Delusional... but in a funny way
|
OK, I'm definitely not a lawyer, so please let me know if I get this wrong.
I just looked up the Federal law regarding late-term abortions. From what I understand all abortions past 12 weeks are illegal, and it is a felony to perform one. This being a federal law, it supersedes any state laws that are in place (like Maryland's law).
That being said, I think he needs to be held responsible in some way for attempting to abort the 14-week fetus. Didn't he attempt to commit a felony? Someone please correct me if I'm interpreting this incorrectly.
Linky
Quote:
Federal law outlaws certain second-trimester abortions, without an exception to protect a woman's health. 18 U.S.C.A § 1531 (2003).
In 2003, President Bush became the first president ever to criminalize safe, medically appropriate abortion when he signed into law the Federal Abortion Ban, called by its anti-choice sponsors the "Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003." The federal law makes the performance of certain previability, second trimester abortions a felony and imposes a criminal penalty of up to two years in prison. 18 U.S.C.A. § 1531 (2003).
Six federal district and appellate courts declared the law unconstitutional. Carhart v. Ashcroft, 287 F. Supp. 2d 1015 (D. Neb. 2004), aff'd sub nom. Carhart v. Gonzales, 413 F.3d 791 (8th Cir. 2005), rev'd, 127 S.Ct. 1610 (2007); Nat'l Abortion Fed'n v. Gonzales, 287 F. Supp. 2d 525 (S.D.N.Y. 2003), aff'd, Nat'l Abortion Fed'n v. Gonzales, 437 F.3d 278, (2d Cir. 2006), vacated by 127 S.Ct. 1610 (2007); Planned Parenthood Fed'n of Am. v. Gonzales, 320 F. Supp. 2d 957 (N.D. Cal. 2004), aff'd, Planned Parenthood Fed'n of Am. v. Gonzales, 435 F.3d 1163, (9th Cir. 2006), rev'd, 127 S.Ct. 1610 (2007). The courts found the ban unconstitutional in part because, like a very similar Nebraska law the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2000, the ban had no exception to protect women's health. Stenberg v. Carhart, 530 U.S. 914 (2000). Several of the courts also found that the ban's language was overbroad and potentially outlawed the most common second-trimester procedures.
The Bush administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Eighth and Ninth Circuit decisions and in April 2007, the Court overturned the decisions of the lower courts and declared the ban constitutional. Gonzales v. Carhart and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 127 S.Ct. 1610 (2007). The Court interpreted the ban to be limited to a single procedure, and based on that construction, found that a health exception was not constitutionally required. As a federal law, the ban applies nationwide, regardless of state law.
|
Federal Abortion Ban (PDF)
Quote:
The Federal Abortion Ban:
* Is a criminal ban on abortion care that could apply as early as the 12th week of pregnancy.
* Is part of a larger agenda to outlaw abortion entirely.
* Is the first federal law ever to criminalize safe medical procedures.
* Is opposed by doctors and medical societies.
* Is not about banning late-term abortions; 40 states already ban late-term abortions and NARAL Pro-Choice America does not oppose such restrictions.
* Is not a ban on a single procedure; the law's overly broad language actually outlaws multiple procedures, including the most common methods used after the 12th week.
* Does not provide an exception to protect a woman's health.
* Does not provide an exception in cases of severe fetal anomaly.
|
__________________
"I'm sorry, all I heard was blah blah blah, I'm a dirty tramp."
Last edited by TotalMILF; 08-17-2007 at 01:51 AM..
|