This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/21/republican-party-abortion-ban-endorsement
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Republican party endorses abortion ban without exceptions ahead of convention | Republican party endorses abortion ban without exceptions ahead of convention |
| (8 months later) | |
| The Republican party, which has supported a constitutional ban on abortion since 1984, has once again officially endorsed such a ban without exceptions for rape, incest or a threat to the mother's life, according to reports. | The Republican party, which has supported a constitutional ban on abortion since 1984, has once again officially endorsed such a ban without exceptions for rape, incest or a threat to the mother's life, according to reports. |
| If adopted by the party next Monday at a vote in Tampa, the official anti-abortion position will be more conservative than that held by its presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. | If adopted by the party next Monday at a vote in Tampa, the official anti-abortion position will be more conservative than that held by its presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. |
| The language was approved by the Republican platform committee on Tuesday morning, according to the New York Times. | The language was approved by the Republican platform committee on Tuesday morning, according to the New York Times. |
| Pro-choice Republicans expressed disappointment and said that the document does not reflect the beliefs of the majority of the party but a more extreme view of the right. | Pro-choice Republicans expressed disappointment and said that the document does not reflect the beliefs of the majority of the party but a more extreme view of the right. |
| The news come amid a fierce and continuing row over a Republican Senate candidate's suggestion on Sunday that victims of "legitimate rape" are unlikely to get pregnant. Romney's campaign spokeswoman has said that a Romney-Paul Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape and that neither candidate agrees with Todd Akin's comments. | The news come amid a fierce and continuing row over a Republican Senate candidate's suggestion on Sunday that victims of "legitimate rape" are unlikely to get pregnant. Romney's campaign spokeswoman has said that a Romney-Paul Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape and that neither candidate agrees with Todd Akin's comments. |
| The draft document is similar to platforms adopted in 2008, 2004 and 2000, according to CNN, which first reported the draft language. It states: "Faithful to the 'self-evident' truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed," the draft platform declares. "We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children." | The draft document is similar to platforms adopted in 2008, 2004 and 2000, according to CNN, which first reported the draft language. It states: "Faithful to the 'self-evident' truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed," the draft platform declares. "We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children." |
| The "human life amendment" is still to be approved by delegates to the Republican National Convention next week. | The "human life amendment" is still to be approved by delegates to the Republican National Convention next week. |
| Kelly Ferguson, executive chair of the Republican Majority for Choice, expressed disappointment with the language of the anti-abortion plank and with the platform committee, which she said had become more socially conservative. She said: "The majority of Republicans and Americans do not support an all-out ban on abortion. The party has also chosen a presidential candidate who came out and said he did not support an all out ban with no exceptions. | Kelly Ferguson, executive chair of the Republican Majority for Choice, expressed disappointment with the language of the anti-abortion plank and with the platform committee, which she said had become more socially conservative. She said: "The majority of Republicans and Americans do not support an all-out ban on abortion. The party has also chosen a presidential candidate who came out and said he did not support an all out ban with no exceptions. |
| "There has been a discussion from the top of the party to distance themselves from Todd Akin's statements on rape. We are calling for them to distance themselves from the policy." | "There has been a discussion from the top of the party to distance themselves from Todd Akin's statements on rape. We are calling for them to distance themselves from the policy." |
| The RNC position is that the platform should be welcoming of different views on different social issues, but at the "very least there should be exemptions for rape, incest and to save the life of a mother". | The RNC position is that the platform should be welcoming of different views on different social issues, but at the "very least there should be exemptions for rape, incest and to save the life of a mother". |
| Some pro-choice Republicans say the current draft of the abortion plank in the platform, although bad, is less extreme than in previous years. | Some pro-choice Republicans say the current draft of the abortion plank in the platform, although bad, is less extreme than in previous years. |
| Ann Stone, of Republicans for Choice, said: "It is bad, but it is not as bad as in the past. We have made some minute progress. It doesn't have exemptions and it doesn't not have exemptions. In 1992, there was an explicit reference to having no exemptions. The language is very vague and less inflammatory. The only other thing that is mildly positive is that they did not come out and embrace personhood." | Ann Stone, of Republicans for Choice, said: "It is bad, but it is not as bad as in the past. We have made some minute progress. It doesn't have exemptions and it doesn't not have exemptions. In 1992, there was an explicit reference to having no exemptions. The language is very vague and less inflammatory. The only other thing that is mildly positive is that they did not come out and embrace personhood." |
| The gulf between the Republican party's position on abortion and that of its presidential nominee is not new. | The gulf between the Republican party's position on abortion and that of its presidential nominee is not new. |
| In 2008, the party adopted a similar plank on abortion, despite senator John McCain, its nominee, having urged the party in the past to make exceptions. | In 2008, the party adopted a similar plank on abortion, despite senator John McCain, its nominee, having urged the party in the past to make exceptions. |
| Former president George W Bush also supported exemptions for abortion in cases of rape incest and when a woman's life was in danger. | Former president George W Bush also supported exemptions for abortion in cases of rape incest and when a woman's life was in danger. |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |