Tag: pro-life

Group Calls on Commissioner Malcolm to Resign for Failing to Address Long-Term Care Crisis

Anthony Gockowski

One of Minnesota’s most influential pro-life organizations has called on Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm to resign for failing to address the crisis in the state’s long-term care facilities.

As of Tuesday, COVID-19 fatalities among nursing-home residents accounted for 79 percent of Minnesota’s 1,217 total deaths. Under the threat of a legislative subpoena, Malcolm revealed in a 74-page letter to lawmakers that dozens of long-term care facilities have allowed COVID-19 patients to return to a congregate-care setting after being discharged from the hospital.

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Gov. Lee Says His ‘Expectation’ Is That Abortion Clinics Would Cancel Procedures During Pandemic

Anthony Gockowski

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday that it is his “hope and expectation” that abortion clinics would cancel elective procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.

Lee issued an executive order Monday that requires all hospitals and surgical outpatient facilities to cancel or postpone all “non-essential procedures” through April 13. The intent of the order is to free up personal protective equipment for health care professionals on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

His executive order asks “non-hospital health care providers,” such as abortion facilities, to deliver any personal protective equipment in their possession to the nearest Tennessee National Guard Armory.

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Dr. Alan Keyes and Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin Meet to Discuss Their Shared Pro-Life Agenda

Laura Baigert

  FRANKFORT, Kentucky – Dr. Alan Keyes, a man of numerous political distinctions, met with Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin at the governor’s mansion in Frankfort, Kentucky, where their shared pro-life agenda dominated the discussion. Dr. Keyes, who holds a Ph.D. in government from Harvard and wrote his dissertation on constitutional theory, ran for president in 1996, 2000 and 2008 and challenged Barack Obama for the open U.S. Senate seat from Illinois in 2004, according to RenewAmerica. Serving as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations and as Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Dr. Keyes was the highest-ranking black appointee in the Reagan Administration. In fact, following their initial, very warm greeting, Dr. Keyes stayed to speak with Bevin and his brother, and the Governor called Dr. Keyes “Ambassador” as they sat at a table in a cozy den-type room in the lower level of the Kentucky Governor’s mansion. Governor Bevin and his staff wear a quarter-sized red lapel pin with an open pair of scissors, representing the updating or elimination of 27 percent of Kentucky government’s regulations and reducing the boards and commissions that numbered 572 down to 375 over a period of two years. Bevin,…

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Commentary: Justice Thomas on the Dynamite That Is Natural Right

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by Ken Masugi   If it’s true that “natural right is dynamite,” as political philosopher Leo Strauss wrote, then Justice Clarence Thomas just went nuclear on the abortion debate. While Thomas’s concurring opinion in Box v. Planned Parenthood has received considerable commentary, his deepening of the judicial and, hence, the political debate over abortion demands further elaboration. His reply to the leading threat to the principles of the Declaration of Independence is his latest attempt in a career of restoring its authority. Thomas had argued, “this [Indiana] law and other laws like it promote a State’s compelling interest in preventing abortion from becoming a tool of modern-day eugenics.” The Indiana law had barred abortion for the purposes of sex and race selection, and for fetal disabilities. Thomas critics contend he wrongly introduced elements of the now-(justly) maligned eugenics movement into the abortion debate. But recall that Justice Blackmun in Roe v. Wade observed (as Professor David Bernstein reminded me), “population growth, pollution, poverty, and racial overtones tend to complicate and not to simplify the problem.” I would argue instead that Blackmun was trying to obfuscate the issue, whose terrible clarity Thomas was trying to highlight: “From the beginning, birth control and abortion were promoted as means of effectuating…

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National Public Radio Style Guide: Do Not Use ‘Pro-Life’

