away power from the majority and put it in the hands of the wealthy is causing political instability. The amount of money most people can afford to donate is insignificant and so their voice is lost when a few people can donate hundreds of millions to drown out the opinions of others.
The rational decisions to make all campaign spending public money to level the playing field.
Drop the emotional hyperbole if you want others to take you seriously. Nobody is murdering children. What happened to your previous idea that men are inherently more logical than women, or is this another instance of you redefining what a fact is?
A fetus cannot be a child when it isn't independent of the mother's body that it needs to survive. You cannot take rights away from her and give it to a parasite of her body that cannot speak, think or act independently. You want to attack the inherent autonomy of a woman because of your own religious beliefs. The rights of women do not come only with the permission of your interpretation of the bible.
Do you want to ignore this idea that your god says that a fetus are not a person until it can breathe air?
That's not actually what I said. I said the court ruled on "when a fetus becomes a baby and has its own rights", not the very subjective interpretation of when 'life' begins.
I do believe that what the law defines as the point between a fetus without rights that can't survive outside the womb and when it becomes viable is an important distinction, but one that isn't a debate about whether the fetus is 'alive' or not. Sperm are 'alive' as are a woman's eggs, that doesn't give them rights not should it. The bacteria in my colon is 'alive'. So being 'alive' is a distinction without meaning in this debate.
So if conservatives insist on debating when 'life' begins they will forever be barking up the wrong tree. If they want to debate when "viability" begins, well that's a possible battle they could make some headway with. If the Alabama law simply banned abortion past 20 weeks unless there was evidence from doctors showing the fetus wasn't viable, and didn't ban termination after viability if it's to save the life of the mother, then the law might just stand up under scrutiny.
Possible, but not likely, assuming a legal challenge is made. States have tried to pass laws banning abortion after 20 weeks, but failed. The SCOTUS has ruled elective abortions are permissible until the point of viability, which is around 23 weeks. One would think that is an acceptable "middle ground" compromise between the two abortion sides.
I agree, I was just trying to give an example of a law that might have a slight chance of standing up under SCOTUS scrutiny to show how far from that the new Alabama law is and why it doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of success.
"One would think that is an acceptable "middle ground" compromise between the two abortion sides."
Only if that "One" doing the thinking is educated, reasonable, logical and not irreversibly indoctrinated in religious dogma that blinds them to reality. Then yes, "One would think" it an acceptable middle ground. Sadly, that's not who most reasonable persons find themselves facing when meeting the anti-choice crowd.
You forgot to add not overly emotional or irrational.
That was all about Congress. The 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act
Do you think that Congress can pass a law that violates the US Constitution?
Congress dosen't violate, but it can modify. They use amendments
If we don't have the power of the Federal courts to set laws aside that are unconstitutional then who gets to determine constitutionality?
The Court dosen't set aside laws. The SCOTUS clarifies when there is ambiguity in the law. Claiming that their is a "right of privacy" when there CLEARLY IS NONE is a violation of the Courts jurisdiction!
Didn't you learn this very basic constitional concept in high school hisoty and civics class?
Did You? Who was your teacher? Angela Davis?
Please read and understand the legal precedent that was set in Marbury v. Madison.
Which you have misrepresented, but I appreciate the effort.
The SCOTUS also interprets the Constitution. They deemed people have a right top privacy. That would seem like a good right to have too.
What do you mean "also" clarify = interpret
They deemed people have a right top privacy.
They were lying! They were forcing an ideology on America. America can vote for it through their representatives. Progressives poisoned the well!
What nonsense.
The role of the judicial branch to rule on issues of constitutionality was established by the Marbury v. Madison decision in 1803.
Are you sincerely suggesting that Congress cannot and does not pass laws that violate the US Constitution? Do you think that they are constitutional just because they are passed by Congress? Was the ACA automatically constitutional because it was also passed by Congress, or is that an exception because of Obama?
The right to privacy is so obvious to be understood. We cannot have any freedom and autonomy from government interference into our lives if we do not have the inherent right to privacy. The 4th Amendment would not be needed if we did not have the right to privacy because it decides how and when that right of privacy can be invaded.
How did you graduate from high school with such uninformed ideas about basic concepts of civics/political science? Why is it that supposed "small government, pro-freedom conservatives instantly become rigid authoritarians when the equal rights of others are mentioned?
My HS civics teacher also taught US history and current events. My college history teacher was a city councilman-at-large. My poli-sci teacher as a former member of Congress. He also taught law.
So you're saying that people don't have a right to Due Processes under the 14th Amendment?
Your'e always so articulate
As I said, The SCOTUS also interprets the Constitution. That is one of their responsibilities. I can't make it any clearer than that.
What do you have to support that accusation? Your opinion?
People cannot vote to deny others their rights. Any legislation passed is subject to judicial review.
There goes the last vestiges of any credibility you may have had.
Tess is also correct!
You have not established that they lied to anyone.
What ideology did they force on anyone, even those who disagree with Roe v. Wade?
We do not vote on the rights of other citizens. That would be the tyranny of the majority and would result in only the majority having rights. This idea is why we have the Bill of Rights to guarantee that all of us have equal rights, even if it is only one person who feels that way.
This is an unsupported emotional claim.
Wow, No, I'm saying that the Court would have been a bit wiser and less brazen if they had ground Roe in a woman's right to equal protection rather than the silly notion of a non existent right
Having judges usurp the authority of elected representatives is a tyranny of the minority - a liberal one
If the right to privacy isn't guaranteed then you would not have locks on your doors that the government could not open at will? They would not need search warrants because you could be searched by the government anywhere, at any time, and for any reason at all.
Passwords on electronic devices would also be illegal.
Iv'e got my copy of the Constitution right here. Show me this right of privacy.
Please be specific
Exactly, the door was left open to ban abortions. The justices in Roe v Wade left it up to the states. Roe v Wade did not strike down regulating abortions through the entire pregnancy because of privacy rights. It did just the opposite.
Those judges form a critical check and balance on the power of the legislative and the executive branches. If the judges didn't exist to protect our rights and the US Constitution, then the legislative and executive could act in a way to ignore the rights guaranteed in the US Constitution. They could pass any law that they had the majority or even rewrite laws so that they didn't need a majority. The POTUS, as the head of the executive branch, could disband Congress and declare himself king.
Do you want to live in that kind of country?
Ginsburg was right! They actually fueled the Pro-Life Movement. And now we even have Conservative activists - Al Gore learned that the hard way.
So, here we are!
You have it backward. The SCOTUS struck down the Texas state ban on abortion in Roe v. Wade
It is inherent in the very concept of personal freedom. The core idea of freedom is that we do not have to ask permission before we act until it reaches the point that the rights of others are infringed. This bar is set very high for the government to prove so as to protect this very basic concept of freedom. We do not have to prove that we have the right to act, but instead the government has to prove that we do not have this right to do as we please. That idea is also not spelled out verbatim in the US Constitution but do you want to argue that it also does not exist?
