Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg: Roe v. Wade Went Too Far on Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 29, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — In an amazing admission, pro-abortion Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says the Roe v. Wade case that allowed virtually unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy went too far. She admitted that the sweeping decision made it an easy target for critics.
In the conversation with Princeton University Provost Christopher Eisgruber, Ginsburg also mentioned her favorite part of the Constitution as the due process section of the 14th Amendment — an irony given her pro-abortion stance.
The conversation between the high court judge and Eisgruber came last week, according to Town Topics, a weekly newspaper devoted to all things Princeton.
At the Richardson Auditorium, Ginsburg said the decision in Roe to topple the pro-life laws in states across the nation "wasn’t a big surprise" — though she admitted she was surprised at “how far the Court had gone.”
“I think the Court bit off more than it could chew,” she said, according to Town Topics, and explained that she thought the high court left little room for state legislatures to limit abortions.
"There would have been an opportunity for dialogue with state legislatures” to “reduce restrictions on access to abortion” had the ruling been written differently.
“Of course it has to be the woman’s choice, but the Court should not have done it all,” she said. “It is dangerous to go to the end of the road when all you see in front of you are a few yards.”
Because of the expansive pro-abortion view set out in Roe — allowing virtually no limits on abortions and opening them up for any reason at any time during pregnancy — Ginsburg said the case has become “an easy target” and a "rallying point" for pro-life advocates.
Ironically, according to the paper, Ginsburg told the audience the 14th amendment was her “favorite provision” in the Constitution, especially the section that mentions how the government can’t deny anyone their right to life without due process. The pro-life movement has argued since Roe that the clause makes it clear there should be legal protection for unborn children.
During the discussion, Ginsburg also mentioned that she disagrees with her pro-life colleagues on the high court, who say that the Constitution should not be taken out of context to justify decisions like Roe.
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