Texas Gov. Rick Perry, one of the pro-life Republicans seeking the GOP nomination to take on pro-abortion President Barack Obama, stopped in Iowa for a campaign speech yesterday where he called for de-funding the Planned Parenthood abortion business.
Perry has an extensive pro-life record in Texas and has received top grades from pro-life groups there. He’s already signed one bill this summer to de-fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business in Texas, which has resulted in closing abortion centers there. Now, he wants to target the large pool of federal funds it receives.
Describing several things he would do as president to reign in government spending, Perry concluded: “And lastly, we will put a permanent stop to federal funding of Planned Parenthood because our tax dollars should never be used in taking an innocent, unborn life.”
The Des Moines Register reported on the speech and said perry was interrupted halfway through the line with the biggest applause from the audience — bigger than any applause he received elsewhere in the speech.
“The biggest applause line of Rick Perry’s government reform proposal today,” came during the Planned Parenthood de-funding line, the newspaper said.
Perry touted his pro-life record at the Values Voter Summit in October.
“You know, there are millions of Americans that are born into less than ideal circumstances. Maybe they were born into poverty, born without a parent. But as a society, we must stand for the principle that every life – every life – is worth living, regardless of the circumstance,” he said. “In America in America it’s not where you come from that matters, but where you’re going. As Americans, we must affirm the value of life, not just in our Declaration of Independence, but in the way that we live.”
“For some candidates, pro-life is an election-year slogan to follow the prevailing political winds. To me it’s about the absolute principle that every human being is entitled to life. All human life – all human life – is made in the image of our creator,” he said. “And every innocent life must be protected, from the most frail, who are elderly, to the most vulnerable, who are unborn.”
“That’s why as governor I have consistently worked for pro-life legislation, policies such as parental consent for minors seeking an abortion, a ban on third tri-semester (sic) abortions, an informed consent law,” Perry added.
During his speech, Perry referenced his signing of a bill to revoke the taxpayer funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business in his home state of Texas.
“I’m proud to fight for and was proud to sign a budget that defunded Planned Parenthood in Texas,” Perry said. “Our obligation is not only to protect life and bestow freedom on future generations, but it’s also to instill character.”
“Governor Rick Perry has always championed the pro-life cause, tirelessly advocating for the sanctity of innocent human life in numerous ways,” Texas Right to Life executive director Elizabeth Graham tells LifeNews.com.
“Governor Perry has worked alongside Texas Right to Life, helping shepherd our pro-life bills and eagerly supporting our measures,” Graham said. “As governor of Texas, he has intervened to stop anti-life legislation on a number of occasions, and he has helped clear obstacles when necessary.”
For the pro-life movement, changing the makeup of the Supreme Court is perhaps the number one issue — as the current pro-abortion majority on the high court makes it impossible to overturn Roe v. Wade and allow for either federal or state efforts to provide legal protection for women and unborn children. Graham says her organization has been appreciative of the nominations Perry has made as governor.
“Every one of Governor Perry’s judicial appointees adheres to a strict constructionist style of jurisprudence; neither do they find a right to privacy in the penumbra of the Constitution, nor do they legislate from the bench,” Graham assures. “Governor Perry’s appointments have created the largest, most conservative judicial body in America.”
Joe Pojman, the head of Texas Alliance for Life, has also worked closely with the governor and confirms to LifeNews that “Perry has always been pro-life throughout his time as an elected official.”
“For many years, Perry has supported the fund raising efforts of pro-life organizations, including Texas Alliance for Life, and he has appeared several times at the Texas Rally for Life held at the state Capitol to commemorate the tragic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision,” Pojman added.”We believe Perry has the right stuff to be president. If elected, he will aggressively defend innocent human life as he has as governor of Texas.”
