Bye-Bye
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Sunday April 22, 2007
The first nail in the coffin of women’s abortion rights was driven home on Wednesday when the Supreme Court, along ideological lines, ruled 5-4 to uphold a federal ban on the medical procedure known as intact dilation and extraction, or, by its more emotionally manipulative moniker, partial birth abortion.
The majority opinion, written by Justice Anthony Kennedy and signed by Justices Alito, Scalia, and Thomas — as well as Chief Justice John Roberts — should leave no doubt in anyones’ mind that an ideological agenda spearheaded by Ronald Regan over twenty years ago is finally coming to fruition.
Justice Kennedy, throughout his admonishing majority opinion, often invoked non-secular terms like morality to justify the court’s position and played to the religious base by stating that the ruling “expresses respect for the dignity of human life.”
In writing for the minority however, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the sole female member of the court, offered that the decision was “at odds with our jurisprudence” and would place physicians in the “untenable” position of having to parse obtuse legal guidelines before determining a course of treatment for their patient that wouldn’t place them add odds with the law.
As for this Leftwing Nutjob, as I stated at the outset of this piece, there should be no doubt whatsoever that a religious agenda is afoot within the high court of the land, and that Wednesday’s ruling represents the beginning of the end for a woman’s reproductive freedom in this country. For when Right to Life activists and their supporters openly state that their ultimate goal is to outlaw all abortions, you had better believe that this ruling will only embolden that movement and prompt them to move more cases into the judicial system in older to reach that goal.
I only hope that my earlier prediction that President Bush will get to appoint another justice before he leaves office will not come to pass.
Court rejects challenge to abortion ruling — USAToday.com
On A Mission
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Sunday June 11, 2006
Not long after the dust had settled over the confirmation of the Smirking POTUS’ two Supreme Court nominees, the right-wing religious kooks, who have made it their life’s mission to completely stamp out a woman’s right to an abortion, carefully began crafting their plans to overturn Roe v. Wade. And after months of political arm-twisting and legislative maneuvering, the anti-abortion zealots believe that they have finally crafted a bill that will force the Supreme Court to overturn their landmark ruling once and for all.
Bereft of any provisions for either rape, incest, or the health of the mother, the nation’s most restrictive ban on abortion would make it a felony for doctors in South Dakota to perform the procedure except to save the life of the woman. And as it awaits the signature of Republican Governor Mike Rounds in order to be enacted in to law, members of the state’s pro-choice movement are already making their plans to challenge the measure in court.
“When you see them have a ban that does not include exceptions for rape or incest or the health of the mother, you understand that elections do matter,” said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “We will be very active in ‘06 and in ‘08 in electing candidates that represent the views of most Americans.”
However, not everyone in the anti-abortion lobby believes that South Dakota’s measure will pass muster with the boy and girls in black.
“If you’re just reading the law as it stands now, South Dakota’s law doesn’t really stand any chance under Roe or Casey . I have to agree with those who think it’s remote,” said Chuck Donovan, executive vice president of the Family Research Council and a former lobbyist for the National Right to Life Committee.
But the ultra-right wackjobs have reason to believe that they may just prevail in their cause this time, what with the addition of conservative justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito. And with the Supreme Court recently agreeing to decide the legality of the federal ban on so-called “partial birth” abortions, we will all soon know just how far to the right the court is now slanted.
In any case, this Leftwing Nutjob has to agree with Ms. Keenan that voting does matter, and that you can never underestimate the tenacity or strength of will of the anti-abortion crusaders. They’ll do whatever it takes to overturn Roe v Wade. And for those of us on the Left who support women’s rights, we need to remain ever vigilant and continue to work hard to keep a woman’s right to choose a right that is guaranteed by law.
Source:
S.D. Abortion Bill Takes Aim at ‘Roe’ – Washington Post
SCOTUS may hear abortion case
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Monday September 26, 2005
And so it begins. All of the pieces are finally in place for the overturning of Roe v. Wade as the White House has asked the Supreme Court to reinstate the ban on late term abortions. This comes at time when the Court had already scheduled arguements for later this year for another abortion-related case involving a parental notification law in New Hampshire.
With the almost certain confirmation of John Roberts as the next Cheif Justice of the Supreme Court, the appointment by President Bush of another justice to replace the departing Sandra Day O’Conner will probably put an end to a woman’s reproductive rights as we now know them.
Source:
Yahoo News
Podcast #117
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Tuesday April 15, 2008
Leftwing Nutjob Podcast, Episode 117, for Sunday, April 13, 2008
Penn hits the bricks, Iran in the spotlight again, the Obama money machine, al Qaeda’s rising star and more!