How would abortion laws work in Romney-world v3.0?

[_krose]

In Massachusetts, Willard Mitt Romney ran as a staunchly pro-choice candidate, based on a tragic tale he used to tell. That was version 1.0.

The Republican presidential primaries brought us Romney version 2.0. He has said he would gladly sign a law that outlaws all abortion, and would appoint more justices like Thomas and Scalia to the court.

And now, in keeping with his current move to the middle, we have Romney version 3.0. His most recent stated preference is that abortion should be illegal, but with exceptions for rape and incest.

Leaving aside his notorious flipping on issues, I don't know what this kind of law would look like in the real legal world. I can see it from a moral or philosophical standpoint, as it is for the LDS church, but not a legal one. Maybe someone can help me out here?

This kind of law would appear to require some kind of official verification to get a legally approved abortion. As creepy as it sounds to require such a thing, certainly a court-ordered DNA test on the fetus would establish that it was fathered by a close relative, at which point a doctor could be ordered by the court to perform the abortion.

But in the case of rape, this is where we venture into the murky Todd Akin world of classifying the 'legitimacy' of the rape charge. We would either have to unquestioningly accept the word of the woman seeking the abortion, which would establish a reliable loophole, or require some level of evidence that a rape occurred.

After the abortion, the dead fetus's DNA would establish paternity, which would have to be considered solid evidence to convict its father of rape. And if it turns out a woman claimed rape to get an abortion, she would need to be severely punished, both for killing the fetus and for making a false accusation against the DNA-established father.

It all looks like a legal nightmare to me.

[_Bob Loblaw]

Abortion is a wedge issue and nothing more. In the 40 years since Roe v. Wade there has not been a concerted effort either to make abortions illegal or to overturn Roe v. Wade. What we have seen is states passing laws that attempt to shame women into not getting abortions, and I think that's wrong, but anyone who believes that abortion will ever be criminalized is delusional.

[_beastie]

Abortion is a wedge issue and nothing more. In the 40 years since Roe v. Wade there has not been a concerted effort either to make abortions illegal or to overturn Roe v. Wade. What we have seen is states passing laws that attempt to shame women into not getting abortions, and I think that's wrong, but anyone who believes that abortion will ever be criminalized is delusional.

It's not just shaming women. States have been placing onerous and unwarranted regulations on abortion clinics that guarantee their closure.

[_Drifting]

Perhaps the Rupublican Richard Murdock can help clarify things...

A Republican politician who set off a political firestorm after describing pregnancies after women have been raped as a "gift from God" has clarified his comments.
Richard Mourdock, a US Senate candidate from Indiana, said on Wednesday that: "I absolutely abhor violence. I abhor any kind of sexual violence. I abhor rape."

Mourdock's original remarks came at the end of a debate on Tuesday when he was asked if abortion should be allowed in cases of rape or incest.

He replied: "I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realise life is that gift from God.

"I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that's something God intended to happen."

In Wednesday’s press conference Mr Mourdock said his words had been twisted for political gain, but that he was humbled by the experience.

"I am absolutely confident that the God I worship abhors violence," he said.

Mr Mourdock said he would move on from this incident, and that he wanted to reassure voters and women that his previous comments had been misunderstood.

"I don’t think God wants rape, I don't think he wants that at all because rape is evil," he said. "I abhor evil."

Mr Mourdock is locked in a tight race with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who said after the debate that he does not believe "my God, or any God, would intend that to happen".

Indiana Democratic Party chair Dan Parker added: "As a pro-life Catholic, I'm stunned and ashamed that Richard Mourdock believes God intended rape."

Sky News.


Interesting that he believes the God of the Old Testament (plagues, pestilence, fiery serpents, worldwide drownings etc) abhors violence...