Arkansas now has most restrictive abortion laws in the country

[zsdersw]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/07/politics/arkansas-abortion/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

(CNN) -- Overriding a veto by Arkansas' Democratic governor, the state's Republican-controlled House and Senate approved a bill to ban abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, the most restrictive such law in the country.

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat, vetoed the bill Monday, saying it "blatantly contradicts the United States Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court."

But on Wednesday, the Arkansas House voted 56-33 to override the veto, following a 20-14 override vote a day earlier in the state Senate.

The Center for Reproductive Rights and the ACLU of Arkansas promised to mount a legal challenge in federal court, while supporters said they were prepared to fight back.

"We intend to make it ... clear that no one's constitutional rights are subject to revision by lawmakers intent on scoring political points, and that attempts such as this to turn back the clock on reproductive rights will not stand," Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement.

Should the state lose the challenge, it will have to pay all the legal fees in the case.

But Rep. Ann Clemmer, a Republican supporter, says the money would be well spent.

"Protecting unborn children is ... an important way to spend state resources," she told CNN affiliate KATV in Little Rock.

Called the "Arkansas Human Heartbeat Protection Act," the bill requires testing to determine "whether the fetus that the pregnant woman is carrying possesses a detectible heartbeat."
Abortions would be banned if the fetus has a detected heartbeat "and is under 12 weeks or greater gestation."

Roe v. Wade, a 1973 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, legalized the right to an abortion in all 50 states. Statutory time limits on when abortions can take place, however, vary from state to state. Some states have no time limit, while others allow abortion up to the end of the second trimester, about 27 or 28 weeks into the pregnancy.

As is so often the case with this issue, there are deep divides.

Kandi Cox, who had an abortion 20 years ago when she was 19, now heads Abba Adoption, an agency that offers support for women and teens who choose adoption rather than abortion for their unborn child.

"This is a day of celebration within our state, where we can say that we as the state of Arkansas, we stand for life," Cox told CNN affiliate KARK-TV. "We're going to continue to fight until Arkansas stays a solid state for life."

But Jan Gerber, who also had an abortion, said she has no regrets about her decision to end her pregnancy.

She is a registered nurse, who signed a petition by Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health to support abortion providers.

"I stand for choice," Gerber told KARK. "I stand for the little girl who thinks her voice has been taken away from her, and I'm 60 and I'm older and I want to say to that little girl, 'you do have a choice.'"

Does Arkansas have a big abortion epidemic? Seems like a hugely unnecessary foray into a social issue when there are infinitely bigger fish for them to fry.

 

[nehalem256]

So why is banning abortion at fetal heartbeat any less sensible than banning it at 27 or 28 weeks?

 

[zsdersw]

So why is banning abortion at fetal heartbeat any less sensible than banning it at 27 or 28 weeks?

I don't think they should ban it at all, but this is Arkansas... being a part of the deep south, I don't expect what they do to make sense.

 

[CycloWizard]

Does Arkansas have a big abortion epidemic? Seems like a hugely unnecessary foray into a social issue when there are infinitely bigger fish for them to fry.

You campaign for bills regarding civil rights all the time. I therefore find it absurd that you object to this with your only argument being that it should be lower on their priority list. This is a non-argument you use simply because the bill doesn't agree with your particular stance on the subject.

 

[sactoking]

Goot job Arkansas legislature. You just committed to wasting millions of dollars in the inevitable court challenges, in which you will likely lose. That's fiscal prudence right there!

 

[soundforbjt]

Goot job Arkansas legislature. You just committed to wasting millions of dollars in the inevitable court challenges, in which you will likely lose. That's fiscal prudence right there!

How conservative & small government of them...

 

[PokerGuy]

Each party has their irrational hatred for certain things, abortion is one of them for the conservative. What a waste of taxpayer money.

 

[zsdersw]

You campaign for bills regarding civil rights all the time. I therefore find it absurd that you object to this with your only argument being that it should be lower on their priority list. This is a non-argument you use simply because the bill doesn't agree with your particular stance on the subject.

You assume too much. I advocate the expansion of civil rights, not the restriction of them.

 

[CycloWizard]

You assume too much. I advocate the expansion of civil rights, not the restriction of them.

That's not what you stated in your OP. Your only argument was that there were "bigger fish to fry."

 

[zsdersw]

That's not what you stated in your OP. Your only argument was that there were "bigger fish to fry."

Contrary to whatever you may believe, I'm under no obligation to state every possible argument I have in the OP of threads I create.

 

[nehalem256]

Contrary to whatever you may believe, I'm under no obligation to state every possible argument I have in the OP of threads I create.

