Senate Begins Debate on Pro-Abortion Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Senate has begun its debate on the nomination of appeals court judge Sonia Sotomayor, whom pro-abortion President Barack Obama picked for the Supreme Court. Leading pro-life groups say Sotomayor is pro-abortion and cite her involvement in a group that asked the court to keep abortions legal. Sotomayor is Obama's first selection for the high court and, should the Senate confirm her, she will replace retiring pro-abortion Justice David Souter. Souter was one of the members of the group of five justices who support Roe v. Wade, the high court case that allowed virtually unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy for any reason. Some Republican senators have focused on comments Sotomayor has made about the courts being the place for judicial activism, like that found in Roe, and that has formed the basis for their opposition. "The primary reason I will not support this nomination... is because I cannot support the so-called empathy standard upon which Judge Sotomayor was selected and to which she, herself, has subscribed in her writings and rulings," pro-life Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor. "A judge must be able to check his or her personal or political agenda at the courtroom door and do justice even-handedly, as the judicial oath requires. This is the most fundamental test. It's a test Judge Sotomayor does not pass," he explained. Full story at LifeNews.comNew Gallup Poll: Because of Obama, More Americans Still Pro-Life on Abortion
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Following on the heels of a survey showing a majority of Americans calling themselves pro-life for the first time in over a decade, a new Gallup survey out today shows more Americans say they are pro-life on abortion than "pro-choice." The poll found a 47 percent plurality of Americans say they are pro-life compared with 46 percent who say they support abortion. Another seven percent of the people polled couldn't say whether they aligned themselves more with the pro-life movement or the pro-abortion position. Editors at Gallup say the trend towards the pro-life position is due to the pro-abortion record of President Barack Obama. Although the figure is lower than the 51 percent who called themselves pro-life in the May Gallup survey, Gallup editor Lydia Saad admitted that "both 2009 readings show more Americans labeling themselves 'pro-life' than has been the case in recent years." The May 7-10, 2009, Gallup survey found a significantly higher percentage of Americans identifying themselves as "pro-life" by a 51-42 percent margin. The Gallup Poll Daily tracking from May 12-13 found a similar result. The new poll is the first one to have been conducted after the shooting death of late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller, which received considerable media coverage. The shooting, allegedly done by someone who has no ties with the pro-life movement, likely temporarily deflated the number of Americans who call themselves pro-life. Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Following on the heels of a survey showing a majority of Americans calling themselves pro-life for the first time in over a decade, a new Gallup survey out today shows more Americans say they are pro-life on abortion than "pro-choice." The poll found a 47 percent plurality of Americans say they are pro-life compared with 46 percent who say they support abortion. Another seven percent of the people polled couldn't say whether they aligned themselves more with the pro-life movement or the pro-abortion position. Editors at Gallup say the trend towards the pro-life position is due to the pro-abortion record of President Barack Obama. Although the figure is lower than the 51 percent who called themselves pro-life in the May Gallup survey, Gallup editor Lydia Saad admitted that "both 2009 readings show more Americans labeling themselves 'pro-life' than has been the case in recent years." The May 7-10, 2009, Gallup survey found a significantly higher percentage of Americans identifying themselves as "pro-life" by a 51-42 percent margin. The Gallup Poll Daily tracking from May 12-13 found a similar result. The new poll is the first one to have been conducted after the shooting death of late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller, which received considerable media coverage. The shooting, allegedly done by someone who has no ties with the pro-life movement, likely temporarily deflated the number of Americans who call themselves pro-life. Full story at LifeNews.com Medical professionals are on the frontlines of the battle on life issues. From abortion to assisted suicide, we are challenged in the workplace to defend our beliefs and risk our employment. The National Association of Pro-life Nurses has been here for nurses since the beginning. Join with us to protect those voices. |
Study: Have Fewer Children to Help Environment, May Lead to More Abortions
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new study that claims overpopulation exists and that it hurts the environment has an answer for parents: have fewer children. The study could lead to more abortions and promote euthanasia, since it says children who live longer in more developed countries pose a bigger environmental threat. The report comes at a time when other documentaries are showing underpopulation problems in many areas of the world. The latest junk science report to say people are a problem comes from statisticians at Oregon State University. The OSU researchers claim the adverse impact of couples having a second child is 20 times more adverse to the environment than helpful practices they could engage in such as recycling, driving a low-mileage car or using energy efficient light bulbs. Murtaugh complained that having a child normally results in that person having offspring and the combined effects of the people -- who may otherwise be killed in abortions -- is worse for the environment. The statistician also said that having an additional child in the United States or other developed nations is worse than having an extra baby in a place like China, where the nation's government already has a forced-abortion one-child policy per couple rule in place. Full story at LifeNews.comObama Advisor, Health Care Architect, Criticized as Backing Rationing for Disabled
