LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Obama Can Pick Radical Abortion Advocate if Stevens Leaves Supreme Court Now
• Teen Birth Rates Fall in 2008 After Two Year Increase, Abstinence Ed Credited
• Republicans Want Hearing Delayed on Pro-Abortion Obama Judge Goodwin Liu
• Pro-Life Democrats Criticized, Thanked in Radio Ads on Pro-Abortion Health Care
• Home State of Top Senate Democrat Files Suit Against Pro-Abortion Health Care
• New Report Exposes California Practitioner Who Killed Woman in Failed Abortion
• Woman Who Live Blogged Abortion Splits With Boyfriend, He Doesn't Want Kids
• Tennessee Governor Phil Bredensen Gets Bill to Help Stop Forced Abortions
• Ohio Right to Life Endorses Pro-Life Candidates for May 4 Primary Election
• Alaska Pro-Abortion Groups Appeal Judge's Decision on Parental Notification Prop
• British Pro-Life Advocates Celebrate Victory in Parliament on Pro-Abortion Sex Ed
• Nevada Personhood Amendment on Abortion Heads to State Supreme Court for Hearing
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Obama Can Pick Radical Abortion Advocate if Stevens Leaves Supreme Court Now
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Political pundits are weighing in on what is expected to become the biggest news story affecting the pro-life community following President Barack Obama's signing the pro-abortion health care bill. The potential retirement of pro-abortion Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens could shake up politics.
As LifeNews.com has reported, Stevens said over the weekend that he will definitely retire during Obama's tenure and reiterated how he will make a decision soon.
Last month, Stevens gave a time period in an interview that places his potential retirement announcement sometime in early-mid April.
Although one Democratic senator intimately involved in previous Supreme Court confirmation battles, Arlen Specter, said it would be better for Democrats if Stevens' retirement came after the elections -- saying it would put another bruising political battle ahead of them -- conservative writer Byron York argues otherwise.
"Even though Obama will be in office for three more years, there is one particularly pressing reason Democrats would like to see Stevens go now rather than later. That reason is coming up this November," York writes in a new column at the Washington Examiner. Full story at LifeNews.com
Teen Birth Rates Fall in 2008 After Two Year Increase, Abstinence Ed Credited
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Teen birth rates fell in 2008 after increasing during the two years prior, the Centers for Disease Control said today, and backers of abstinence education credit their programs as making an impact. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics reported today that the full birth rate fell two percent in 2008.
Some 4,251,095 babies were born in the United States in 2008, down two percent from the 4.317 million the year before.
The birth rate for teenagers aged 15-19 fell by 2 percent as well and the CDC says the decline resumes the long-term trend of falling teen birth rates since 1991 -- during a time when abstinence education program were gaining favor.
The decline was most notable (4%) among teens aged 18-19.
Valerie Huber, the executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, told LifeNews.com today she is delighted by the news.
So that the positive trend begun a decade ago can continue, we should redouble our efforts to help teens avoid all the consequences of sexual activity, including teen childbearing," she said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Republicans Want Hearing Delayed on Pro-Abortion Obama Judge Goodwin Liu
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Senate Republicans today called for a delaying a proposed April 16 hearing on pro-abortion liberal professor Goodwin Liu, whom President Barack Obama nominated for a spot on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Liu is a professor at the liberal University of California, Berkeley.
All seven of the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee asked for a delay when officials discovered he left 117 questions blank on the official Senate judicial questionnaire.
In a letter they sent to pro-abortion Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the committee, they said the omissions put Liu's nomination in jeopardy, according to a report in The Hill.
At best, this nominee s extraordinary disregard for the Committee s constitutional role demonstrates incompetence; at worst, it creates the impression that he knowingly attempted to hide his most controversial work from the Committee, the Republicans charged
Professor Liu s unwillingness to take seriously his obligation to complete these basic forms is potentially disqualifying and has placed his nomination in jeopardy," the GOP members added. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Democrats Criticized, Thanked in Radio Ads on Pro-Abortion Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New radio ads sponsored by the Susan B. Anthony List either criticize or thank selected "pro-life" Democrats in Congress depending on their vote on the pro-abortion health care bill President Barack Obama signed. Had they stuck together they could have brought down the measure expanding abortion funding.
