#2— Pro-life Strategy: Stealth Movement to Criminalize Roe

Pro-abortion groups are feeling threatened by pro-life activist strategies to overturn Roe, which incorporate “stealth” strategies that are implemented at both the national and state level. The President of the Center for Reproductive rights has considered this a threat to the pro-abortion’s movement to legalize abortion. The pro-life is working hard to enact “bans-in-waiting”, or legislation criminalizing abortion immediately after the downfall of Roe. According to CNS News, an online news database, steps have been made in a positive direction, confirmed last spring with the Supreme Court upholding a federal ban on partial birth abortion. Jim Sedlak, VP of the American Life League says “all Americans [are] calling for the overturn of Roe and for the ending of the tragedy of abortion.” (Source)

#3— National Right to Life Endorses Fred Thompson
Last week the National Right to Life committee endorsed Fred Thompson for President of the United States at a press conference declaring that “NRL is confident in Sen. Fred Thompson’s resolve to protect and defend the most defenseless among us: our unborn children”. Also stated in the press conference was his pro-life voting record, a confirmation to NRL that Thompson will hold to his pro-life principles when it matters. Thompson is running against other candidates such as Rudy Giuliani who was recently endorsed by Christian Broadcasting Network President Pat Robertson, and John McCain (R-AZ) who was also endorsed last week by previous presidential candidate Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). Background Story

#4— Legislation would Prohibit Federal Funding to Planned Parenthood

Mike Pence (R-IN), recently introduced a bill that would suspend all federal funding to groups that perform abortions. This bill primarily targets Planned Parenthood, who receives a large amount of federal funding under Title X. Pence believes while federal funded clinics may provide quality family planning, Planned Parenthood should not receive federal funds. His reasons are confirmed by their annual financial report, which boasts $305 million coming from the federal government and record-breaking numbers of abortions performed in the last year. Likewise, many pro-life organizations nation-wide are calling for the suspension of Planned Parenthood’s federal funding in response to 107 criminal charges filed against a Kansas abortion clinic. For more information go here.

#5— Judge Rules Forcing Pharmacists to Dispense Plan B Unconstitutional

Pharmacists are no longer required to fill prescriptions of “Plan B” contraceptive pills as ruled by a federal judge on November 8. These emergency “morning after pills” have caused significant controversy within the medical profession, and with many pharmacists who are morally and religiously opposed to the medication. The Judge wrote in his opinion that pharmacists should not be forced to choose between their religious beliefs and their profession. Previously, pharmacists could be terminated for refusing to dispense the medication and fined up to $5,000. (Source)


#6—Monkey Cloning Inefficient and Unlikely to Lead to Medical Cure

Recent medical breakthroughs have been made in cloning monkey embryos from stem cells, but scientists are hesitant to confirm whether or not medical cures are on the horizon. Researchers at the Oregon National primate Research Center in Portland, Oregon successfully fused macaque monkey skin cells with unfertilized monkey eggs that grew into early embryos. Scientists harvested stem cells from these embryos, confirming that the DNA matched for both parents. However, doctors believe the process is inefficient - using about 150 eggs to produce one batch of stem cells. Fox News also questions whether stem cells can be used to treat diseases safely, a concern with stem cell cloning. So far, stem cells have yet to prove themselves a viable cure for disease and transplantation, in addition to significant moral and political implications. (Source)