OPINION - Gov. Mills' LATE TERM Abortion Bill is Unethical by Any Standard
Mills' messaging on LD1619 is misleading and dishonest - and not at all surprising.
Today, under Maine's current law, the life of an unborn baby that is considered viable (normally at 24-27 weeks gestation) is protected. The only exception is if the life of the mother is in danger, an abortion could be accessed.
LD 1619, Governor Mills' Act to expand Abortion Access, drops the "viability" standard, allowing access to abortion at any time during pregnancy up until the time of birth, when deemed "necessary" by a licensed physician.
Governor Mills and other advocates of this bill have attempted to side step the clear ethical and moral offenses of this bill by using 2 primary arguments. Both arguments by Governor Mills and LD1619 advocates are misleading and are not honest representations of the impact of this bill.
First, Mills and her advocates have stated these "necessary" cases of late term abortions are rare, making up only 1% of abortions nationally. A simple survey of state abortion laws reveals that late-term abortions are only available in a handful of states - just 6 to be exact. So it's not surprising that late term abortions make up the smallest segment of abortions nationally. However, a closer look at these states reveals where Maine could be headed if LD 1619 passes. According to the CDC, in 2019 New Mexico reported that 12% of that years abortions were considered "late term" (SOURCE). That's not exactly the rare 1% claimed by Mills and others.
They have also stated that the intent is to allow late-term abortions in the rare cases that the baby is no longer "viable." LD1619 goes far past those tragic situations. This bill creates access to abortion at any time, for any reason. There is no definition or qualifiers given to the term "necessary," effectively removing any and all restrictions. Under Gov. Mills' proposed law change, any unborn viable human life will no longer be protected and could be aborted for any reason.
If the intent of the bill were to allow for abortion access during rare and truly tragic cases when a baby is no longer viable in late term pregnancy, there are other, less extreme options available to the Governor. Instead, Governor Mills and LD1619 advocates seem to be using these tragic stories as political props with the aim to create one of the most extreme abortion laws in the nation. If it passes, Maine would become just the 6th state to allow unrestricted, late-term abortions.
The governor and advocates of this bill in the minority of Americans. According to Pew Research, 73% of American Adults are opposed to with late-term abortion access on demand (SOURCE). This is a bipartisan issue and the majority of Americans - pro-life, anti-abortion and pro-choice) do not want this kind of legislation.
Personally, I refuse to believe that the majority of Mainers want a law in place that allows for the ending of a viable unborn human life for any reason. It's unconscionable and absurd to consider that we would want such a grotesque act to be legalized.
It shouldn't have to be said, but here we are. Ending the life of an unborn human is unethical by any standard. Ending the life of an unborn human that is viable is especially grotesque. It is yet another new low for the Mills administration as she guides our state further away from any sense of morality or justice.
On Monday, 5/1/2023, LD1619 will go before the Committee for the Judiciary for a public hearing. This is the best chance that opponents of the bill have to be heard.
My hope and prayer is that each Maine legislator - Democrat, Republican or Independent - wrestles with the clear and extreme ethical problems of LD1619 and refuses to allow this immoral and unpopular bill to become the law of Maine.
If you would like more information about how to testify and oppose Governor Mills' push for late term abortion, visit SpeakUpforLIFE.com.
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Live not by lies. Seek the Truth.
Hi. I am not patronizing you at all. I am asking you questions as I find your philosophies contradictory. If YOUR choice as a woman who overcame obstacles to earn 3 degrees is to not have an abortion, then that is absolutely your right. But why is it a right of anyone to tell any other woman on the planet what her choices should or should not be? In your last comment, you mention that it is "The choices a woman has is (sic) to be responsible with her choices including her sexual activities and use protective measures if she is so against having a child that she is willing to murder a viable baby (viability is considered at 20 weeks gestation)." This does not mention the role of men in pregnancy at all. I am not going to comment on Margaret Sanger and PP right now as it does not relate to the legislation you posted about. I am also a woman who has overcome obstacles and has degrees (I don't know how this is relevant here). I mainly think that the choice to have an abortion is the hardest choice a woman will ever make, but it is important that every child is a wanted child. I will never believe that doctors will engage in child sacrifice? My impression from reading your bio is that you are a scientist. It seems that in this context, science goes out the window. I have appreciated your perspective on COVID numbers in Maine. But in this case, your opinion is overshadowing facts and societal needs. I am fine with the fact that you are anti-abortion. That is your right. But no one else gets to make that decision for me or for anyone else. Thank you.
I hear what you are saying. I believe that viable life starts when a person is born, not before that. I believe in the rights of women to make decisions for themselves. Babies can’t make decisions for themselves, and we must take care of them after they are born. But until Maine develops additional programs to care for babies born to moms who can’t afford to take care of them, who aren’t housed, who are under-employed , then I don’t see how your perspective helps children. Go into any under-resourced elementary school and you can see what happens when parents can’t afford to take care of their children. This issue isn’t as simple as : allow those babies to be born and tada! Their lives are fine. The issue is trusting women to make decisions that are informed and best for them. Women will always take care of people and children. We are also observant and strategic and understanding.