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Most Americans have probably never heard the name Ezekiel Emanuel, but he could have the power to shape the health care landscape for the disabled. Emanuel, the brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, is an Obama advisor and a chief architect of the Congressional health care plan. Emanuel is the health-policy adviser at the Office of Management and Budget and a member of Federal Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research. One respected pro-life advocate says Americans should be worried because Emanuel appeared to support rationing health care for disabled Americans. That could lead to euthanasia. Bradley Mattes, the director of Life Issues Institute, says Emanuel was quoted in 1996 saying medical benefits of a government-controlled healthcare plan would not be given to “individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens.” Emanuel clarified his stance by adding, “An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia.” As Mattes says, "If you don't think the healthcare plan of Barack Obama and the leaders in Congress will result in widespread rationing of medical services," then he urges Americans to pay attention to Emanuel. Full story at LifeNews.comLeRoy Carhart Wants to Open Late-Term Abortion Business in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, KS (LifeNews.com) -- Nebraska-based abortion practitioner LeRoy Carhart wants to pick up where late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller left off. Tiller was shot and killed weeks ago by a gunman unaffiliated with the pro-life movement and now Carhart says he wants to start a new abortion center to replace Tiller's. Tiller had run an abortion facility in Wichita, Kansas that attracted people from across the country who wanted abortions late in pregnancy. He had been accused of violating state laws requiring a second, independent physician to sign off on the validity of the abortions as supposedly medically necessary under state law. At the time of his shooting death, Tiller was facing an investigation from the state medical board, which could have revoked his medical license and effectively shut down his abortion business. Carhart did abortions at Tiller's center and was a close friend of the slain abortion practitioner. On Monday, he said he wanted to carry on Tiller's abortion business and said he would prefer to open a new center in Wichita, where Tiller's family closed down his abortion facility following his death. Carhart had been considering training the staff at his Bellevue, Nebraska abortion center, located just outside Obama, to help him do late-term abortions. But, he said his "main choice" is to operate in Wichita. Full story at LifeNews.comEx-Pro-Life Democrat, Congressman Tim Ryan, Faces More Abortion Criticism
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Ohio congressman Tim Ryan is digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole when it comes to his relationship with the pro-life movement. The former darling of the pro-life community has come full circle and is now refusing to take a firm pro-life stance and is supporting abortion in health care. Ryan was initially elected as an Ohio congressman who was one of the rare pro-life Democrats in the Democratic Party. His willingness to stick his neck out earned him accolades, endorsements, and a seat at the leadership table of pro-life groups. As LifeNews.com previously profiled, Ryan got himself kicked off the advisory board of Democrats for Life of America. Between his pro-abortion voting record and his insistence on funding the Planned Parenthood abortion business in a warped version of a pro-woman, pro-life bill he had worked on for the pro-life Democrats group, Ryan increasingly alienated himself from pro-life advocates. Now, Ryan is earning the scorn of pro-life advocates for claiming that a new amendment in the House version of the government-run health care bill that funds abortions is a "common ground" abortion effort. Full story at LifeNews.comCongressman: Would Rather Save My Soul Than Back Pro-Abortion Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Congressman Anh Cao is the first member of the House of Representatives from Vietnam. Cao is a Catholic who strongly favors helping Americans struggling with health care, but he has a high calling that, he says, prevents him from supporting the pro-abortion government-run bill. HR 3200, the main health care legislation in the House, faces strong opposition from pro-life groups because of its pro-abortion components. With the Capps amendment a House committee added last week that allows both taxpayer funding of abortion and insurance mandates for abortions, the bill is now in a form that the Louisiana congressman can't support either. Because of the "stealth mandate" for abortion present in the bill, Cao tells the New Orleans Times Picayune he would rather "save his soul" than vote for it. “I know that voting against the health care bill will probably be the death of my political career,” Cao said. "But have to live with myself, and I always reflect on the phrase of the New Testament, ‘How does it profit a man's life to gain the world but to lose his soul.’” Full story at LifeNews.com