Laura Baigert

  As states such as Georgia and Alabama recently passed Fetal Heartbeat Bills, National Public Radio (NPR) issued a “Guidance Reminder: On Abortion Procedures, Terminology & Rights,” which specifically states, do not use ‘pro-life’ in copy except when used in the name of a group. The Guidance Reminder was issued by NPR’s Mark Memmott, the organization’s Standards & Practices Editor on May 15, which first thanked all those involved for following long-standing guidance very well during the recent coverage of the new “abortion law” in Georgia and legislation in Alabama. On the surface, NPR has strict guidance in the impartiality section of its Ethics Handbook, which applies to NPR employees both inside and outside of the newsroom. NPR employees are restricted from publicly expressing political opinions which includes not putting bumper stickers on cars, putting political signs in their yards, signing political petitions, donating money to candidates, endorsing candidates, advocating, running for office, endorsing candidates other otherwise engaging in politics in a participatory or activist manner. The expectation of impartiality is also extended to NPR employees on social media. The handbook section titled “Impartiality in our journalism,” is further explained in the Ethics Handbook: “fair, accurate and impartial reporting being…

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Two Ohio Congressmen Cosponsor Bill to End Tax Deductions for Abortions

Anthony Gockowski

  Two Republican members of Ohio’s congressional delegation have signed on as cosponsors of a bill that would end tax deductions for abortions. The IRS currently allows residents to deduct medical and dental expenses from their taxes if they exceed 7.5 percent of a person’s adjusted gross income. Legal abortions and birth control pills are both treated as tax-deductible expenses, but a bill introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) seeks to change that. His bill, H.R. 2742, would amend the federal tax code to “provide that amounts paid for an abortion are not taken into account for purposes of the deduction for medical expenses.” The bill currently has 22 Republican cosponsors, including Reps. Bob Gibbs (R-OH-07) (pictured, right) and Bob Latta (R-OH-05) (pictured, left). “The ending of a human life should not be a part of a taxpayer’s money-saving strategy when they file their taxes each April,” Latta said in a press release. “I’m proud to support legislation to remove financial incentives for abortions, and will continue to work with the pro-life caucus to end all federal funding streams for them.” Biggs, in a statement provided to The Daily Signal, said that the “Abortion Is Not Health Care Act” is…

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Pro-Life Group Claims Instagram Is Shadow Banning It, Suspects Pro-Choice Activists Played a Role

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by Chris White   A pro-life group believes pro-choice activists likely pressured Instagram into suppressing and removing the group’s content and hashtags from the platform’s most popular feature. Let Them Live’s Instagram’s posts stopped appearing on numerous hashtags starting on April 18, the group claimed in a May 15 press statement posted to its Instagram page. The group, which has 15,000 Instagram followers, brought its case directly to the company on April 25 as the group’s engagement rate sagged. Instagram never responded, according to the group’s executive director, Nathan Berning. The group’s content was removed from hashtags and Instagram’s Explore, a feature on the platform displaying the most-liked content at the time of a person’s visit. Content on the feature is different for each Instagram user and comprises posts liked by people, posts from accounts similar to those a person follows,and posts with high engagement. Groups often use Explore to help their content go viral. Berning speculates that pro-choice activists played a role. “We really do believe that that is what is happening,” Berning told The Daily Caller News Foundation, referring to what he believes is an activist-led attempt to suppress Let Them Live’s content. Berning claims his group leveraged…

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Tim Ryan, Who Was Once Pro-Life, Says He Would Have Pro-Choice ‘Litmus Test’ for SCOTUS Nominees