That was a State law, not a law made by the US Congress. A state law could be in conflict with federal law, but in the case of the Texas Statute the Court indulged in the hypocrisy of resurrecting Lochner's substantive due process without admitting it.
You didn't read my entire comment....
1.3.43 Sunshine replied to Vic Eldred @ 1.3.39 5 minutes ago
So you can't show me. Ok, I rest my case.
You may want to take a look at post # 1.3.49, above
Not everything is written out verbatim. Privacy is so obvious that it did not need to be written. It was assumed to be understood by intelligent people who wrote the Constitution. Maybe they should have written it out for some people to understand. The Constitution also doesn't say that we have the right to eat, breathe or to have sex, but does that mean that we do not by its absence?
If we don't have the right to privacy then you need to give cops copies of all of your keys and your passwords. The HIPAA law would also be illegal if we don't have the inherent right to privacy of our medical decisions.
Why do you want to surrender your freedom and autonomy to the government?
That's a poor argument for the Court to take, yet that's the one they chose.
The regulation of abortion is at the point of medical viability without heroic medical measures. That point is now understood to be 22-24 weeks of gestation, unless the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or the mother's life is in legitimate danger if the pregnancy continues to term.
The SCOTUS has revisited Roe' numerous times.
In Casey, the court said this,
There have also been Webster, Stenberg, Gonzolas and Hellerstedt decisions. How many times do you want to revisit the same question before you stop asking?
It is also very obvious when you understand what freedom is? It was a stupid question to ask because abortion was well known and understood in the 1780s and there was no ban against it.
The state law which went before the SCOTUS. SCOTUS rulings and precedents generally applies to all states!
Are you suggesting that if something is not explicitly stated in the Constitution, then it doesn't exist?
How did they do that exactly? The SCOTUS ruled on the constitutionality of a law. That is their job. Perhaps you should skip the emotional platitudes and try to actually make a logical or rational argument!
Their decision was ground on a constitutional basis. What makes you more qualified to interpret the law and the Constitution than a SCOTUS Justice?
wtf are you talking about? I didn't ask anything.
Yes I know, I gave you that information because you obviously didn't know.
Not quite. The SCOTUS ruled that elective abortions were permissible in the first trimester (later expanded to the point of viability). After that point, it was deferred to individual states under the guise of "state's interest." So the states still had some authority in the matter. But they couldn't ban or unduly prohibit abortions outright, as we've seen some states repeatedly try to do.
State law cannot be in conflict with federal law and still stand. Federal laws/rulings aways take precedence or the US constitution would not have any power and could not be enforced if the states can write laws that ignore it. This idea is known as constitutional supremacy. Article VI paragraph 2.
Lochner might be the worst decision of the Supremes.
I did know that and I have for 30 years. I've explained it many times on NT, Newsvine, and a few previous forums.
My college minor was political philosophy. These are very basic ideas.
Gee....am I typing in invisible font?
Read the post 1.3.49 providing this information.
Never said different.
The SCOTUS left the door open for the states to determine when a woman can or can not have an abortion (at what stage of pregnancy)...the privacy right is useless.
"In the United States, the Supreme Court first recognized the right to privacy in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965). Before Griswold , however, Louis Brandeis (prior to becoming a Supreme Court Justice) co-authored a Harvard Law Review article called "The Right to Privacy," in which he advocated for the "right to be let alone."
Griswold and the Prenumbras
In Griswold , the Supreme Court found a right to privacy, derived from penumbras of other explicitly stated constitutional protections. The Court used the personal protections expressly stated in the First , Third , Fourth , Fifth , and Ninth Amendments to find that there is an implied right to privacy in the Constitution. The Court found that when one takes the penumbras together, the Constitution creates a "zone of privacy." While the holding in Griswold found for a right to privacy, it was narrowly used to find a right to privacy for married couples, and only with regard to the right to purchase contraceptives.
Justice Harlan's Concurrence in Griswold
Also important to note is Justice Harlan's concurring opinion in Griswold , which found a right to privacy derived from the Fourteenth Amendment. In his concurrence, he relies upon the rationale in his dissenting opinion in Poe v. Ullman (1961). In that opinion, he wrote, "I consider that this Connecticut legislation, as construed to apply to these appellants, violates the Fourteenth Amendment. I believe that a statute making it a criminal offense for married couples to use contraceptives is an intolerable and unjustifiable invasion of privacy in the conduct of the most intimate concerns of an individual's personal life."
In privacy cases post- Griswold , the Supreme Court typically has chosen to rely upon Justice Harlan's concurrence rather than Justice Douglas's majority opinion. Eisenstadt v Baird (1971), Roe v. Wade (1972), and Lawrence v. Texas (2003) are three of the most prolific cases in which the Court extended the right to privacy. In each of these cases, the Court relied upon the Fourteenth Amendment, not penumbras.
Extending the Right to Privacy
In Eisenstadt , the Supreme Court decided to extend the right to purchase contraceptives to unmarried couples. More importantly, however, the Court found that "the constitutionally protected right of privacy inheres in the individual, not the marital couple."
In Roe , the Supreme Court used the right to privacy, as derived from the Fourteenth Amendment, to extend the right of privacy to encompass a woman's right to have an abortion : "This right of privacy . . . founded in the Fourteenth Amendment's concept of personal liberty and restrictions upon state action . . . is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy."
In Lawrence , the Supreme Court used the Fourteenth Amendment to extend the right to privacy to "persons of the same sex [who choose to] engage in . . . sexual conduct." Relying upon the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of due process, the Court held: "The petitioners are entitled to respect for their private lives. The State cannot demean their existence or control their destiny by making their private sexual conduct a crime. Their right to liberty under the Due Process Clause gives them the full right to engage in their conduct without intervention of the government."
Thank you. I should have remembered Griswold'.
The age of viability (22-24 weeks) is to be the limit. You cannot deny a woman the right to have an abortion by setting the limit so low that we don't know that we are pregnant when the limit passes. To say that we have the right to abortion is intellectually dishonest when that is the situation.
Why is it that you cannot leave others also to make the choice that best fits her? Nobody is asking you to approve that she terminates a pregnancy because nobody cares what you think when it isn't your body. Have you ever been forced to have an abortion because of the opinions of others?
Can I make your intimate medical decisions that best fit me or does that only give you the right to stick your nose into the intimate lives of others?
My statement only affirms the idea surrounding state's interest (whatever that is).
Good.
States can only "ban" abortion as long as it doesn't conflict with SCOTUS rulings. It's unconstitutional for a state to ban abortion early in a pregnancy, as we see Alabama try to do.
Not at any stage. Justices ruled in Roe v Wade that the life of the unborn can overrule the privacy law.
Although many believe otherwise.
Ok. Sure. Whatever.
At some point in time it becomes something that is immoral to kill. When that actually happens is the entirety of the disagreement.