Brussels, Belgium (LifeNews.com) -- A Swedish politician is claiming that she is not attempting to force legal abortions on other nations in Europe that currently have pro-life laws in place. Birgitta Ohlsson has been accused of trying to use the European Union's Lisbon Treaty to impose abortion on nations like Ireland, Poland and Malta. All three are Catholic countries with a strong respect for human life and laws that prohibit abortions -- much to the chagrin of abortion advocates like Ohlsson. The people of Ireland will vote on the treaty this Fall and Ohlsson says she just wants a fair debate on it. But the chairwoman of the center-right Liberal Party's women's movement launched a petition last month calling for legalized abortion in every nation that is a part of the European Union. The petition, entitled "Make Noise for Free Choice," targets the three nations. "From a liberal perspective, the right to abortion is not just a Swedish or European issue, it's a global issue," Ohlsson said, according to The Local newspaper.Full story at LifeNews.comChina Sees Preference for Boys Waning as Sex-Selection Abortions Kill Girls
Beijing, China (LifeNews.com) -- Exacerbated by a one-child rule that forced parents to have just one baby, the cultural preference for boys in China resulted in the deaths of millions of girls. Killed by sex-selection abortions and infanticides, the girl babies who met death may now see a better chance at life according to a new poll. China's gender imbalance is worse than almost any other nation in the world and China has a surplus of 32 million more men than women. The situation has led to social problems ranging from high crime and increased prostitution to sex-slavery and human trafficking of girls. However, a London Telegraph report indicates the attitudes may be changing, and that is good news for Chinese girls. Researchers in Shanghai recently surveyed almost 3,500 prospective parents and the results were unexpected. While the rest of the couples expressed no preference, 15 percent of those who did wanted a girl baby while 12 percent hoped for a boy. Full story at LifeNews.comNew Video Exposing Overpopulation Myths Gains Traction, Hate From Opponents
Have you seen this video yet? As of Monday, the first episode in PRI's mini-cartoon series, entitled “Overpopulation: The Making of a Myth,” had garnered over 27,000 views. Of course, anything less than a million views is not a landslide by YouTube standards, but this healthy (and steadily growing) number represents real interest—interest that is being fed by dozens of blogs and web sites that have picked up the video for a variety of reasons. It also represents a personal best for PRI. Since we started producing videos back in 2006, nothing we have done has garnered so much attention so quickly. Most of the credit for this goes to the video's primary architect, PRI's Joseph Powell, who wrote, narrated, and animated the video himself. The video's rising numbers—and the raging “flame wars” in its comments section—prove that it has struck a nerve with people on the other side of the aisle. A rant-inducing, hate-mail-producing kind of nerve. Full story at LifeNews.comNew Zealand High Court Ruling on Abortion Committee Called Pro-Life Victory
Wellington, New Zealand (LifeNews.com) -- A High Court ruling has reminded the federal agency responsible for overseeing abortions that it need to abide by national law. The court had been considering a case from Right to Life saying the Abortion Supervisory Committee had wrongfully been allowing abortions that should be prohibited. New Zealand Right to Life sued saying ASC is allowing abortions on alleged mental health grounds that are not necessary for women's health. The Abortion Supervisory Committee is contesting a June 2008 ruling from High Court Judge Forrest Miller saying that there was “reason to doubt the lawfulness of many abortions authorized by certifying consultants." The committee appealed the ruling and filed papers with the appeals court saying there is no evidence to justify Judge Miller's conclusion. Yesterday, Judge Miller released his ruling and clarified the functions of the ASC and he said that it could be expected to follow the law as Parliament intended without him ordering it to do so. He also reminded the committee that they are obligated to follow the law. Full story at LifeNews.com
Wellington, New Zealand (LifeNews.com) -- A High Court ruling has reminded the federal agency responsible for overseeing abortions that it need to abide by national law. The court had been considering a case from Right to Life saying the Abortion Supervisory Committee had wrongfully been allowing abortions that should be prohibited. New Zealand Right to Life sued saying ASC is allowing abortions on alleged mental health grounds that are not necessary for women's health. The Abortion Supervisory Committee is contesting a June 2008 ruling from High Court Judge Forrest Miller saying that there was “reason to doubt the lawfulness of many abortions authorized by certifying consultants." The committee appealed the ruling and filed papers with the appeals court saying there is no evidence to justify Judge Miller's conclusion. Yesterday, Judge Miller released his ruling and clarified the functions of the ASC and he said that it could be expected to follow the law as Parliament intended without him ordering it to do so. He also reminded the committee that they are obligated to follow the law. Full story at LifeNews.comEncourage Friends to Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
