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Reproductive Rights/Abortion. Taylor Olson. Historical Background. 1800s-1973 - The prohibition of legal abortion, but estimates of illegal abortions ranged as high as 1.2 million women per year. Many back alley abortions harmed women
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Reproductive Rights/Abortion Taylor Olson
Historical Background 1800s-1973- The prohibition of legal abortion, but estimates of illegal abortions ranged as high as 1.2 million women per year. Many back alley abortions harmed women 1959- The American Law Institute (ALI) advocates legalizing abortion for reasons including the mental or physical health of the mother, pregnancy due to rape and incest, and fetal deformity 1972-By year's end a total of 13 states have an ALI-type law. Four states allow abortion on demand. 31 states allow abortion only to save the mother's life 1973- Roe vs. Wade. Abortion made legal in all 50 states. The Fourteenth Amendment protects right to privacy, including a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy. 1976 The Hyde Amendment passes, which prohibits the use of federal Medicaid funds for abortions for poor women, although continuing to allow funds to be used for pregnancy, delivery, and child-care costs. The Republican Party Adopts its first Pro-life position
Historical Background 1992- Planned Parenthood v. Casey reaffirms that women have a right to abortion before fetal viability, but allows states to restrict abortion access so long as they don’t impose an "undue burden" on women seeking abortions 1996- President Clinton rejects the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban of 1995 which allowed partial-birth abortions only to save the life of the mother and relaxes restrictions 2000- Bush era reactivates restrictions on abortion, requiring parental involvement and informed consent, prohibiting government funding of most abortion, and more outlawing most partial birth abortions. 2003: The Bush reduces pro-choice programs such as family planning funding, restricts abortion access, and stops the funding of research on sexual issues while increasing funding of sexual abstinence programs
Current State: Obama Admin. 2008: The Obama Admin. supports the Freedom of Choice Act, nullifying every legal limit on abortion, state or federal Banned federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, and if the woman’s life is at risk Elective abortions are not covered by federal funds (some democrats support federal funding of elective abortions)
Opposing Viewpoints Pro Life Pro Choice When does life actually begin? • When the fetus can exist independently from the mother; after the second trimester • Personhood is different from human life When the soul is implanted, the moment of conception The baby has a heartbeat by the end of the third week
Opposing Arguments Pro Choice Pro Life Woman’s control over her body is her civil right (fourteenth amendment) Reproductive restrictions don’t end with abortion: no place for government Cases of rape or incest UNICEF :210 million orphans currently awaiting adoption When legal/ illegal the number is constant; only more women die. Every year, 78,000 die from unsafe abortions. Teenagers who become mothers have grim prospects for future When pregnant, there are two separate bodies No civilized society permits one human to kill without punishment Baby should not be killed for the crime of another person Adoption can replace abortion; 1.5 million American families wanting to adopt; no unwanted children Abortion murders an innocent child Young women don’t understand fully, many have lifelong regrets afterwards
Republican Party Position Unborn child has right to life, 14th amend. protection Ban on elective abortion, specifically on partial-birth abortions Opposed to using public funds for abortion and organizations which advocate it Respect traditional family values and sanctity of innocent human life Support adoption agencies, adoptive families
Republican Candidates Opposing Opinions Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Tim Pawlenty signed the SBA pledge All candidates (except Romney?) strictly Pro Life Bachman, Cain and Gingrich support adding a human life amendment to the Constitution even through a possible confrontation with the Supreme Court Romney: in 2002, campaigning for governorship of MA, claims he will “preserve and protect” a woman’s right to choose 2007 back to pro- sanctity-of-life Did not sign the Susan B. Anthony anti-abortion pledge June 2011 Both Romney and Paul Disagreed about adding a human life amendment; Paul saying “Violence and murder should be dealt with by the states.”
Works Cited Bowman, Matt. “BarackObama’s ‘Freedom of Choice Act’ Would Mean 125K More Abortions.” LifeNews.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http:/http://www.lifenews.com/2008/09/24/nat-4359/>. Fabian, Jordan. “Gingrich targets Romney for not signing anti-abortion pledge.” Ballet Box. The Hill, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. <http:/http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-presidential-primary/167531-gingrich-targets-romney-for-not-signing-anti-abortion-rights-pledge>. “Fast Facts: History of U.S. Abortion Law.” Fox News . Fox News, 1 Jan. 2003. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,881,00.html>. flickr. Yahoo, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http:/http://www.flickr.com/photos/briannahector/5149458738/>. “History of Abortion.” National Abortion Federation. History of Abortion, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/history_abortion.html>. “History & Successes .” Planned Parenthood . N.p., 2011. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/history-and-successes.htm>. Lowen, Linda. “10 Abortion Arguments.” About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http:/http://womensissues.about.com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionArgumen.htm>. Meckler, Laura. “Bush-Era Abortion Rules Face Possible Reversal .” The Wall Street Journal . N.p., 7 Dec. 2008. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122947155578512197.html>. The Media Underground. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pro+choice&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&tbm=isch&tbnid=MINp99ZP8KV-nM:&imgrefurl=http://themediaunderground.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/pro-choice-press-release-abortion-rights-in-jeopardy-as-roe-v-wade-reaches-38th-anniversary/&docid=KCVXBvujzsBLQM&w=362&h=362&ei=PRFyTuGYOcHE0AGup-XxCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1009&vpy=132&dur=9&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=152&ty=144&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=134&start=0&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0&biw=1280&bih=918>. “Pro Choice vs Pro Life Facts and Arguments .” Alabama Alliance Against Abortion. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pro+choice+vs+pro+life&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&tbm=isch&tbnid=fPdqJbrkCT2kCM:&imgrefurl=http://wholeworldinhishands.com/world/pro_life_vs_pro-choice_arguments.html&docid=5tLaieHsxnAaxM&w=413&h=310&ei=JhJyTs7pKeLE0AHD5Jn7CQ&zoom=1&biw=1280&bih=918&iact=rc&dur=265&page=1&tbnh=124&tbnw=137&start=0&ndsp=31&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=85&ty=83>.