In his historic address to the 47th March for Life, President Trump was in a self-congratulatory mood for his administration’s record on abortion. He had reason to be. He mentioned:
- Reinstatement of the Mexico City policy, which bars foreign aid from going toward organizations that promote or perform abortions
- “A landmark pro-life rule” with regards to Title X taxpayer funding, making organizations that perform or refer for abortions ineligible for such funding
- Public rejection of United Nation leaders’ categorization of abortion as a human right
- The protection of religious liberty — from conscience protections of doctors and nurses when it comes to participation in abortions to groups such as the Little Sisters of the Poor that have a religious objection to providing abortifacients and contraception
- Confirmation of 187 federal judges who, as he put it, “apply the Constitution as written”
The United States is one of only a handful of nations that allows elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. At this point, halfway through pregnancy, the science is clear that unborn children can feel pain. Such legislation is also necessary to protect women, as late-term abortions, most of which are performed on healthy women with healthy fetuses, are dangerous. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which Trump supports, would prohibit abortions past 20-weeks with limited exceptions. A January 2018 vote failed to garner the necessary 60 votes to proceed.
Trump has also backed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act — a piece of legislation that should be bipartisan. Last February, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse attempted unanimous consent for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Not only did this fail, but the bill failed even to earn 60 votes. Such legislation would do nothing to affect abortion, but rather it would require infants that survive abortions to be given life-saving care, instead of being left them to die. The Democrat-controlled House has not brought the bill to a vote.
Both pieces of legislation are supported by majorities of Americans, including those who identify as pro-abortion on abortion.
Not only is every declared Democratic presidential candidate pro-abortion, but each of them believes in repealing the Hyde Amendment, which protects taxpayers from funding abortions except for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. The Democratic Party now sees abortion as “healthcare,” which must be paid for at the expense of the consciences and dollars of Americans.
Last May, BuzzFeed’s Ema O’Connor confirmed that all but two of the candidates running at that point supported codifying Roe v. Wade into law. Abortion would then be legal under federal law even if the U.S. Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, the 1973 cases that legalized abortion on demand in all 50 states and throughout all 9 months of pregnancy.
Many Democratic candidates have expressed support for court-packing, to add more than nine justices to the Court. Such judges would vote to uphold, perhaps even strengthen, Roe’s hold over the U.S.
Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard is, at this moment, the only Democratic candidate who has expressed support for restricting abortion during the third trimester. Gabbard is currently polling no better than 3 percent.
Recently, Democrats for Life of America’s Executive Director, Kristen Day, asked Mayor Pete Buttigieg during a Fox News town hall about whether he would welcome anti-abortion Democrats. Mayor Pete doubled down on abortion being “medical care” and said he supports the position of his party, which, presently calls for abortions without restrictions and paid for with taxpayer dollars. “Hopefully we will be able to partner on other issues,” is how he left Day’s question.
What’s a voter to do? Commit to voting anti-abortion and speak your anti-abortion views to candidates. Education is key. Many voters aren’t aware of the Democratic Party’s increasingly extreme stance on this issue. If this crop of Democrats comes to power and has its way on abortion, it will be a dark day for Americans, especially the unborn.
Rebecca Downs, M.A., a writer in the Washington area, has written extensively on anti-abortion politics.
