Commentary

During his news conference with President Trump this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly committed to a vote on the Pain-Capable Abortion Ban sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mike Crapo. Perhaps we will see a vote before Christmas

That is certainly good news. The legislation, which will serve as a ban on late-term abortions after 20 weeks, has already passed the House.

However, it seems likely to end in more disappointment for the pro-Life community.

It is our understanding that this legislation will be subject to the Democrat filibuster. That means we will witness another victory by the Democratic minority because of arcane Senate tradition; thereby thwarting the Trump Agenda and defying the desires of the American people.  And the horrific practice of dismembering babies in the womb continues.

Perhaps it is important to remind our elected officials that the filibuster rule cannot be found in the Constitution. There is no mention in those founding principles of the Republic that every piece of legislation must acquire a super-majority in order to become law.  There is not even a federal statute to that effect.  It is simply a Senate Rule – a long standing tradition, if you will.

And, just maybe, there was a day when such a rule was a good idea. Maybe it worked to level things out and encouraged bi-partisanship.  But that would be a day long since passed.  The new Democrat Party has no interest in compromise, bi-partisanship or comity.  It exists to serve its masters – organizations like Planned Parenthood and donors like George Soros.  And Democrats know full well that the dysfunction of the U.S. Senate is in their vital interest.

Why Republicans have not awakened to these obvious facts defies explanation.

Nothing could be more soothing to the general public than a restoration of confidence in the U.S. Congress. And that confidence has everything to do with getting the people’s business done.  Set aside the question of abortion for a minute – how about simply restoring the basic appropriation process?  How about addressing the huge backlog of House-passed legislation awaiting action?

Senate Republicans must come to terms with the fact that they are in a gun fight. They need to come to the fracas armed with something more lethal than a salad fork.

Eliminate the filibuster rule.

Our friend Congressman Trent Franks has announced that his legislation to protect preborn children after 20 weeks’ gestation will finally be before the U.S. House next week.

This is the “Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” which was almost considered by the Congress in January. Last minute objections were raised then about how the issue of rape was being handled in the legislation – despite the fact that an identical bill was approved by the U.S. House two years ago.

Speaker Boehner promised back in January that the legislation was being delayed for a matter of “days”, but that has turned into months. We were beginning to wonder if Franks’ bill would ever see the light of day again.

We are grateful that the bill will be considered – and likely passed – by the House of Representatives. The bill will force Americans to at least briefly reflect on the suffering and cruelty of killing preborn children later in pregnancy.

We congratulate Trent Franks – and Idaho’s Mike Crapo, a Senate sponsor of the bill – for his tenacity and commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us. Hopefully this legislation will soon land on Barack’s Obama’s desk, where the nation will once again witness Obama’s depth of resolve in defending the Abortion Industry in all cases from the cries of the innocent.