The pro-life women's group has purchased $150,000 in radio ads and automated phone calls to residents in several congressional districts.
They target Reps. Steve Driehaus in Ohio, Kathy Dahlkemper in Pennsylvania, Alan Mollohan in West Virginia and Bart Stupak in Michigan and inform voters that their vote for the health care bill will ensure their tax dollars pay for abortions.
"Leading up to the fateful vote on healthcare reform, the Susan B. Anthony List was working tirelessly to build up grassroots support and encouragement for self- labeled 'pro-life' Democrats, including Rep. Stupak," SBA List president Marjorie Dannenfelser told LifeNews.com today.
"Since these Democrats instead traded their legislative power to prevent taxpayer funding of abortion for an executive order that did nothing to protect the status quo and address the fundamental taxpayer abortion funding problem in the bill, we have had to change course," she added. Full story at LifeNews.com
Home State of Top Senate Democrat Files Suit Against Pro-Abortion Health Care 
Carson City, NV (LifeNews.com) -- The home state of the top Democrat in the Senate filed a lawsuit today against the new pro-abortion health care law. Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons announced he will rely on outside attorneys to sue the federal government over the health care scheme because the state's attorney general wouldn't file suit.
The lawsuit is a bit of a hit to Sen. Harry Reid, the pro-abortion Nevada Democrat who heads the Senate and refused calls from pro-life groups to pull the abortion funding from the bill.
This health care nationalization plan is illegal because it is unconstitutional, Gibbons said today, according to an AP report.
The arrogance of this administration to force all Nevadans to purchase something (health insurance from private companies) or face IRS penalties is outrageous and wrong," he added. Full story at LifeNews.com
New Report Exposes California Practitioner Who Killed Woman in Failed Abortion
San Diego, CA (LifeNews.com) -- A new investigative piece by a former Los Angeles Times reporter further exposes a southern California abortion practitioner who was allowed to keep his medical license despite killing a woman in a botched abortion. Andrew Rutland killed a woman during an abortion by administering anesthesia to her and not knowing the proper dosage.
The case concerning the woman's legal abortion death is pending and the medical board and a Administrative Law Judge James Ahler told Rutland to stop doing abortions until its conclusion.
However, Rutland was caught in an undercover sting operation scheduling an abortion in violation of the order to stop doing them while his disciplinary case proceeded.
Now, blogger William Heisel, a former reporter for the Times and Orange County Register, has written six-part series of investigative reports called "The Shadow Practice" that focuses on Rutland and some of his associates.
The pro-life group Operation Rescue, which has helped expose Rutland, applauded the new report. Full story at LifeNews.com
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Woman Who Live Blogged Abortion Splits With Boyfriend, He Doesn't Want Kids
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The woman who live blogged her abortion and gained national attention for relating her moment-by-moment experience using the dangerous abortion drug on YouTube and Twitter, has split with her boyfriend. Angie Jackson broke up with him because he reportedly doesn't want to have children.
Jill Stanek, a pro-life blogger, has been following Jackson's tale and she unveils the latest news in a new post at NewsBusters.
"I was sicker of Angie Jackson than anyone, and I know many of you were plenty sick of her. I felt personally responsible for giving Angie 5 of her 15 minutes of fame," she wrote Monday.
Stanek wrote several updates on Jackson's abortion and the process unfolded and she received more national attention from mainstream media outlets. She eventually moved on form the story while other pro-life advocates kept tabs on Jackson's tweets -- ranging from how she locks her 4-year-old in his bedroom to how she is still married to the father of her born child while shacking up with the father of her aborted baby.
Now Stanek is weighing in one more time with the news that Angie split with her boyfriend. Full story at LifeNews.com
Tennessee Governor Phil Bredensen Gets Bill to Help Stop Forced Abortions
Nashville, TN (LifeNews.com) -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredensen received a bill the state legislature gave final approval to that helps stop forced abortions. The Freedom from Coercion Act will require abortion facilities to prominently post non-coercion policies and impose penalties against facilities which do not comply.
Both the state House and Senate worked out the differences in two different versions of the bill, which requires the posting of signs.