I never said any of this diatribe.
[deleted]
I agree, Citizens United wasn't a case of the court legislating either. It struck down the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, aka "the McCain–Feingold Act" that banned "electioneering communication" within 60 days of a general election or within 30 days of a primary.
I believe they made the wrong decision and I concur with the dissent by Justice Stevens that the ruling "threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation. The path it has taken to reach its outcome will, I fear, do damage to this institution." "A democracy cannot function effectively when its constituent members believe laws are being bought and sold."
Do you support the right of a woman to terminate a pregnancy?
I support the law....so that would be yes.
After that bullshit attack, never comment to me again and believe me I will most certainly avoid your comments.
Morality is subjective. Legally speaking, that time is determined to be the point of viability, with specified exceptions.
What part of "nobody believes in murdering children" do you dispute? In my experience, pro choice people do not believe in murdering children any more than pro life people do.
Are you claiming otherwise?? WTF??
It's in that spot deep in your imagination with all the other things you imagine I think after you misread my posts. It's worth pointing out that you're not doing women any favors when you claim the idea that pro life people don't want to murder children is "emotional hyperbole".
I realize you believe that. What exactly do we need to do to help you understand that pro-life people see it differently? What part of that is stumping you?
You are off on yet another bizarre tangent over things I never actually said. This is becoming more frequent.
Please cite where I have attempted to do so, or supported the attempt to do so. You'll be a while, so I'm going to go make a cup of coffee while you're working on that.
Citation? Or is this some sort of quasi-unhinged attempt at irony?
Cite me making any such claim. I mean actually making the claim...not you presuming what I must have meant in your imagination. Is there any point at which you intend to address things I've actually said, or do you just intend to keep pretending we're all in your alternative universe?
Out of curiosity, what is it about the idea that someone else may have a differing opinion than yours that seems to incite you to these nonsensical accusations?
The SCOTUS ruling on Roe v Wade did not leave legal abortion as settled law, they left an opening for the states to contest the ruling which is what Alabama is trying to do. They are trying to get their arguments before SCOTUS.
That was Vic's original point, I think, he can surely correct me if I am wrong.
Here it is....as you can see it says "no state"...life, liberty, or property.
In Roe v Wade the SCOTUS kicked it back to the states enough to leave an opening for states like Alabama to contest the ruling.
I'm done explaining it.
Roe v Wade has always been considered a fragile ruling.
Here are Ginsburg's opinions on it that Vic was also referring to:
DP's point was that Roe v Wade is not a law, and not the result of the SCOTUS making legislation.
My point was that..just like RvW, Citizens United is not a law and does not represent the SCOTUS making legislation.
Because it is far easier to debate the words put in your mouth than the ones you actually typed.
it is a tactic seemingly growing in popularity here.
Thanks for verifying what I said. at least you got that right.
Lochner might be the worst decision of the Supremes.
Yup, too bad such reasoning was used in Roe.
BTW, the Governor of Alabama just signed the anti abortion bill. So here we go!
There always have been.
I can't answer for epistte, but my problem is it's not just an 'opinion', the fact is, that opinion is being legislated and forced upon women, taking their rights. Being taken against their will. Your particular 'opinion' is the rally cry to usurp women's rights so your 'opinion' replaces their own belief system. For all your ranting about murdering children, most people do not believe that. I definitely do not believe that. Don't know why you are having such a disconnect here. The only reason your anti-woman opinion matters to us is that it is reality, and when someone's most personal decisions are taken away by a bunch of stupid patronizing misogynist men, it makes one testy. Expect it to continue.
Seriously? How absurd Jack. Abortion is not equivalent to "murder children". I know you know that. Equating abortion with murdering children is the thing that doesn't do any favors for women.
Yep, becoming more evident that many can't discuss anything in a civil manner and make shit up.
I understand that you see it that way, and I can respect that.
It's not actually my opinion.
Largely because people don't seem to be able to put their emotions aside and read a post at face value.
The point is that neither side is nearly as evil as the other side likes to scream.
Again, I understand the emotion. I simply don't accept that the best responses women can muster are whiny bullshit buzzwords or screaming "misogyny" at every turn.
Read. It. Again.
Or...just fly off the handle at what you thought it might have said. At this point I don't care.
It's not a tactic.
Tactics require effort and planning. Misreading posts (repeatedly) is just laziness.
You call women having legal rights and autonomy despicable?
Color me surprised.
Of course he does!
There's none so blind .......
So profound!
That was the basis of the right to privacy in the ruling in Roe v Wade.
Okay, then explain to me the legal basis of a woman's equal protection without using the 14th Amendment's Due process clause.
You can't. If you reverse Roe v Wade under the 14th Amendment's Due Process clause then you'd make HIPPA laws invalid as well as various FTC laws and open the door for a huge government intrusion into the lives of US citizens. Perhaps that's what you anti-choicers want. You must want Big Government in people's homes telling them what they can can and can't do. I guarantee that you anti-choicers won't like the inevitable repercussions that will happen if Roe v Wade is completely overturned.
Roe is unlikely to be overturned....unless the unborn achieve RIGHTS. Most likely Roe will become more and more restricted with time.
Blackmun didn't really explain how the right burst forth from the 14th Amendment did he? He simply mentioned it's "concept of personal liberty" and that was that!
So where in the Constitution does it say people can own handguns, rifles, semi-automatic weapons, cannons, tanks? It says right to bear arms - no specific - pretty much like your "privacy" is not mentioned,
Only a right to bear arms
It says right to bear arms - no specific - pretty much like your "privacy" is not mentioned,
Actually, It is far more specific than any right to "privacy". We can debate about what the "arms" should be limited to, but even the Justices from Roe can't show us this "right to privacy"
In your mind it is more specific. But have at it.
You say arms includes guns - I say forced birth infringes on my life, liberty & property.
A well regulated Militia
Were those your words, or not? Bear in mind before answering that they're all there in black and white, for all of us to read.
In order for the "unborn" to have RIGHTS, then we need to legislate ALL of those RIGHTS.
Does the unborn have the RIGHT to be conceived by men and women who are mentally and physically healthy and financially stable and educated on child rearing? If not, shouldn't it be? The unborn should have the RIGHT to be born in only optimum environments instead of living as a latch key kid in poverty.
If we are going to legislate RIGHTS for the unborn, then to be fair to the unborn, those rights should be in place before conception. Anyone who wants to be a parent should have to be thoroughly evaluated to make sure that they are 100% willing and capable of nurturing and raising a child before being issued a permit to conceive one. Therefore, we need to work on temporarily sterilizing our breeding age population to ensure that they do not accidentally breed and deprive the "unborn" of their RIGHTS.
and I agree with both
And Muslims see it differently than Christians...even then there are 30,000 sects of Christians because on some points they see it differently and so on and so forth. And throughout history, people who have seen it "differently" have tried to force their religious dogma on others - even torturing and murdering to "shock and awe" the survivors into submission.
