The Conservative Influence – Another Heartbeat Bill Passes
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) this week signed a restrictive abortion bill which prohibits doctors from conducting the procedure “if the unborn child has been determined to have a human heartbeat.”
In most cases, a heartbeat can be detected during the sixth week of pregnancy (before most women know they are pregnant).
Previous state laws allowed abortions until 20 weeks.
The new law, which goes into effect Jan. 2020, provides exceptions in cases where the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother and for rape and incest if a police report was filed.
Critics insist that six weeks isn’t enough time to get an abortion.
“Even for women who find out they’re pregnant before six weeks, it would be nearly impossible to get an abortion before the cutoff,” argues Elisabeth Smith of the Center for Reproductive Rights.
“Georgia law requires women to visit a clinic twice before they can get an abortion, and, because Georgia law limits public and private insurance coverage of abortion, women must often save up money to pay for the procedure.”
In March, actress Alyssa Milano urged the TV and film industry to pull out of Georgia if the heartbeat bill was signed into law. Such a move would have a major effect on Georgia’s economy.
Last year, TV and film projects in Georgia brought in $9.5 billion and created thousands of jobs. The filming of Black Panther contributed more than $80 million in economic activity and provided $26.5 million in wages to more than 3,000 employees.
Groups planning to sue Georgia include The Center for Reproductive Rights, the ACLU, and Planned Parenthood.
Governor Kemp says that while he knows the law will be challenged in the courts, he signed it because it’s the right thing to do. “This is about protecting life, and we’re willing to fight for it,” he told reporters.
The heartbeat bill, introduced by state Rep. Ed Setzler (R), follows similar laws signed in Mississippi in March and Ohio in April. Unfortunately, no state has been successful in putting such a restrictive bill into lasting practice.
Author’s Note: What we are seeing here is increased confidence from GOP leaders throughout the country on an issue that was impossible to push forward during the Obama years (when even churches were forced to pay for abortions).
Editor’s Note: This is a direct challenge to Roe vs. Wade, and will very likely end up in the Supreme Court. This issue will certainly be major for the 2020 elections.
” Protecting LIFE”
Great thought! Yet where are the same proponents on CAPATIAL PUNISHMENT” “WAR” “IMAGRATION” “HEALTH CARE” even “animal rights” ?????
All have a much better common definition as to existance of “life” then fetal heartbreak?
Seems to be some convoluted thinking here. You seem to think that the protection of murderers and animals, the protection of people invading our country, and somehow health care??? are far more important than protecting innocent human lives. How on earth did you get there?
It’s funny how they talk about human rights. A human right is the right to have an abortion. What about the human rights of that unborn child? The liberal narrative reproductive Rights women’s rights. No rights for unborn babies. the right to have unprotected sex when you don’t want a child. Heaven forbid we offend the liberal and moral society.
Why doesn’t AM pay for the doctor visits. Her big mouth needs to put up or shut up. She will put all of those families in jeopardy because “she” doesn’t like something? If there is any boycotting to do it is her movies etc AND the companies that pay for her garbage.
I consider myself to be a right to lifer too. Unlike right wing politicians and fundamentalist “Christians” who’s crusade ends at birth, I believe that right to life extends to caring for that life after birth, feeding, clothing, health care and educating that life so it can support itself. The so called right to lifers consider their job done with birth, whatever happens from that time forward is someone else’s problem not theirs. This attitude is very much like the ancient Spartans, who had the option to destroy that life after birth up to two years. Unfortunately these self righteous ass holes will never accept their own hypocrisy.
This is a valid point and you describe it better and more concisely than I do. The cost of supporting a child into adulthood is downright staggering. How would society properly support several hundred thousand unwanted children per year? Are there that many infertile couples out there to carry the load?
Of course this would be expensive, but so is the exercise of force against the mother of an unwanted pregnancy. I can imagine there are endless reasons why a woman would elect to terminate a pregnancy, and making it unlawful is an affront on personal freedom. I can also only imagine the internal pain of knowing you terminated the life of your own child. Abortion has many costs you cannot find on a income statement.
The best answer would be to take the “morning after pill” after any unprotected sex, every time. You are not then terminating a life, only a fertilized egg with a unique chromosome. Maybe those hard-core anti-abortion types should fund the distribution of these pills free to young women everywhere. Or sell them in vending machines in the rest rooms of the US, like condoms are now. Anything free will become abused in some way.
Better make them take credit cards, since young people do not know to carry cash or change.
Just a few ideas on the topic…
Who in hell is Alyssa Milano?