Anthony Gockowski

  Ohio Democrat and 2020 presidential candidate Tim Ryan said on Thursday that he would “most definitely” have a Roe v. Wade “litmus test” for Supreme Court nominees, were he to become president. “If you’re president, would you essentially have a Roe litmus test for judges?” host Chuck Todd asked on MSBNC’s “Meet the Press” Thursday night. “Yeah. Yeah, I would. Most definitely. Pure and simple. At this moment in history, people can try to dance around it. I will have someone who will protect Roe v. Wade. No question about it,” Ryan responded. WATCH: Presidential candidate @TimRyan says he would “most definitely” have a Roe v. Wade litmus test for Supreme Court judges as president. #MTPDaily pic.twitter.com/FKUuUOLfPT — Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) May 16, 2019 Ryan has been particularly vocal about his pro-choice positions as of late, especially after Alabama passed what Democrats are calling “the most extreme anti-choice measure in the country.” “Absolutely appalling move from lawmakers in Alabama,” Ryan said in response to the news. “This would effectively ban all abortions—including cases of rape and incest, punish women, and threaten doctors. Government has no place in this conversation.” Absolutely appalling move from lawmakers in Alabama. This would…

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Tennessee Star/Triton Poll: Is Nashville More Pro-Life Than Politicians Think?

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  While Nashville/Davidson County is a blue island amidst a sea of red counties in Middle Tennessee, having been one of only three counties in the state to vote for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016, some voters may not be as lockstep liberal as many think — at least when it comes to the issue of late-term abortion. A new Tennessee Star/Triton poll reveals that a majority of likely Nashville voters are actually LESS likely to vote for a candidate who supports late term abortion and would deny help to keep a child alive after birth. 550 likely Davidson County voters were asked: Would you be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who supports late term abortions in the few weeks before birth and permitting doctors to deny help to keep a child alive in the hours after birth? 23.3% said that they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports abortion at any time; 54.9% were less likely; and 11.1% said it would make no difference to them. Another 10.6% were undecided. These poll numbers reflect national numbers on the issue of late term abortions. A Rasmussen Reports national survey in…

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Ohio Bill Would Allow Schools to Teach the ‘Humanity of the Unborn Child’

Anthony Gockowski

  A Republican-backed bill making its way through the Ohio House would require the Ohio Department of Health and the state’s board of education to develop an instructional program that teaches “the humanity of the unborn child.” Each school district would then have the option of teaching the program or crafting its own instructional materials, which must “describe the unborn child in two-week gestational periods,” according to State Rep. Niraj Antani (R-Montgomery County), lead sponsor of the bill. House Bill 90 explicitly states that its goal is to provide “information about the humanity of an unborn child” and achieve “an abortion-free society.” The bill would also require the Department of Health to create materials with “the most readily available, accurate, scientifically verifiable, up-to-date information” that “clearly and consistently state that abortion kills a living human being.” The bill was referred to the House Health Committee, where it received its fourth hearing Tuesday. “Schools have the ability to directly influence the lives of students. Unfortunately, schools do not have the ability to teach about the importance of human life, as the rights of the unborn have been constantly under attack,” Antani said in his sponsor testimony. “My legislation would help school…

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Cleveland Heights City Council Calls Heartbeat Bill ‘Intrusion’ on ‘Liberty’ in Letter to DeWine

Anthony Gockowski

  Cleveland Heights Mayor Carol Roe and members of the city council have issued a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine to warn that “all options” are on the table in response to the controversial heartbeat bill. The letter begins by expressing “concern and disappointment” with DeWine for signing the heartbeat bill, which bans abortions in the state after a fetal heartbeat is detectable in unborn children. “This law, known as the ‘heartbeat bill,’ amounts to a virtual ban on abortion. As you know, this bill would go into effect prior to when most women realize they are pregnant,” the letter states. The letter was signed by Roe, Vice Mayor Melissa Yasinow, and Council Members Craig Cobb, Michael Ungar, and Kahlil Seren. They argue that the restrictions imposed by the heartbeat bill wouldn’t allow “anywhere near a sufficient amount of time” to overcome the state’s current barriers to abortion, such as its “24 hour, two-visit requirement.” “That is why this law is an effective ban on any safe and legal abortion in Ohio. This law’s intrusion into a person’s right to liberty, bodily autonomy, and privacy is unacceptable,” they write. The letter takes issue with the heartbeat bill for not providing…

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Ambulances Called Twice This Month Alone for Hemorrhaging Abortion Patients at Cleveland’s Preterm Clinic