I believe that most of us are intelligent enough to understand the mentally of our would be oppressors who want to force us to submit our entire lives to their religious dogma.
I do not have an argument with owning guns. My husband has quite a few. I just want my uterus to be mine, not some strangers on the street.
It is inside her, that is as private as possible
The SCOTUS disagrees, the ruling is no abortion at viability.
I don't think anyone is seeking special rights for the unborn.
If a parent is not capable of caring for a child, then it becomes the states interest.
She cannot be forced to carry that fetus to term and give birth against her will because of a state that puts the life of the fetus above that of the mother. Since when do we become second class citizens in our own body when we are pregnant?
What legal concept was fabricated in the Roe v. Wade decision?
It will never survive judicial review.
You mean the child becomes a taxpayer liability and an income source for some n'eer do wells who take taxpayer checks and brags about what a "good" person they are for helping the "needy". The main person being helped is the one helping themselves to taxpayer money.
Foster care is BIG BUSINESS. There is no humane reason to add more children to this system.
People, who actually love children, would do everything in their power to ensure that they are born to people who wanted them instead of forcing women to have children they do not want.
Alabama seizing a baby is mentioned in this article. On what level is any of this acceptable?
None of this is about love for children. It is about control of women, and in many cases, making a profit doing it.
Most children used for sexual trafficking are foster children. In a 2013 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) nationwide raid to rescue child sex trafficking victims in 70 cities, 60% were children in foster care or group homes. The year before in Connecticut , 86 of 88 victims were from child welfare agencies. One in three foster care children later report sexual abuse in the foster home.
Whistle blowers face punishment or worse. Social workers in Kentucky were fired for refusing to place children in foster homes suspected of abuse or refusing to terminate parental rights despite pressure from supervisors who had already picked out influential adoptive families. The late Georgia state congresswoman Nancy Schaefer, who died under mysterious circumstances, spoke for every state in the union when she said: “ I am convinced there is no responsibility and no accountability in Child Protective Services .”
The stress and emotional damage heaped on families with children seized by the state cannot be underestimated:
The married parents of the newborn taken by Alabama Human Services wrote a powerful 25-page letter to Alabama officials listed thirteen federal laws and nine Constitutional amendments broken when their baby was seized:
more on unwanted children and state abuse of parents....
Is this what "Christian love" is? If not, then quit supporting it!
Why yes the child becomes the state's responsibility and the state is supported by taxpayer funds.
Would it be different for some reason?
That is a higher cost to the taxpayer. Do you want to pay more?
Very clear
United States v. Cruikshank , 92 U.S. 542 1876
The Justices stated "The right to bear arms is not granted by the Constitution; neither is it in any manner dependent upon that instrument for its existence. The Second Amendments means no more than that it shall not be infringed by Congress, and has no other effect than to restrict the powers of the National Government"
James Madison
"T]he advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of. Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." -- James Madison, Federalist No. 46"
"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of the republic; since it offers a strong moral check against usurpation and arbitrary power of the rulers." -- Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution
Our Supreme Court has ruled that it is consistent with the Founders view of an armed citizenry that we have weapons consistent with those of a uniformed foot soldier.
From District of Columbia v Heller, re-affirming US v Miller and Printz v US United States v Miller concluded that citizens had a 2nd amendment right to "ordinary military equipment" that could "contribute to the common defense.
"We therefore read Miller to say only that the Second Amendment does not protect those weapons not typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, such as short-barreled shotguns. That accords with the historical understanding of the scope of the right, see Part III, infra.25
It may be objected that if weapons that are most useful in military service—M-16 rifles and the like—may be banned, then the Second Amendment right is completely detached from the prefatory clause. But as we have said, the conception of the militia at the time of the Second Amendment’s ratification was the body of all citizens capable of military service, who would bring the sorts of lawful weapons that they possessed at home to militia duty. It may well be true today that a militia, to be as effective as militias in the 18th century, would require sophisticated arms that are highly unusual in society at large. Indeed, it may be true that no amount of small arms could be useful against modern-day bombers and tanks. But the fact that modern developments have limited the degree of fit between the prefatory clause and the protected right cannot change our interpretation of the right."
For that I wouldn't mind. I can think of far worst and stupid things people want to pay for...like a Green New Deal.
Children are abused regardless of their situation. Finding a perfect world for children is not possible. I wish it was. I have my own personal experiences that where horrendous, but now I also have two beautiful daughters and two beautiful grandchildren, and a great life. But it isn't my decision, it isn't my body, and it isn't my business to tell others what to do.
We have laws for that.
So the government forces girls and women to have babies that they can't care for so the children can be forced into the foster care business? How is this even humane on any level?
History is filled with laws that were made according to whoever was in power.
In the US, women have had to fight for personhood rights since the nation's inception only because there have been enough men in power who view us as less than their equal....or view us as their slaves.
The male mentality of being lord and master over women is not and never will be acceptable. So women in the US will have to continue to fight for our freedom in the land of the "free" against those who continue to fight to oppress us.
There is none so blind?
Most people have heard of that. Here's what Iv'e found:
There Are None So Blind As Those Who Will Not See:
• According to the ‘Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings’ this proverb has been traced back to 1546 (John Heywood), and resembles the Biblical verse Jeremiah 5:21
Why?
Wow!
What I am saying by laws is it isn't my place to make the decision for others. Not that the law is right or wrong.
I often wonder why the same amount of compassion is not ever given to the unborn.
They already do. They already have that power. Abortion laws are not absolute.
These words, Vic:
In reply to Gordy's words:
we are overpopulated already and have too many kids state has to pay for now
Exactly ! Pro lifers claim they want to protect the sanctity of life. Most will allow exceptions in cases of rape or incest. There's one problem with that.
If the victim of rape or incest is allowed to abort but a woman who is careless and/or too poor to raise a/another child is forced to carry the pregnancy to term. So these restrictions are more about power and control of women than they are about the sanctity of life.
Absolutely. Differing opinions abound.
The sooner we recognize that and stop screaming about how evil other people are, the better.
Absolutely. Everyone from the Romans who persecuted early Christians to the Crusades to the Spanish Inquisition to Adolf Hitler to Joseph Stalin and beyond.
Apparently not.
I have to wonder if this is one of those examples of rational men bringing logic to the conversation where emotional women are involved. Because this seems a bit...overwrought.
I also have to wonder if Vic would like somebody sticking their noses into his medical records and making medical decisions for him with no thought to his interests.
Perhaps he has a spare kidney, lung or testicle someone else needs
If so, he should be forced to give it up if the need arises. He has no right to privacy nor bodily autonomy, by his own admission. I know people who need that kidney. Their lives are precious.
Oh, and he should have to pay for the donation, same as a pregnant woman gets to pay for medical care during and after her pregnancy. No special rights for him.
I don't care if you care. I read the words you typed and I typed a response.
