The following are pro-life news briefs concerning political, legislative and other topics on abortion and bieothics issues:
Poll: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Would Beat Obama
Trenton, NJ — In a hypothetical field of 2012 Republican presidential candidates, the only one who would beat President Barack Obama is pro-life New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, according to a new Zogby International poll. Despite those results and the recent election day Republican landslide, Christie said Obama should not be worried – he’s not running.
“I’m sure the president is resting easy…knowing that the only person who’s beating him in the poll will once again declare that I’m not running for President of the United States,” Christie told reporters. (more)
Jeb Bush: Not Running for President in 2012, Leaves ’16 Open
Tallahassee, FL — According to the Associated Press: “Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says he isn’t ruling out a possible presidential run in 2016. At the inauguration Tuesday of new Gov. Rick Scott, Bush repeated his stance that he’s positively not running for president in 2012. When asked about 2016, Bush said he would never say never, but reiterated that 2012 is out.”
CEDAW Committee Pressures More Nations on Abortion
New York, NY — As Samantha Singson of CFAM notes: “Prior to the next round of CEDAW sessions, the committee is again agitating on controversial issues that have no basis in the treaty. In the list of questions sent around to countries before the face-to-face meetings in Geneva in January, the committee is questioning policies relating to abortion….The committee questioned Sri Lanka, Liechtenstein, Belarus and Kenya on their abortion laws. Committee members were most interested in questioning states on plans to decriminalize the procedure.” (more)
Florida Bill Would Give Choose Life License Plate Backers Support
Tallahassee, FL — A bill in the Florida legislature would give sponsors of the popular Choose Life license plates more support. from the Florida Independent:
New legislation proposed by state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, could drastically affect oversight of how money collected through sales of Florida’s “Choose Life” license plate is distributed — gutting rules that ensure that a majority of the revenue be used to assist the physical needs of pregnant women.
Currently, proceeds from the state’s bright yellow “Choose Life” plates are funnelled through the Department of Transportation into specific counties that are then put in charge of distributing the funds to various pro-life organizations. Under current state laws, 70 percent of those funds must be distributed to organizations that help the physical needs of pregnant women: diapers, food and other items for women who plan on putting their babies up for adoption, for example. The other 30 percent of the funds can go toward counseling, training or advertising.
The Fasano-sponsored legislation — Senate Bill 196 (.pdf) — would essentially do away with the 70-30 split, putting all of the funds in the hands of Choose Life, Inc., the Ocala-based nonprofit that sponsors the plates. In 2010, the Florida “Choose Life” plates generated $751,580 in sales.
Russ Amerling, of Choose Life Florida, says that the legislation would allow his group to use a portion of plate proceeds for promotional advertising, something his organization lacks. “All the funds from other specialty plates go to the organizations sponsoring them,” Amerling says. “Plate sales have been falling off drastically because prices went up, and we don’t have the means to promote our plates.” Under the current law governing sales of the plate, Choose Life receives no revenue.
Police Release Sketch of Georgia Suspect Who Killed Pregnant Women, Baby
Athens, GA — Investigators released a sketch of a suspect in the stabbing death of a 25-year-old Athens store clerk. The victim Kejuan Charde Hall, was stabbed in the neck at the Golden Pantry shell station on Atlanta Highway, according to police, as the Associated Press reported. Athens-Clarke police Captain Clarence Holeman said a preliminary autopsy report confirmed Hall was eight weeks pregnant, and that suspects will be charged with Hall’s murder as well as feticide.
Mississippi Personhood Amendment Supports Hold Capitol Rally
Jackson, MS — Backers of the personhood amendment in Mississippi held a rally on Tuesday in the state capital to kick off a campaign to push for passage of the initiative. The amendment would define an unborn child as a person starting at the moment of conception or fertilization and it would essentially prohibit abortions.
Personhood Mississippi gathered more than 130,000 signatures to get the petition placed on the ballot and it will appear before voters this November unless the state Supreme Court strikes it off the ballot because of a lawsuit heading its way.
The amendment is not supported by many pro-life groups because they say that, even if it somehow receives a majority vote, the courts will strike it down as unconstitutional. They say the only method for ending abortions is changing the U.S. Supreme Court starting with defeating President Barack Obama in 2012.