Anthony Gockowski

Cleveland’s Preterm abortion clinic has had to place two 911 calls in the month of April alone after patients were bleeding “heavy” in response to abortion procedures. The incidents were exposed by Operation Rescue, who obtained the 911 recordings from both events. The first medical emergency occurred on April 5, when an ambulance, a fire unit, and five police cars responded to a 911 call from the clinic. Inside, a 31-year-old woman was hemorrhaging after her procedure and was brought out on a gurney with a sheet covering her head. One onlooker told Operation Rescue that an elevator repair service was at Preterm during the incident. Operation Rescue says that the clinic has had “chronic reliability” issues with its one elevator—the only way a gurney can access the surgical floor. Emergency records show that 37 minutes elapsed between the time of the ambulance’s arrival at Preterm and when the patient arrived at University Hospital. “We have warned of the dangers posed by this abortion facility and its unreliable elevator until we are blue in the face,” Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said in a press release. “We have urged the Ohio Department of Health to close preterm due to its…

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DeWine Officially Signs Heartbeat Bill as National Groups Prepare for Legal Battle

Andrew Shirley
FETUS ON Health

Gov. Mike DeWine signed Ohio’s heartbeat bill into law Thursday afternoon, and advocacy groups and legal teams nationwide are all preparing for what is sure to be a major political and legal battle. For the third time in the last decade, a bill that would ban all abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected officially made its way to the Ohio governor’s desk. Senate Bill 23 (SB 23) would ban any abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Though this varies based on available medical technology,  it is generally agreed to be around the six to the nine-week mark. Hence, many consider it a six-week abortion limit. “The essential function of government is to protect the most vulnerable among us, those who don’t have a voice,” DeWine said while signing the bill. “Government’s role should be to protect life from beginning to end.” Past versions of the bill were both vetoed by former Gov. John Kasich, who stated that he agreed with it in principle but felt that “the state of Ohio will be the losing party in that lawsuit and…will be forced to pay hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to cover the legal fees for the pro-choice activists’ lawyers.” This time,…

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Heartbeat Bill Set to Become Law in Ohio After Emotional Day at the Statehouse

Anthony Gockowski

One of the most divisive and talked-about bills in Ohio’s history is officially on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk and is expected to be signed into law at any moment. After months of debate and numerous committee hearings, the heartbeat bill passed the Ohio House Wednesday afternoon in a 56-40 vote along party lines. It then went back to the Senate where changes made to the bill in the House were approved in an 18-13 vote. According to Cleveland-based reporter Laura Hancock, four Republicans voted against the bill in the Senate, since it doesn’t include exceptions for rape or incest. Here is the roll call in the #senate Which quickly voted to go with changes made in the Ohio house to #heartbeat #abortion bill. pic.twitter.com/PscVpnLE9P — Laura Hancock (@laurahancock) April 10, 2019 The House Health Committee was still hearing witness testimony on the bill as early as Tuesday, when several pro-choice religious organizations testified against it, as The Ohio Star reported. Protesters and activists from both sides of the debate gathered in the House chambers during Wednesday’s vote. While representatives were casting their votes, pro-abortion activists held a banner over the upper railings of the chambers, which read:…

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Ohio Democratic Catholic Reps Tout Faith in Opposing Heartbeat Bill Before it Clears Committee

Anthony Gockowski

The House version of Ohio’s heartbeat bill passed out of committee Tuesday, but not before a final round of impassioned debate. The House Health Committee heard from four final witnesses, some of whom represented religious organizations opposed to the bill. Gaby Garcia-Vera with Catholics for Choice, for instance, claimed during his testimony that the “majority of Catholics” support abortion. “Catholic teaching reveres individual conscience as the final arbiter in moral decision-making. As Catholics, we are called by our faith to follow our consciences when we make moral decisions about our lives. We also deeply respect the right of others to do the same,” he said. “Catholics support each woman’s ability to make personal choices that are right for herself and her family, including whether to become or remain pregnant, according to her own beliefs and based on her own conscience. Rather than respecting women’s consciences, as our Catholic faith compels us to do, SB 23 would allow politicians to decide whether and when a woman can access abortion care.” Elaina Ramsey, executive director of the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, said during her testimony that the heartbeat bill “does not reflect the values of the majority of Ohioans and…