I didn't "fly off the handle".
You've become even more tiresome. How is that possible?
You believe the woman who makes a decision makes it without compassion to the fetus?
Wow!
I've noticed that a lot of anti choice men are highly emotional about it.
They even accuse people of being emotional in the process. It's hilarious!
You are literally objecting to the statement "pro choice people don't believe in murdering children".
No, I'm literally not objecting to that statement.
I'm objecting to your other statement.
It is emotional hyperbole and pro-life people do that consistently. Their whole argument is based on "abortion=murder".
Emotional hyperbole.
I believe if you look back the argument was that epistte claimed your use of the phrase "murdering children" in this context was "emotional hyperbole".
Hyperbole: noun - exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
Jack "Nobody believes in murdering children." 1.3.22
epistte "Drop the emotional hyperbole if you want others to take you seriously. Nobody is murdering children." 1.3.25
Jack "What part of "nobody believes in murdering children" do you dispute?" 1.3.72 (obtuse reply)
Fireryone "Seriously? How absurd Jack. Abortion is not equivalent to "murder children"." 1.3.79
Jack "Read. It. Again." 1.3.82 (deflection)
Fireryone "I read the words you typed and I typed a response." 1.3.123
Jack "You are literally objecting to the statement "pro choice people don't believe in murdering children" 1.3.126 (obtuse reply)
All epistte or anyone else seemed to be concerned with was your use of the phrase "murdering children" in this context which is, as epistte pointed out "emotional hyperbole". They were not refuting your claim that "nobody believes in murdering children". They were simply pointing out that there is no need for using loaded phrases like that when the ones you're replying to aren't making such a claim. It would be like saying to a friend who came to you asking what they should do about their porn addiction and you say "Well, I'm not saying you love murdering millions of perspective children every time you shamefully spill your seed, but masturbation is a heavily debated subject with a lot of ins and outs you have to consider...". Why bring it up at all unless you're intentionally injecting that idea into the conversation?
Thank you. I wish I could say it was surprising.
Correct. I'm holding to that statement. I confess I have been frustrated at having to defend it and explain it. I just thought it was obvious. But I thank you for your considerate response.
I chose the phrase "murdering children" specifically to illustrate the ridiculous and vitriolic nature of the accusations people level at each other over this issue.
A few examples of that vitriol have followed.
Again, thank you for your reasoned response.
I demand that all anti-choice men are forced to have vasectomies at 16 and can only have that procedure reversed under the written and notarized approval of their spouse. They must also set up a $75,000 child care fund before the child is born so its medical, educational and nutritional needs will be taken care of.
Cool.
If you breed them, then feed them yourself!
The ruling struck down unconstitutional laws.
They're not the first state to do so and they probably won't be the last state to try and fail. States have tried to fight the ruling through different sets of laws. Subsequent abortion rulings by the SCOTUS only affirmed abortion rights.
These kind of arguments have already gone before the courts, and failed spectacularly. I doubt this time will be any different.
Abortions after the first trimester was kicked back to the states. Before then, the SCOTUS made 1st trimester abortions permissible, which states could not violate.
Good, because your explanations have been lacking and weak!
The SCOTUS affirmed that abortions were permissible up to the point of viability, in their landmark case: Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992).
I'm not so sure. Some people have maintained the unborn have, or should have rights.
After the child is born. I see no compelling state interest before then.
Exactly. Unfortunately, there are those, especially in government, who think it is their place.
Emotional hyperbole. But as you said, it's not your business.
And that's a problem.
Did you notice that my idea would apply to all anti-choice men, which would include you.
If the teen/women wanted to have an abortion but was forced by the government to give birth then is the state going to pay to raise that child and keep the baby and the mother out of poverty for 18+ years?
[deleted]
I am NOIT anti-abortion--as I have told you and others here multiple times. I will do so yet once AGAIN.
I am not opposed to abortion. Personally, I find it a poor choice of birth control when so many other, safer options are available. Personally, I think that people unwilling or incapable of caring for the children they bring into the world SHOULD get abortions. No need for society to continually pay for dumbasses' mistakes.
[deleted]
[Thank you.]
STOP MISREPRESENTING MY POSITION IN YOUR POSTS BECAUSE THAT COMMENT IS UNTRUTHFUL.
STOP DOING THAT PLEASE.
DEBATE WHAT I SAY--NOT WHAT YOU THINK I SAY.
YOUR COMMENT IS INTELLECTUALLY DISHONEST.
Then why do you discuss it? It isn't any of your business either. Why do you discuss the hardships for the mother and never ever the hardships for the unborn. You must think the unborn are not worthy of any compassion.
I am able to have an opinion and comments just as you, so please take your shit someone where else.
After all it isn't any of your business.
We're on our fourth day of multiple people objecting to that very same practice from the very same woman.
At some point, that level of shithousery needs to be a COC violation.
[deleted]
No. Do you? Explain why you don't.
It is poor form to put words or thought into others' post and then attempt to argue them, but it seems to be the in vogue thing.
Because I seeded the article!
I never said it was. Neither am I going around trying to make it my business or tell anyone whether they can have an abortion or not. But I'm pointing out that some states clearly don't respect a woman's personal rights or business! Some people clearly think someone's choices regarding abortion is their business for some reason.
More emotional rhetoric. What "hardships" do the unborn have? It's the woman who has to deal with being pregnant. That involves hardships for her.
I never said you couldn't.
This is my seed. If you don't like it, you can leave!
See second statement!
Accusing another member of lying is a CoC violation I think.
Are you suggesting women who have abortions lack compassion?
The truth should be a defense against CoC violations, IMO.
The statement under discussion was UNTRUTHFUL, INCORRECT, DISINFORMATION, DECEITFUL, FABRICATED, FALSE, FICTION, AND A DELIBERATE MISREPRESENTATION OF THE FACTS.
Take that as you will.
If you deny legal access to abortions, then YOU can feed them. You want to force women to have kids? Then you can feed them, give them healthcare, clothing, housing and education. Many women get an abortion because they cannot financially support a child, you knew that, right?
Here! Here!
I have been accused in this seed of wanting to keep women down and also of endorsing slavery and my only contribution to the seed was to comment on the legal aspects, not the underlying issues. Incredibly (to me) those accusations remain in place.
Deliberately misstating my position is intellectually dishonest.
Since it appears you have NOT been following along, I will refer you to this:
So, hell YES, if you can't feed them, DON'T breed them!
It has been explained to me that lying isn't a CoC violation, but calling people liars is.
Some people do and it is disgusting. Most people are against forcing dogs to breed in puppy mills, but are A-OK to do it to members of their own species. Why? What are these people gaining in forcing girls & women to have unwanted children?
Are the unwanted children the forced birther source of income in some way? Are they running orphanages? Providing foster care?
What is the motivation to add to the unwanted and abused 400,000 children in foster care?
and
taxpayer costs per unwanted abused foster child in Missouri...
