Idaho Chooses Life

The Susan B. Anthony List issued a scorecard on the Republican presidential contenders this past weekend, and issued the following assessment:
The group asked each candidate to sign a pledge relating to four key pro-Life issues:

Appointment of strict constructionists to the federal bench; Appointment of persons with pro-Life values to direct the Department of Health & Human Services, Department of Justice and the National Institute of Health; End taxpayer support for abortion and organizations that promote or commit abortions; Support legislation to prohibit abortion after a preborn child is capable of feeling pain.

SBA reports that five of the candidates have signed their pledge, committing themselves to such principles if elected president: Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum.

All five of those candidates, it should be noted, have legislative and public records to bring real confidence to that pledge, with Congressman Michele Bachmann at the head of the group.

Mr. Cain and Mr. Romney, currently leading national polls, chose not to sign the pledge.

Both men, while articulating pro-Life values, took a rather legalistic view of the specific issues presented by SBA.

Mr. Romney – who already has substantial problems with the pro-Life community because of his support for radical abortion policies while governor of Massachusetts – declined to commit himself to appointing only pro-Life people to the posts at NIH, Justice and HHS. In a national opinion piece, Romney defended his position by arguing that the SBA Pledge “unduly burdens a president’s ability to appoint the most qualified individuals….”

Mr. Cain, who is without any kind of record on abortion, declined to sign the pledge because of his reading of the section on fetal pain: “I have been a consistent and unwavering champion of pro life issues” but the Congress must advance legislation like the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. He did indicate that he would sign such legislation if elected president.

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