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Radical Abortionist Martin Haskell’s Dayton Clinic One Step Closer to Shutting Down

Anthony Gockowski

An Ohio court of appeals recently ruled in support of a decision to revoke the license of Martin Haskell’s Dayton-area Women’s Med Center abortion clinic, meaning either the clinic will close or the case will head to the Ohio Supreme Court. Haskell owns and operates three abortion facilities across the country, one in the Dayton suburb of Kettering, another in Cincinnati, and a third in Indianapolis. According to the pro-life organization Operation Rescue, the Women’s Med Center is one of six abortion providers that openly performs abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. In 2016, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) revoked the Kettering clinic’s ambulatory surgical facility license. In order to maintain such a license, abortion clinics are required by state law to have written transfer agreements with a hospital within a 30-minute radius in the event that a patient needs emergency medical care. Abortion clinics can also apply for a “variance” of the written transfer agreement that includes the names of physicians with admitting privileges who have agreed to treat women with abortion complications. Haskell’s Women’s Med Center clinic in Dayton has been unable to ever obtain a written transfer agreement with a local hospital, and its variance…

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Ohio Lawmakers Look to Institute $10,000 Fines for Violations of Heartbeat Bill, Use Money Collected for Adoption Efforts

Anthony Gockowski

Ohio House Republicans added substantial new provisions to their version of the “heartbeat bill” that have the potential to make one of the state’s most controversial pieces of legislation even more divisive. While the Senate already passed its version of the bill last month, it is still making its way through the committee process in the House. During its third hearing for the bill Tuesday, the Ohio House Health Committee adopted several changes to the text of the bill. One of those changes would allow the Ohio State Medical Board to fine up to $10,000 for “each separate violation or failure of a person to comply” with the provisions of the bill. Money collected through these fines would then be deposited into a new “Foster Care and Adoption Initiatives Fund,” which would be established upon the bill’s passage. Another change would require the Ohio Director of Health to adopt rules “specifying the appropriate methods of performing an examination for the purpose of determining the presence of a fetal heartbeat of an unborn human individual.” Along those lines, the new changes prevent the exclusion of transvaginal ultrasounds “as a method of detection.” Transvaginal ultrasounds, as opposed to abdominal ultrasounds, can detect…

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Ohio Senate Passes Bill to Restrict Abortions After the Detection of a Heartbeat

Andrew Shirley

The Ohio Senate passed one of the most comprehensive and impactful abortion limitations in the country Wednesday. Senate Bill 23 (SB 23), commonly referred to as the “Heartbeat Bill” would ban all abortions once a heartbeat can be detected by a doctor. In many cases, this can be as early as six weeks. This is the third time in the last decade that the bill, or a version of it, has been considered by the state. The first two bills  were advanced by, both, the Ohio House and Senate. They were subsequently vetoed by then-Governor John Kasich. Following his 2018 veto, Kasich defended his decision, stating: I have a deep respect for my fellow members of the pro-life community and their ongoing efforts in defense of unborn life. However, the central provision of Sub. H.B. 258, that an abortion cannot be performed if a heartbeat has been detected in the unborn child, is contrary to the Supreme Court of the United States’ current rulings on abortion. Because the lower federal courts are bound to follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s precedents on abortion, Sub. H.B. 258 will likely be struck down as unconstitutional. The State of Ohio will be the losing…

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Tina Smith Calls Protections for Newborn Babies ‘Inappropriate Medical Treatment’