Please show me where that is going on.
The same can be said of yours as well.
A deflection used to detract from what they don't like to hear.
So only you can discuss topics on your seeds....lol...ok
Then why are you sticking your nose into it?
You really think killing an unborn has no hardship for them...wow, sad and pathetic. I see that being cold and heartless towards the unborn is acceptable.
No. Are you? I am suggestioning that you lack it. Which you have already expressed that the unborn suffer no hardships.
That is a problem for you? You agree with the Democrats that late term abortions are acceptable?
[ Removed ]
[Trolling]
Will do, but privately. I'm not interested in derailing the seed with public arguments about other people.
You asked why I was discussing it. I told you. At no point did I say you or anyone else couldn't discuss it.
Specify precisely where I'm doing that! I specifically said I wasn't. Discussing something is not sticking my nose in it.
Considering the unborn do not have full neurological function, self-awareness, perceptions, ect in early pregnancy when most abortions are performed, no, there is no hardship.
Spare me the emotional platitudes.
Did I even hint that women lacked compassion?
Your suggestion is noted, and ignored!
Attempts to legislate away women's established constitutional rights is a problem.
It makes no difference. Late term abortions are not permitted unless there is health threats to the woman or if there is fetal demise.
I see you agree.
I see you're making assumptions.
I see you have non answers.
I see you haven't been paying attention.
Oh, but I have, close attention.
[Removed, discuss topic not members of the forum.]
No, I don't think so
Among other things . . .
You can think whatever you like.
Yes, but I can think, unlike the aborted.
That only shows the unborn are unable to think and have the neurological capacity of someone in a vegetative state.
Of course women make the decision with consideration to the fetus, the family they have, their obligations and their health.
To assume otherwise or to assume that you're needed to be compassionate to a fetus about to be aborted...that's absurd. It isn't any of your concern and your views of it, like mine are not required by the woman making the decision. It's her who knows what's best for her family.
This is the biggest source of the problem with the debate. The anti choicers have convinced you that the majority of abortion are done after viability or that they are elective. They aren't elective abortions. They are done at the recommendation of the physician treating the woman primarily to save her life or allow her to recover from a failed pregnancy.
There is no such thing as elective late term abortions and it has never been accepted, condoned or practiced.
They aren't capable of thinking at the stage they are aborted.
They haven't convinced me. Maybe those ignorant or gullible enough buy into their nonsense. But anyone with a rational mind can see through their disingenuous or misleading BS.
Are you sure or are you just mouthing propaganda
Intent is everything. Should have just said that all of our forced birth bills are unconstitutional right now. If the forced birthers can ban legal abortion, then the next step is to bring back the Comstock laws and ban knowledge of and access to birth control. The forced birthers view women as nothing more than broodmares. We are being denied access to permanent birth control and treated like herd animals by men in government and the medical profession.
Gordy, I just watched the following video. I believe it would make a good stand alone seed. Currently, I don't have the time or the inclination to moderate seeds. Please seed it or reference it if you want to.
Gordy,
Below is another video that I just found about forced marriage in the US. I had no idea that this was happening in the US.
Female children being segregated, semi-educated as a domestic servant, sold off to the highest male bidder, hymen checked and used as owner desires for life .......is this the end goal of the forced birthers?
“They also use the language of equal rights.
The Alabama bill, for example, frames the rights of unborn children as an issue of human equality - a natural step from the principle that "All men are created equal" and a continuation of movements against slavery and even for women's suffrage.
"Abortion advocates speak to women's rights," the bill states, "but they ignore the unborn child, while medical science has increasingly recognized the humanity of the unborn child."” A great point from your article.
And yet, they don't seem to know what they're talking about. More like they try to use the language of appeals to emotion, which the gullible and/or ignorant eat up like candy.
Except the unborn is not considered a person with rights and doing so would infringe on a woman's already established rights.
Oxymoron.
How does medical science do that exactly? Sounds like another appeal to emotion. Medical science has advanced the understanding of gestation and identifying and addressing medical issues that can arise during and after pregnancy. "Humanity" is a subjective term.
You cannot protect a fetus without protecting the rights of women. They are intertwined.
"humanity of the unborn child."
does an unborn child count to use HOV lanes?
Do pregnant women pay for two tickets to the movies?
we have proved our point
or two airline tickets?
Don't give the airlines any new ideas for profit.
Our apologies, what were we thinking, lol?
“While 6 in 10 Americans say abortion "should generally be legal" during the first three months, according to a 2018 Gallup poll, support for abortion dwindles to 28% for the second trimester and 13% for the third trimester.” Again from your seeded article. And in the states passing these laws the support for 1st trimester abortion is lower than the national average. While it may be hard to get the court to overturn roe vs wade entirely, it may be possible to get them to see the science of human life and development at a certain point and limit legal abortion to only the 1st trimester and give the human baby the right to life at that point and apply that to all 50 states, the district, and all the territories. It would be progress and a good first step and have majority public support.
Constitutional rights are not subject to majority opinions. It would be unconstitutional to re-establish slavery even if 100% of the country's opinion was for it.
Depends on the circumstances. Ultimately, they are.
Not true. If 100% of the country was for it, we could pass a constitutional amendment repealing the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments and yes, reestablish slavery. In fact, you don't even need 100%. You only 2/3 of both houses of Congress and 3/4 of the states.
Well, yes. That could happen. [deleted]
Are you proud of comments like this? Why is anybody here endorsing this garbage?
Why yes, yes I am. Are you proud of what Republicans are doing to women?
You're proud of suggesting that I want slavery to return? Sorry, but I think that's pretty stupid and childish. You have no reason to think that and it's rude.
I take no pride in anything any political party does. I don't belong to a party and I don't advocate for either one. I think the obsession with abortion legislation is, at best, a distraction and often politically motivated. To the extent that they want to end abortion, though, it is a sentiment I can understand.
The difference is, most abortions are performed in the first trimester and elective abortions are generally not allowed after viability unless medical and health issues arise. Noone is advocating for later term abortions.
Some states are trying to prohibit abortion after a heartbeat is detected. That's not supporting abortion or women's rights. That's a draconian prohibition of those rights, as well as being unconstitutional.
That was already done. But the SCOTUS only affirmed and expanded on abortion rights.
More emotional rhetoric to appeal to the ignorant.
Are you aware that late term abortions are already illegal? Post viability abortions account for 1% and they are done when the life of the mother is threatened or the fetus isn't viable. Denying women that procedure at that point is unconscionable.
That has been the limit since Roe. Even before Roe, most abortions are performed in the first trimester.
Why hasn't that been good enough for you?
Well, yeah! That's how we do things in this country. I know the headline wants to make this tactic sound underhanded, but we have this conflict between existing legal standards and new laws every day on all sorts of issues. The struggle gets decided in the courts at first, but can migrate to more new legislation or constitutional amendments. We see the same struggle with gun control laws. It's how we got gay marriage. It's how we may ultimately get Congress to decriminalize marijuana.
