New Court Ruling

The High Court today ruled to ban partial birth abortions (washingtonpost.com). In a close 5-4 vote the court upheld a woman's right to choose under the landmark decision of Roe vs. Wade. However, this ruling is extremely significant and marks the first time that the court has upheld a ban on a specific abortion procedure. IMPORTANT: In the past similar bans on partial birth abortions included exceptions in order to protect the health of the woman. However, today's ruling did NOT include any exceptions such as protection of the woman's health.
If a woman has a serious condition complicated by pregnancy she should have the right to choose. It is not the courts responsibility to place the importance of an infants life over the life of the mother. Who is the government to decide whose life is more important? In the case of a serious medical condition in which the mother's health has been severely compromised the decision lies with the mother, father, and family. The government should have no place in that decision.
Justice Kennedy's majority opinion described in detail the gruesome nature of the "intact dilation and extraction" technique banned in the act, and the affect it may later have on a woman who decided to abort using the method. The procedure itself is "laden with the power to devalue human life," he wrote.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the only woman on the court, said in her dissent that the "alarming decision" was an effort to "chip away" at a woman's right to choose.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "I am disappointed," in a statement. "Criminalizing doctors for performing medically necessary procedures to save a woman's life or protect her health is wrong. The court's decision is a significant step backwards."

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.) said the Supreme Court "effectively stated that politicians -- and not doctors -- are the ones who will be deciding what is best for women in regards to their reproductive health."