Anthony Gockowski

Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), a former Planned Parenthood executive, is proudly defending her vote against a bill that would protect babies who survive botched abortions. “Colleagues, that’s what this bill does. It would give the politicians in this room the power to make medical decisions for women and their families. This bill intimidates providers and forces physicians to provide inappropriate medical treatment, even when it’s not in the best interest of the patient or her family,” Smith said during a Senate floor debate Monday. Lawmakers shouldn't dictate what doctors can or cannot do to deliver the best medical care for women. We need to continue to trust women & their doctors. I took to the Senate floor today to talk about this, & I will continue to make my voice heard for women in MN and our nation. pic.twitter.com/9bwJYRBoyT — Senator Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) February 25, 2019 She went on to argue that the bill, if passed, would “put doctors in an untenable position” of being forced to decide between following “the law” or their “code of professional ethics.” “Colleagues, let’s get out of the business of dictating medical care for women. Let’s continue to trust women and their doctors,”…

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Minnesota Republicans Continue Pro-Life Push With Several Pieces of Legislation

Anthony Gockowski

Several pieces of pro-life legislation have been introduced by Republicans in both the Minnesota House and Senate. While they all face uphill battles against a Democratic-controlled House and a progressive in the Governor’s Mansion, pro-life leaders think that at least some of the measures should attract bipartisan support. Senate File (SF) 1168 and House File (HF) 1108, for instance, would require physicians to allow women seeking abortions to first see ultrasounds of their children. “Ultrasound imaging provides women with factual medical information,” Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) Legislative Director Andrea Rau said of the companion bills. “When people are better informed, they make better decisions that result in fewer regrets. Women deserve the chance to decide for themselves whether or not to see their child,” Rau added. According to MCCL, the bills are “completely mainstream legislation,” since 28 other states already have similar provisions written into their informed-consent laws for abortions. The Minnesota Legislature did pass an ultrasound bill in 2018, but it was vetoed by former Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN). A second set of companion bills would prohibit abortions from being performed after 20 weeks of pregnancy, which is when “scientific evidence shows that unborn children can feel…

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Minnesota Republicans Stand Against ‘Barbaric’ Pro-Abortion Bills

Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota’s Republican legislators called a press conference Thursday in the lobby of the Minnesota Capitol to oppose the radical pro-abortion measures being passed across the country. As was widely reported, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) signed the Reproductive Rights Act into law last week, clearing the way for abortions up to the moment of birth. In Virginia, State Del. Kathy Tran introduced The Repeal Act, a similar bill that would appeal restrictions on third-trimester abortions. Discussing Tran’s legislation on WTOP, Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) hinted that the bill could allow for letting newborn infants die. “So in this particular example if a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen, the infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother,” Northam said. It’s unclear precisely what Northam was suggesting, but many took it to mean that The Repeal Act would legalize what is essentially infanticide. With a Democratic governor and a new Democratic House majority, Minnesota’s Republicans made it clear Thursday that they would oppose any similar legislation in the…

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Indiana Attorney General: New York’s Abortion Law Is ‘Backward and Barbaric’

Anthony Gockowski

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is speaking out against New York’s radical new abortion law, which allows abortions “up until the very moment before the child’s birth.” Hill explains that late-term abortions are now permissible so long as they are deemed “necessary” to protect the mother’s health, including her emotional health. “New York’s extreme new pro-abortion law is backward and barbaric,” Hill writes in an op-ed for Fox News. “Because an unwanted child will always impact the mother’s emotional health, the law permits killing a child – who otherwise could survive outside the womb – based solely on the mother’s preferences at the moment.” Up until now, Hill notes, the viability of a child has “largely been regarded as a sacrosanct barrier against pure utilitarian calculus,” but in New York that is “no more.” “Everyone should support the health and equality of women, but New York has removed physician-only health protections and now permits killing viable babies even if only because they are girls. And while allowing unfettered decisions about abortion sounds like a liberationist dream, it leads to sickening and decidedly anti-woman outcomes,” Hill continues. “In some countries, eugenic abortions are eliminating the down syndrome population; elsewhere they are…

