Senate Democrats Get 60 Votes for Abortion, Sotomayor With Al Franken Aboard

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jun 30, 2009   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Senate Democrats Get 60 Votes for Abortion, Sotomayor With Al Franken Aboard

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 30
, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, a pro-life advocate from Minnesota, conceded his re-election bid to pro-abortion Senate candidate Al Franken. His decision paves the way for the abortion advocates who already control the Senate to have 60 votes to promote abortion and health care rationing.

Coleman originally held a lead over Franken at the end of the November 2008 election, but a recount put Franken ahead by a few hundred votes.

Despite numerous legal claims that the recount was not properly conducted, state courts sided with Franken and dealt Coleman a blow when the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Frank won the election.

Coleman conceded the race today and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, himself a pro-life advocate who has been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 2012, must now sign the certification allowing Franken to represent the state in the Senate.

With Frank in the Senate, the Democratic Party now has a supermajority with which is can stop filibusters against promoting abortion or confirming pro-abortion judicial nominees like Sonia Sotomayor.

Sen. John Cornyn, a pro-life Texas Republican, noted that fact and said the abortion advocates who run the Senate will live or die by what they do.

“The implications of this Senate race are particularly significant because the Democrats will now have 60 votes in the Senate,” he said. “With their supermajority, the era of excuses and finger-pointing is now over.”

Had he been in the Senate earlier, Franken would have voted with the pro-abortion side on several key issues.

Senators voted 65 to 31 in April to confirm pro-abortion Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to become the next Health Secretary. Pro-life groups had opposed her nomination because of her lengthy pro-abortion record voting pro-life bills and her close connection with a late-term abortion practitioner.

In January, the Senate voted 60-37 with only one Democrat, Sen Bill Nelson of Nebraska, joining most of the chamber’s Republicans to support an amendment sponsored by pro-life members to restore the Mexico City Policy that President Barack Obama rescinded. The policy prevents taxpayers from funding groups like Planned Parenthood that promote or perform abortions overseas.

Also that month, lawmakers voted 59 to 39 against an amendment to codify the Unborn Child Rule and help pregnant mothers and unborn children.

In March, Senators voted 55-39 against an amendment that would have stopped the sending of taxpayer funds to the United Nations Population Fund.

That’s the UN agency that has been found to have supported the Chinese population control program that relies on forced abortions and sterilizations.

Also in March, senators voted 56-41 to oppose an amendment to legislation to encourage volunteerism that would have made sure pregnancy centers are included and they voted to confirm pro-abortion Solicitor General nominee Elana Kagan 61-31.

In April, the Senate voted 56-41 against an amendment from a pro-life senator that would have provided conscience protection on abortion for doctors and medical centers.

Earlier this month, senators voted 62-35 to confirm Harold Koh, the abortion activist President Barack Obama chose as the top lawyer for the State Department.

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