Senate Bill Calls Abortion “Constitutional Right,” Invalidates State Laws

Abortion, , ,

Late last year U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D – CT) introduced S. 1696, the so-called “Woman’s Health Protection Act of 2013.”

Recently, there has been a buzz about this bill and what it would do.

The bill purports to protect women’s health. In reality it invalidates state laws regarding abortion, names abortion a constitutional right, and opens the door for unsafe abortion practices. Here is how.

S. 1696 Would Likely…

S. 1696 would likely:

  • Overturn Arkansas’ ban on taxpayer-funded abortion;
  • Challenge Arkansas’ ban on partial-birth abortion;
  • Affect Arkansas’ “fetal-pain” law preventing abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy;
  • Undermine our informed-consent and parental-consent laws;
  • Prevent surgical abortions from being regulated in a sensible manner; and
  • Increase access to abortifacients, despite the fact chemical abortions carry significant health risks.

Additionally, the bill

  • Repeatedly describes abortion as a constitutional right; and
  • Fails to acknowledge abortion may be regulated to protect healthcare providers’ rights of conscience or religious convictions.

S. 1696 Calls Abortion “a Constitutional Right”

(more…)

READ MORE

John Stonestreet on Abortion and Why We Need Guilt

Abortion, ,

An abortion counselor recently filmed her own abortion and posted the video online. John Stonestreet at Breakpoint has some very good insight to share on this matter.

Stonestreet writes,

The video is silent about how this child was disposed of. All we hear about is Emily and how she feels so good and guilt-free about her decision. For the baby…it was just the opposite.

Listen to his full commentary below.

[audio:http://bit.ly/1nNO6EI|titles=John Stonestreet – Why we need guilt.]

READ MORE

Obamacare, Nebuchadnezzar, and Religious Liberty

Religious Freedom, , , ,

What does the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have to do with the Obamacare mandate that forces religious employers to pay for contraception, sterilization, and abortifacients? John Stonestreet with the Chuck Colson Center makes the connection.

Listen:

[audio:http://www.breakpoint.org/images/content/breakpoint/audio/point/2014/TPT504092014.mp3|titles=John Stonestreet – A Choice from Justice Nebuchadnezzar]

“A freedom that comes with a tax or punishment isn’t freedom at all,” Stonestreet says. “Inalienable rights aren’t bought.”

When the government tries to tax or penalize someone for exercising a fundamental right, the government is encroaching on liberty. In the case of religious employers who find contraception, sterilization, and abortion morally objectionable, the government is issuing a clear ultimatum: Either compromise your deeply-held religious convictions, or pay a stiff fine.

To put it another way, employers are free to operate their businesses according to their moral convictions if they’re willing to pay the government. In the case of Hobby Lobby–one of the companies suing over the contraception mandate–this “conscience tax” would amount to millions of dollars per year.

Courts have ruled private corporations enjoy constitutional liberties such as free speech and freedom of the press. Why shouldn’t they also have religious liberty? And why should religious business owners be taxed for obeying their convictions?

There simply is no sensible way to justify it.

READ MORE