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Iowa Judge Strikes Down State’s Pro-Life Heartbeat Bill on Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Anthony Gockowski

A state judge ruled Tuesday, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, that Iowa’s “heartbeat bill” banning abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat is unconstitutional. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) in May 2018, but was placed on hold after Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and Emma Goldman Clinic sued the state. On Tuesday, Polk County District Judge Michael Huppert ruled against the state and declared the heartbeat bill to be “unconstitutional and therefore void.” “In summary, it is undisputed that the threshold for the restriction upon a woman’s fundamental right to terminate a pregnancy (the detection of a fetal heartbeat) contained within Iowa Code chapter 146C constitutes a prohibition of previability abortions,” Huppert stated in his ruling. “As such, it is violative of both due process and equal protection provisions of the Iowa Constitution as not being narrowly tailored to serve the compelling state interest of promoting potential life.” Huppert borrowed language from the Iowa Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling against imposing a 72-hour waiting period on abortions, which he frequently cites throughout his decision. Like Huppert, the Iowa Supreme Court declared in its 2018 decision that “a woman’s right to decide whether to…

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March for Life Promotes Atmosphere of Joy, Not Hate

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by Rachel del Guidice   Tens of thousands of pro-life activists from across the country gathered Friday in Washington to speak out against abortion by participating in the 46th annual March for Life. A massive crowd–made up of many high school and college students but also families, older Americans, and clergy—gathered on the National Mall for the rally that preceded the event before making their way along Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court. Notable conservative leaders and influencers who addressed attendees included Ben Shapiro, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show” and editor-in-chief of The Daily Wire. Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence put in a surprise appearance. I checked out the event for The Daily Signal, observing and talking with participants during my 13th year attending the march. Here are seven things I noticed: 1. A Thankfulness for Lives Spared Kate Meldrum from Greenville, Indiana, said she attended the march this year because she could have lost her sister to abortion. “I am here today to march for the unborn,” Meldrum said. “And when I was younger, my little sister Iris was born, and she had some birth defects, and they told my parents it would be…

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Catholic Dem Congresswoman From Minnesota Has 100% NARAL Score

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), a Catholic, has a rating of 100 percent from the pro-choice organization NARAL, and a corresponding zero percent from National Right to Life. According to the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Liberty, McCollum has voted with pro-choice causes 100 percent of the time. Between 2015 and 2016, McCollum voted against 15 pro-life bills in Congress, as did Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), who is Lutheran. NARAL touts McCollum’s perfect score on its website, providing a list of the dozens of pro-life bills she has opposed. While a U.S. congressman, Walz also earned a score of 100 percent from NARAL. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN-06) is currently the only Catholic Minnesotan member of Congress with a pro-life record, and has a National Right to Life score of 100 percent. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) is also “steadfastly pro-life” and Catholic, but doesn’t have a voting history as a freshman member of Congress. “The 163 Catholics in the new Congress are split on abortion: almost all Republicans are pro life and almost all Democrats are abortion-rights advocates,” Catholic League President Bill Donohue said in a press release. “It is obvious that religion is not a reliable predictor of the way…

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Popular Pro-Abortion Group Plans to Release Children’s Book, Says Abortion is Part of ‘God’s Plan’

Anthony Gockowski

Amelia Bonow, co-founder of the popular pro-choice “Shout Your Abortion” organization, recently released a video of her discussing her abortion with children, and said she plans to release a children’s book on abortion in 2020. “I let a bunch of kids grill me about my abortion and it was great. Shout Your Abortion will be releasing a children’s book about abortion in 2020,” Bonow tweeted December 28, linking to a video of her defending abortion in conversations with children. I let a bunch of kids grill me about my abortion and it was great. #ShoutYourAbortion will be releasing a children’s book about abortion in 2020! https://t.co/1LSxdyf9f8 — Amelia Bonow (@ameliabonow) December 29, 2018 Bonow goes into detail about how she got pregnant, noting that her partner “wasn’t wearing a condom,” and describes in her own terms how an abortion works. “You go to the doctor and they put this little straw inside of your cervix and then inside of your uterus, and then they just suck the pregnancy out. It was like a crappy dentist appointment or something. It was just like this is like a body thing that’s kind of uncomfortable, but then it was over, and I felt…