The signs appearing at abortion centers would read: "It is against the law for anyone, regardless of the person's relationship to you, to coerce you into having or to force you to have an abortion."
With studies showing as many as 60 percent of women who have had abortions saying they felt pressure from a husband or boyfriend, friends or family, or an employer to have an abortion, the signs could reaffirm a woman's decision to not have one despite the pressure.
Abortion centers that don't comply with the law would face a $2,500 fine for not posting the required signs.
"Tennessee is making strides toward protecting women and girls who are pressured into abortions they do not want," said Karen Brukardt, legislative lobbyist for Tennessee Right to Life. Full story at LifeNews.com
Ohio Right to Life Endorses Pro-Life Candidates for May 4 Primary Election
Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) -- The political action committee of the Ohio Right to Life Society today announced its endorsements of Ohio's federal and state candidates in contested races for the May 4 primary election. Some of the races will see competition based on the national vote on pro-abortion health care.
Ohio Right to Life is backing Republican Congressional candidates Tom Ganley in the 13th district and Jim Renacci in the 16th district.
They both face crowded Republican primaries to take on Democratic Reps. Bettey Sutton and John Boccieri in November -- both of whom are pro-abortion.
"As a result of the health care vote, Ohio's 18 congressional races will garner national attention as pro-life Ohioans remind those who voted in favor of the largest expansion of abortion in our nation's history that indeed their voting record does have consequences," Ohio Right to Life director Mike Gonidakis told LifeNews.com today. Full story at LifeNews.com
Alaska Pro-Abortion Groups Appeal Judge's Decision on Parental Notification Prop
Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com) -- Two pro-abortion groups in Alaska have appealed a judge's decision saying the language of the parental notification proposition on abortion should be rewritten. Planned Parenthood and the ACLU want the state Supreme Court to go further -- prohibiting the pro-life measure from appearing on the November ballot.
Alaskans for Parental Rights submitted signatures in January to get the measure on the ballot but Planned Parenthood filed suit.
The Division of Elections, last month, verified 36,285 signatures, more than the 32,734 that supporters were required to gather to get the measure on the ballot.
Planned Parenthood presented its case in court in February saying the Lieutenant Governor should not allow Alaska voters to consider the measure to reduce abortions. It argued the language of the proposed ballot measure is misleading and confusing.
Superior Court Judge Frank Pfiffner agreed and ordered Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell to rewrite ballot language. But ACLU of Alaska and Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, according to an AP report, filed a notice to appeal the decision. Full story at LifeNews.com
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British Pro-Life Advocates Celebrate Victory in Parliament on Pro-Abortion Sex Ed
London, England (LifeNews.com) -- British pro-life advocates celebrated a victory today in Parliament as MPs agreed to delete clauses in the Personal, Social Health and Economic education (PSHE) in the Children, Schools and Families Bill. The British pro-life group SPUC had been actively opposing the provisions.
SPUC warned that the PSHE clauses in the bill would make sex and relationships education compulsory from 5 to 16 years.
It also worried government-backed resources for teaching primary school children would include some for Catholic and other private religious schools.
Now that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called the May 6 election, the government has been forced to negotiate with opposition parties to get through some of their legislation on less controversial issues.
SPUC informed LifeNews.com today that the government minister responsible for the bill, Baroness Morgan, has now added her name to motions tabled by other MPs, which effectively remove the offensive clauses in the bill. Full stories at LifeNews.com
Nevada Personhood Amendment on Abortion Heads to State Supreme Court for Hearing
Carson City, NV (LifeNews.com) -- Backers of the personhood amendment in Nevada are appealing in front of the Nevada Supreme Court today to make their case for the measure that could ban abortions. They will fight a ruling saying the amendment should not appear before voters on the November ballot.
Abortion advocates in Nevada filed a lawsuit seeking to stop pro-life advocates who want to gather signatures to put a personhood measure on the ballot.
In January, a judge said the language was too broad and violated a state law saying ballot measures can't cover more than one subject.
The amendment does not specifically mention abortion, but says its intent is to codify "the inalienable right to life for everyone, young or old, healthy or ill, conscious or unconscious, born or unborn."
"In the great state of Nevada, the term 'person' applies to every human being," the one-sentence amendment reads. Full stories at LifeNews.com
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