This is how it works in a country where the citizenry is empowered to take part in government.
Except such bans are clearly unconstitutional from the get go, and legislators even admit this. That's why the courts have repeatedly struck down such laws. What's even more mind boggling are people who elect or reelect such legislators in the first place.
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I find the content of your comment to be completely disconnected to the content of my comment. I commented only on the process of challenging laws and how it is a process that occurs with a variety of issues.
You chose to respond to that analysis by accusing me of wanting to control women, that I don't care about their problems, and I want to force my abhorrent values (whatever they might be) on them.
I find your comments to be repugnant and offensive. I do not feel the ways you described and there is nothing here in my comments that justifies such offensive commentary by you.
Apparently, me saying so is some kind of violation, but you accusing me of the offensive garbage that you have stated here is perfectly ok. I have flagged it, but it has been ignored. In my opinion, you, the people who supported your comment and the mods who let it go should be ashamed. The entire thing is disgraceful.
That is my opinion, which I guess I shouldn't expect to endure, but that repugnant garbage in @4.2 will apparently remain. That is the state of things.
There is nothing in my statement that is untrue. Republicans are attempting to control women through fertility. That is a fact that can't be disputed. Its also a fact we have the highest maternal death rate in the industrialized world, due to lack of healthcare. Which the gop keeps lying about and trying to sabotage, and certainly isn't doing anything to improve it. Slut shaming (making it about having irresponsible sex), and making contraception into something only related to wanton sex is always brought into the equation. You suppost those politicians, preachers, ceos, etc having a say in women's healthcare. ONLY WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE. Everything I said is true and I must have hit a nerve if you are so upset. The problem is that you are supporting a position that is part of everything I said. I don't want to force you to do or not do anything, but you want to force your beliefs on everybody. Instead of whining, take each point and make a counter point.
Every bit of it is untrue and based on nothing whatsoever that I have ever said. You lied about me.
I don't care what Republicans are doing. I am not a Republican and nothing I wrote had anything to do with a Republican.
Again, I am not the GOP nor have I attempted to speak for them.
Is something I have not engaged in. There is zero reason for you to bring it up with me.
No, I am upset because you lied about me. You misrepresented and disparaged my character and values and you did it straight out of left field and based on absolutely nothing that I said.
I did not support any position. All I did was observe how people challenge existing law.
Again, you are lying about me. I have not tried to force my belief about anything on anyone.
Whining? You're lying about me. And I'm going to go on saying it until you stop and retract your lies. Why wouldn't I?
You didn't make any points. You just accused me of a bunch of bullshit that isn't true. There is no counter to that except to call you a liar.
Well that didn't work out well.
Let's just take the personal you out of it. The position that allows outside interference in a women's life and health is FORCING RELIGIOUS BELIEF ON WOMEN. There is no way around it because same people also show their lack of concern for children outside the uterus. Same with every other point I made. Now if one doesn't want to force their belief system on everybody else, it doesn't pertain to them. If they do, it does. When advocating laws that allow that interference in women's lives for beliefs they personally do not hold and don't want, they are trying to control and hold back women. I can list plenty of articles about women's how fertility impacts women in negative ways. (You aren't just observing challenging abortion, by the way, you advocate openly for it, so why are you denying it?)
Sometimes emotions run a JUST a bit high!
It is far easier to accuse you of all sorts of things than to actually debate what you stated.
Or, it is far easier to debate what words they put in your post that you didn't write.
You are still lying about me and talking about something I never touched on.
I. Don't. Care! I didn't say one thing about interfering in women's lives. Not one thing.
You keep accusing me of having positions I have not stated but you can't quote me anywhere saying any of those things. You are literally making shit up and accusing me of saying it so you can attack me for saying things I didn't say. You are intentionally saying things about be me that you know are not true. That. Is. Lying.
I also never said anything about religious belief. Again, you are making up things and attributing to me. Stop lying about me.
Every point you have directed at me so far is a lie. Every one.
Why would I care? I never said anything about that. List your articles for someone who cares. Maybe you can make the list for someone you aren't lying about.
I didn't advocate for anything, and I certainly didn't advocate for anything related to abortion.
Because it's a lie. You are lying.
Well if you are pro choice, I apologize. I guess you didn't make that clear.
It truly does not matter if I am pro-choice or not. You attacked me for things I haven't even said.
Why should I? I wasn't talking about that.
Stricter abortion bans are conservative-led states' gambit to overturn Roe vs. Wade
It's not an attack, it was laying out the reasons why people who try to limit women's right (the subject of this seed) are wrong to force their personal values on others, and I guess the point of your comment was not clear. I should not have used the personal 'you' in my original comment to avoid the problem. But if there is a snowflake problem around this issue, one should find a gentler seed to comment on perhaps. Especially when one has no skin in the game in the first place.
Now you want to call me names. Amazing.
I find it odd that someone who is not impacted by by these attempts to undermine women gets so worked up when I bring up the problems being forced on them by conservatives. At the same time obfuscating about whether you are for the restrictions on women or not, saying it doesn't matter what your position is. I can see how much I pissed you off, which was not my intent with my reply. But if you thought I was wrong on my points, you could have just counterpointed instead of taking it personally.
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That brings to mind the old "what goes around comes around" saying.
It does, eh? You want to tell me when I have lied about someone? When I have called people names? You want to tell me when I did any of that to lib?
I didn't lie either. I wasn't going to post here to let it die down, but I have to speak one last time. I did not mean anything in my comment to be a personal attack. If I didn't read your position correctly it was because it wasn't and still isn't clear if you are defending this war on women or not. As a woman, this is a BFD (as it is for most of us), and if it looks like a war on women, talks like a war on women and mostly male politicians and supporters legislate a war on women, its a WAR ON WOMEN and women will be acting accordingly, and defend themselves. I've been called all kinds of things here, and the same time of my post I'd read a bunch of comments on another seed from the right calling liberals snowflakes, so I was just speaking the language. I've never flagged a comment and guess have thicker skin than most. Would it have been better if I said 'over sensitive'? I doubt it. Imagine how women feel when the very foundation of their lives (their most basic right to control their own body) is not only taken away by men, its defended and mansplained by men constantly. And I'm NOT accusing you personally of anything in that sentence. But I do wonder why people who don't care or don't want their real opinions out would comment on a seed with this kind of stakes and then complain about getting caught in the crossfire. I'm sorry you took it all as a personal insults, it was not intended that way. But I don't apologize for the passion I will be bringing to fight the war on women.
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Except the citizenry isn't being allowed to participate
These "laws" are just wasting taxpayer money...they will be struck down as unconstitutional...I thought repubs wanted smaller government except when it comes to women's reproductive choices.