But it would seem sensible to assume that you would state the one you feel is most important.

 

[zsdersw]

But it would seem sensible to assume that you would state the one you feel is most important.

Assumptions are the mothers of all fuck-ups. If either of you would bother to familiarize yourselves with the OP in threads I create you'd see that I usually don't make a long-winded argument in the OP and get into the big stuff in subsequent posts.

 

[Paratus]

This is nothing but political grandstanding on the taxpayers of Arkansas expense.

 

[HumblePie]

Texas isn't far behind in this crap either with anti-abortion laws and end-around plays against agencies that provide abortions.

Many things I like about Texas, and many I don't.

 

[cubby1223]

You assume too much. I advocate the expansion of civil rights, not the restriction of them.

That is the whole question though, amongst everyone. At what point does a new life begin to have civil rights?

That is the debate.

I am going out on a limb and say you are opposed to this abortion:
http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/150310/unplanned-parenthood

 

[nehalem256]

That is the whole question though, amongst everyone. At what point does a new life begin to have civil rights?

That is the debate.

I am going out on a limb and say you are opposed to this abortion:
http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/150310/unplanned-parenthood

If you think abortion should be legal because its a woman's body and you don't support abortion up til 8.9 months for any reason you are either a hypocrite or a liar.

 

[cubby1223]

You cannot say you are against abortion because you are for civil rights.

That is total horse-shit.

On one side you have those who are for total civil rights of the mother.

On the other side you have those who are for the civil rights of the unborn child.

To imply the other side is against civil rights is horse-shit, and is why just repeating that sentiment louder and louder does not do a goddam thing.

 

[zsdersw]

My belief is that human life (and all the rights therein) begins when the fetus can biologically/biochemically survive on its own.

 

[thraashman]

You cannot say you are against abortion because you are for civil rights.

That is total horse-shit.

On one side you have those who are for total civil rights of the mother.

On the other side you have those who are for the civil rights of the unborn child.

To imply the other side is against civil rights is horse-shit, and is why just repeating that sentiment louder and louder does not do a goddam thing.

I am exactly for the civil rights of one unliving lump of cells as I am another. So I am completely for giving that fetus the same civil rights as we give cancerous tumors.

 

[Zorba]

It is always funny how Republicans claim to be against wasting taxpayers money, except when passing stupid laws that will cost millions to fight for in court and will ultimately be thrown out.

 

[CycloWizard]

Contrary to whatever you may believe, I'm under no obligation to state every possible argument I have in the OP of threads I create.

I assumed nothing. All I did was point out that your only "argument" in support of your position wasn't an argument at all: it was a nonsense. You've failed to even recognize the fundamental tenet of this debate to this point which is whether an unborn human should have civil rights at all. Indeed, you've begged the question by assuming that such a question should never be asked. I don't need to tell you about assumptions since, as you already stated, "Assumptions are the mothers of all fuck-ups."

 

[zsdersw]

I assumed nothing. All I did was point out that your only "argument" in support of your position wasn't an argument at all: it was a nonsense. You've failed to even recognize the fundamental tenet of this debate to this point which is whether an unborn human should have civil rights at all. Indeed, you've begged the question by assuming that such a question should never be asked. I don't need to tell you about assumptions since, as you already stated, "Assumptions are the mothers of all fuck-ups."

Of course you assumed.. you assumed I was making (or intending to make) an argument in the OP, when it was really nothing more than an editorial comment.

 

[nehalem256]

My belief is that human life (and all the rights therein) begins when the fetus can biologically/biochemically survive on its own.

Last time I check a human infant cannot survive on its own.

I am exactly for the civil rights of one unliving lump of cells as I am another. So I am completely for giving that fetus the same civil rights as we give cancerous tumors.

You do realize that a fetus consists of living cells right?

 

[zsdersw]

Last time I check a human infant cannot survive on its own.

I know you're stupid, but you should at least be able to figure out what I meant: survive outside of the mother.

 

[Oldgamer]

Goot job Arkansas legislature. You just committed to wasting millions of dollars in the inevitable court challenges, in which you will likely lose. That's fiscal prudence right there!

I was just gonna say, it is only a matter of time when people will make legal challenges to these laws, in fact some will say this is a round a bout way of making abortion legal by setting up so many obstacles, hurdles that a woman can't get abortion services. Just a matter of time, and yes Arkansas will end up spending a crap ton of money in court on these laws, wasting what valuable monetary resources they have. It is just plain stupid to try and legislate morality or enforce ideological laws onto others.

In addition they are just doing what most American's don't want and this will affect them in the upcoming elections. What is it that is said? "Elections have consequences".