Commentary

Gov. Nikki Haley signed legislation this week that would ban abortions after 20 weeks in that state unless the pregnancy threatened the mother’s life. In addition, South Carolina allows for an abortion in cases when a doctor determines that the baby has a fatal defect and could not survive outside of the womb.

The legislation is based upon scientific research demonstrating that babies in the womb experience intense pain as a result of abortions.

16 states and the U.S. House have passed similar legislation. Idaho is one of those, but is also one of three in which federal courts have insisted that laws to protect late-term babies are “unconstitutional”.  South Carolina’s action helps to keep the national pressure building for the movement to end the destruction of innocent life after viability.

While the Abortion Industry and some lackeys on the federal bench continue to insist that late term babies do not experience tortuous pain during abortion, the scientific evidence of their suffering continues to mount. Dr. Steven Zielinski, of Oregon, has testified before the U.S. Congress that his research proves that babies can begin to experience pain as early as 8 ½ weeks into a pregnancy.

On a related point – LifeNews is highlighting a new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association that advances in science have now produced an amazing 71% survival rate for premature babies born at 22 weeks. This new data set will almost certainly mean that the U.S. Supreme Court will have to reevaluate its treatment of late term abortion cases, even if they reject the science of the baby’s painful suffering.

The U.S. Senate voted yesterday on legislation sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (and co-sponsored by Idaho’s Senator Mike Crapo) to restrict abortions after 20 weeks in the United States.

We are grateful for their leadership and commitment to saving preborn children.

Unfortunately the legislation stalled on the rocky wall that has become the Democrat Party. While a majority of U.S. Senators voted to consider the legislation, 40 Democrats and 2 Republicans voted to sustain a filibuster of the measure. With only 54 votes, pro-Life forces will be unable to pass the measure already approved by the U.S. House under the current rules of the Senate.

Thus, President Obama is once again spared the public scrutiny of vetoing a measure supported by a majority of American voters.

Similar legislation was approved in Idaho several years ago, but has been blocked from enforcement because of an edict issued by Idaho’s pro-abort federal judge, Lynn Winmill.

We are also grateful to our friends at LifeNews for their excellent coverage of this vote and the underlying issues surrounding the barbaric treatment of babies in the womb. Scientific research has demonstrated that the neurology of preborn children at 20 weeks makes it highly likely that they experience intense pain as they are slain.

LifeNews also quotes Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) from yesterday’s floor debate, pointing out some alarming facts about the state of America’s moral health:

“One of the most successful cover-ups in legal and social history has misled Americans into believing either that abortion is not legal for any reason at any time in this country, or that this radical abortion regime is the norm around the world. Neither is true. Today, the United States is one of only seven nations in the entire world to allow elective abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Other members of that club include China and North Korea.”

We can only hope that Pope Francis makes some room in his Congressional address tomorrow to chastise the 42 Champions of Death who chose to keep America in such sordid company.