The party of more personal freedoms and individual liberty apparently doesn't want them for woman. Pretty sad.
it's all about control and they want control over women's medical decisions and bodies - but this is just a slippery slope start for control, think about a bigger picture.
I continue to be amazed that there are those in government and the general populace that support removing the individual rights and freedoms of fully 50% of their fellow citizens
I continue to be amazed that there are those in government and general populace that support the right of fully 50% of their fellow citizens to slaughter innocent human life.
I continue to be amazed that there are those in government and general populace that would deny the constitutional rights of fully 50% of their fellow citizens.
"I continue to be amazed that there are those in government and general populace that would deny the constitutional rights of fully 50% of their fellow citizens."
Said Every southern slaveholder in 1850.
Nice strawman.
It's not. If your argument had any logical consistency.
any of them around today?
Uh yeah, it is. Logic seems to elude you.
Sean, the 50% (I am assuming you mean women), you may believe are killing innocent life. That's fine. But I don't believe that a human being is there at conception. I do believe that there is a human at some point in gestation... and there is that important word: gestation.
Those slaves were biologically independent people capable of thought, self-support, ambulation, and feelings on their own, unlike a gestational fetus that cannot be separated from the mother's body and continue to survive. It is after the 24-26th week of gestation that a fetus is able to survive in the NICU without heroic medical measures. That point in the 24th week is the current legal limit of elective abortion in the US because of that idea of medical viability. To make the limit any lower takes away the rights of the mother and she becomes a hostage in her own body because of a pregnancy that she didn't want or cannot support. You cannot logically claim to support individual freedom for yourself and then turn around and force women to carry a pregnancy to term without the option of abortion because of your social or religious beliefs. That action would make you a hypocrite of epic proportions.
Oh, that's rich coming from someone on the political side of constant efforts today, right now without rest, to disenfranchise voters descended from those slaves. Again, proving no god, at least one of justice, exists. If so, anyone using that kind of argument would be struck down with a lightning bolt on the spot.
There is no slaughter. Good grief, can you be more hyperbolic?
I mentioned this in another seed, but why this infatuation with the vaginas of others and its working parts?
For the guys I suppose it may be envy, but the females I would have to ask: Why would you want to cede dominion over your own body to others?
If your are against abortion, I can understand that, the answer would be to not have one, not to deny the procedures to others.
Many men still believe that we are to be owned and controlled. Apparently, they still live in the 1830s and they are trying to force us back into the kitchen to be their pregnant domestic slaves. Maybe they will try to take away our constitutional right to vote and drive a car or ride a bike as well. I do not understand this mentality but this must be what it means to make America great, in the eyes of conservative men.
I just don't understand the need of folks to foist their belief system ( or lack of it) onto others.
These are the same folks running around blither blathering about freedom, until your notion of freedom does not align with theirs that is.
I can only surmise that they are not willing to defend the same rights and liberties in others that they demand for themselves. They do not see themselves as an equal in an interdependent society so they have no civic responsibilities to protect the rights of anyone else.
I need to create a thread to discuss this issue and see how many people see themselves as equals to others and that they live in an interdependent society or do they just see themselves as a person with no responsibilities to other Americans, to other humans worldwide, and life forms that we share the earth with. This is a situation of do they see an interdependent diverse forest with symbiotic organisms that depend on each other to survive, or just a group of individual trees? If we were just separate people them we would not need a constitution to govern the country, but that isn't the case so we have a constitution to protect our rights and to define how the government works for the benefit of all.
I and I am sure others hope you do, it would make for excellent discussion, in my opinion anyway.
Conservatives don't give a shit about kids so much as they just want to get women back to being second class citizens. Next up, the 19th amendment!
This is about threatening the equality and the autonomy of women from both their control and the power of the religion to interfere in the rights of women. Conservative men pay lip service to equal rights but when it comes down to it they want to determine the rights that other people enjoy. The life of the baby is irrelevant after it is born because they don't want to support it. They tell the women that is her fault and she must do it on her own.
They scream about the power of the USA PATRIOT ACT that gives the government the power to snoop but they have no problem telling women what we can do with our bodies. They are hypocrites.
For those ant-choice NTers on this thread who've been telling us that women who have spontaneous abortions don't have to worry about any legal consequences, this comment from one of the AL republican state senators who pushed this bill through should clear things up:
If that isn't an admission (likely unintentional, but this guy has already admitted that he's stupid despite that being obvious) that women in that position certainly will have to worry about being investigated and possibly prosecuted. What a relief it will be for them to know that the burden is on the prosecution!!!/s
This is just insane.
Here's another republican scumbag who voted to ban abortion while asking his mistress to have one. It's a few years old but typical for these scumbags:
Anti-abortion Rep. Tim Murphy resigns after report he asked lover to end pregnancy
Pennsylvania Rep. Tim Murphy has resigned after a report surfaced earlier this week that he had asked an extramarital lover to end her pregnancy.
Murphy, a Republican who co-sponsored a 20-week abortion ban that passed in the House Tuesday, allegedly asked his lover to terminate her pregnancy, according to text message records acquired by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Shannon Edwards, 32, whom Murphy recently admitted to having an affair with, messaged the 65-year-old congressman after an anti-abortion statement was posted on his office’s Facebook account in January.
"And you have zero issue posting your pro-life stance all over the place when you had no issue asking me to abort our unborn child just last week when we thought that was one of the options," allegedly wrote Edwards in a text exchange that was a part of a number of documents obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
A response from Murphy's phone number allegedly read, "I get what you say about my March for life messages. I've never written them. Staff does them. I read them and winced. I told staff don't write any more. I will."
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the exchange was over "an unfounded pregnancy scare."
Murphy’s office and Edwards had no comment when reached by ABC News.
On Thursday, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., announced that Murphy was resigning from Congress.
“This afternoon I received a letter of resignation from Congressman Tim Murphy, effective October 21," Ryan said in a statement. "It was Dr. Murphy's decision to move on to the next chapter of his life, and I support it. We thank him for his many years of tireless work on mental health issues here in Congress and his service to the country as a naval reserve officer.”
Murphy had previously announced his plans to retire at the end of his term in 2018.
"After discussions with my family and staff, I have come to the decision that I will not seek reelection to Congress at the end of my current term," Murphy said in a statement Wednesday evening. "In the coming weeks I will take personal time to seek help as my family and I continue to work through our personal difficulties and seek healing. I ask you to respect our privacy during this time."
But Murphy's retirement announcement didn't go far enough for some members. The embattled congressman was under immense pressure from GOP leaders to resign Wednesday, according to a source close to Murphy -- and that pressure only increased after he announced plans to retire after finishing out his term.
Murphy has a record of supporting legislation to cut federal funding for abortion and Planned Parenthood , and co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act on Jan. 24, one day before the text exchange.
ABC News' Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.
Is anyone else shocked that Alabama is also 50th in education in the USA?
Not even a little.
Hey Alabama,
And the same to all the other states that have tried to restrict or prohibit abortion rights.