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Ohio Gov. Kasich Faces Potential Conservative Revolt After Vetoing Pro-Life ‘Heartbeat’ Bill

Andrew Shirley
John Kasich

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) ignited a conservative firestorm Friday after vetoing one of the most comprehensive pro-life bills ever proposed since the passage of Roe v. Wade. House Bill 258 would ban any abortion after a child’s first heartbeat is detected. Since fetal heartbeats, in some cases, can be detected as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, this would limit abortions to well within the first trimester. This is the second time that Kasich has vetoed this bill. Additionally, Kasich passed Senate Bill 145, an act that restricts one of the most common methods in which second-trimester abortions are performed.  The Dismemberment Abortion Ban, as the bill is known, restricts doctors from performing procedures in which dismemberment of the fetus occurs. Mike Gonidakis, President of Ohio Right to Life, hailed the decision, stating: Ohioans can sleep easier tonight, knowing that the horrendous practice of dismemberment abortions is behind us…Pro-Life Ohio will not stop until the Abortion Report reads: Zero. Nothing to report In spite of this success, many Ohio conservatives are furious that Kasich has once again vetoed the fetal heartbeat bill. Conservative lawmakers are already looking at methods by which to override the governor’s veto as early as December 27.…

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Midterms See Big Win for Pro-Life Women Candidates and Ballot Initiatives

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by Grace Carr   Republican pro-life women put on an impressive showing in Tuesday’s midterms, while some of the pro-abortion candidates running for political office had less success. Tennessee Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn bested former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen Tuesday in the state’s senatorial election. She is “100 percent pro-life” and has fought battles against Planned Parenthood. Republican pro-life Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds also defeated her Democratic opponent Fred Hubbell on Tuesday. South Dakota pro-life Rep. Kristi Noem beat South Dakota minority leader Billie Sutton Wednesday morning, becoming the state’s first female governor. “I am, and always have been, pro-life. I believe every life, including the unborn, has dignity, and my voting record will always reflect that belief,” Noem’s website reads. Pro-life GOP Rep. Martha McSally was leading pro-choice Democrat Kyrsten Sinema with 49.3 percent to 48.4 percent in the race for Arizona senator as of Wednesday, according to The New York Times. The race is extremely close and might not be called for some time. The contrast between the candidates is stark on nearly every issue. McSally served as a military officer and was deployed six times to the Middle East and Afghanistan before becoming a state representative. Sinema was previously an anti-war activist. “The pro-life movement has some impressive wins in ballot initiatives and in races like…

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Promoting Adoption, Trump Affirms Human Life for ‘Born and Unborn’

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by Fred Lucas   President Donald Trump called Thursday for helping children in need—both born and unborn—by supporting adoption. “Adoption affirms the inherent value of human life and signals that every child—born or unborn—is wanted and loved,” Trump said in a statement, released Wednesday by the White House, proclaiming November as National Adoption Month. “Children, regardless of race, sex, age, or disability deserve a loving embrace into families they can call their own. “This month, we honor the thousands of American families who have grown because of adoption,” the president continued. “We also stand with those children in foster care, and we appeal to families, communities, and houses of worship across our great nation to help these children find a permanent home.” Trump also offered praise to parents willing to put their children up for adoption to have a better life. “My administration also acknowledges the courage of those mothers and fathers who place their child for adoption,” he said. “Our nation grows stronger because of the love and sacrifice of parents, both birth and adoptive.” Trump, who has promoted pro-life policies since becoming president, didn’t directly address abortion. However, he seemed to allude to adoption as a better choice…

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