Turning Point: Guiliani Embacing His Pro-Choice Roots

After his wishy-washy attempt to play both sides of the abortion debate, Rudolph Guiliani is preparing to fully come out as a Pro-Choice Republican. This is likely a turning point for the Hero of 9/11, as finally the Republican base has to come to grips with the fact that his views are at odds with the vast majority of the G.O.P. Either the base - after considerable sturm and drang - will decide Guiliani's other qualities make up for this one failing, or they will decide that this is a deal-breaker for any Presidential candidate.

I have been listening to an audiobook on American history. In it, the Republican Party became great by refusing to budge on one great moral issue - Slavery. My own opinion is that if the Republican Party gives in on this other great moral issue, it is the beginning of the end of the party. At the same time, I recognize that the refusal to budge by both sides on Slavery is largely what lead to the Civil War.

Supreme Court on Partial-Birth Abortion Stirs Anti-Catholic Bigotry?

We here at Mod-Blog have applauded the Supremes' decision to uphold the Partial Birth Abortion ban, while maintaining that philosophically abortion should be placed back in the hands of the states rather than being a Federal issue. Overall, most of the reaction I have heard has been positive, but apparently the Justices who voted to uphold the ban are being attacked by the insinuation they only did so because they are Catholic. I have not read the various attacks on this basis, but as a Protestant I need to tell these critics that it is possible to think this decision is a good idea without being Catholic! I think that I hold a reasoned, considered opinion about abortion and especially partial birth abortion, which I believe I would hold even if I were an atheist.

Too bad. But ever since I first spoke up as Pro-Life in high school, most of my arguments with the other side wound up with them calling me names or spouting unreasoned, unexamined assumptions. I am told that is the experience of logical reasoned people on the Pro-Choice side, as well. Apparently, the vast majority can't talk about this issue without resorting to pure emotion. I am glad the Justices seem to NOT be cut from that cloth.

Partial Birth Abortion Ban Upheld by the Supremes!

My memory may be incorrect, but I seem to recall when Congress passed the Partial Birth Abortion ban it was generally seen as a symbolic move which would not survive court challenges. Well, apparently the Supreme Court felt differently. They ust uphold the ban 5-to-4.

For the first time since the court established a woman's right to an abortion in 1973, the justices upheld a nationwide ban on a specific abortion method, labeled partial-birth abortion by its opponents.
The 5-4 decision written by Justice Anthony Kennedy said the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act that Congress passed and President Bush signed into law in 2003 does not violate a woman's constitutional right to an abortion.
The law is constitutional despite not containing an exception that would allow the procedure if needed to preserve a woman's health, Kennedy said. "The law need not give abortion doctors unfettered choice in the course of their medical practice," he wrote in the majority opinion.

I am of two minds about this. On the one hand, I am of the opinion that the decision of legality of abortion should be a STATE issue, not a Federal one. On the other hand, I am glad for any glimmering of hope that the unborn can be protected.