Abortion

"There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos."
-Jim Hightower, Texas commentator and humorist

As the political seas continue to churn over issues such as abortion, healthcare, cap-and-trade, bailouts, the war, and Climategate, the ideological divisions between the two major parties appear to run deeper than ever before. On top of this, it's become clear that both the Democrat and the Republican parties are experiencing an internal identity crisis―a problem that makes it difficult for either group to articulate a clear and unified agenda.

Desperate to find a way forward, politicians and pundits are stressing the need for Americans everywhere to set aside the "hot button" issues in favor of working together to find common ground. Focusing on what unites, rather than divides, us―so the thinking goes―would enable "productive dialog," which would lay the groundwork for unity, understanding, and healing. more >>

The Senate on Tuesday rejected an amendment that would ban federal funding of abortion under the health care bill.

After days of debate, the Senate voted 54-45 to table the amendment, effectively killing the proposal that Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) introduced to keep taxpayer dollars from paying for insurance plans that cover abortion.

Pro-life groups were swift to denounce the action. more >>

More than two-thirds of the abortion clinics in the United States have closed since 1991, according to a new report by a pro-life activist organization.

There were nearly 2,200 abortion clinics in 1991, estimates Operation Rescue. Today, there are just 713 clinics.

“The pro-life movement has made significant strides exposing and closing abortion clinics and shifting public opinion toward the pro-life position,” said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, in a statement Tuesday. “This has resulted in lower abortion rates." more >>

A health care bill amendment that the Senate passed Thursday has pro-life groups fretting that the door is again open to the federal funding of abortion.

In a 61-39 vote, the Senate approved an amendment by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) that mandates coverage of any preventive care or screenings for women by the Health Resource and Services Administration, such as mammograms.

But pro-life groups warned that if the HRSA were to recommend abortion as preventive care, then insurance plans would have to cover the procedure since there is no clear prohibition of such coverage. more >>

Planned Parenthood recently dropped its lawsuit against a former employee who quit after she "had a change of heart" on the issue of abortion.

The national abortion provider decided not to pursue legal action against Abby Johnson and the Brazos Valley Coalition for Life and submitted a notice to the District Court of Brazos County, Texas, 85th Judicial District, to withdraw its lawsuit.

Johnson had been employed with Planned Parenthood for eight years and in 2008 was named employee of the year for the southeast Texas region. During those years, Johnson had never seen an abortion take place on an ultrasound. more >>