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Sebastian's Point

Sebastian's Point is a weekly column written by one of our members regarding timely events or analysis of relevant ideas, which impact the Culture of Life. All regular members are invited to submit a column for publication at soss.submissions@gmail.com. Columns should be between 800 to 1300 words and comply with the high standards expected in academic writing, including proper citations of authority or assertions referred to in your column. Please see, Submission Requirements for more details.

Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Becomes a Critical Issue in Pennsylvania

Maria Gallagher  

Executive Director

Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation   |  20 October 2024

 

The City of Brotherly Love is bankrolling the largest abortion operation in the nation.

 

Philadelphia’s City Council recently decided to award a half-million dollars to Planned Parenthood. The award seems to be spawned by the false idea that abortion is a solution to poverty. Rather than alleviating poverty, abortion robs women of their children and can harm their health, leading to additional financial struggles.

 

The move by Philadelphia’s city government to shore up the abortion industry comes as a number of Planned Parenthood facilities in the Keystone State have violated basic health and safety standards. This unfortunate state of affairs has been documented through health inspection reports which are available on the PA Department of Health website.

 

Code violations include the Philadelphia Women’s Center’s failure to prove the gestational age of the preborn child being aborted and releasing women after abortions without following proper safety protocols. Meanwhile, the Locust Street location of Planned Parenthood Philadelphia stored aborted baby body parts in a freezer for more than a year.

 

The safety violations, however, have failed to lead to the closure of these facilities. Rather, they are now being rewarded with taxpayer funds.

 

The whole issue of taxpayer funding of abortion is of critical concern in Pennsylvania these days. A legal case now before the PA Commonwealth Court could establish a so-called “right” to taxpayer-funded abortions in the PA Constitution. The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the Keystone State affiliate of National Right to Life, has submitted a legal brief in the case, arguing against a full-scale declaration of a state Constitutional “right” to abortion.

 

In addition, radically pro-abortion lawmakers in the General Assembly are pushing numerous bills that would open the floodgates to widespread taxpayer funding of abortion. This, despite numerous national public opinion polls showing the vast majority of Americans do not want their hard-earned tax dollars to pay for abortion.

           

Democrats currently hold a razor-thin one-vote majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Republicans control the PA Senate, while a pro-abortion Democrat, Josh Shapiro, holds the Governor’s Office.

           

It is too soon to tell whether that balance of power will remain following this year’s critical November 5th election. Republicans hope to recapture the PA House while maintaining control of the PA Senate. Even in a case of a GOP sweep, pro-life legislation will have to be on hold as long as Governor Shapiro is in office. He has vowed to veto any legislation that would protect preborn babies and their mothers from the harm of abortion.

           

Still, pro-life advocates in this decidedly purple state remain hopeful. Thousands jammed the grounds of the state Capitol September 23rd for the fourth annual Pennsylvania March for Life. The march included advocates of all ages, from babies in strollers to grandmothers with canes. They came to march in solidarity with pregnant women and their children. Numerous state lawmakers were also on stage at the pre-March rally to lend their support to the cause of life.

           

State Senator Cris Dush (R-Jefferson County) recounted how his newest grandchild was born recently at less than 30 weeks gestation. “You could hold her in the palm of your hand,” Senator Dush said.

           

In addressing the crowd of pro-life activists, Rep. Marla Brown (R-Lawrence County) said, “I’m reminded of the power of unity and strength that comes from standing for a cause we deeply believe in.

           

“Your presence today sends a powerful message we are committed to protecting the most vulnerable among us, and we will not rest until every life is cherished and protected.”

           

The rally received coverage from several local television station news departments, as well as a local newspaper. Pro-life leaders urged the rally-goers to contact their state representatives and urge them to oppose pro-abortion legislation which would wipe out Pennsylvania’s time-tested Abortion Control Act.

           

The Abortion Control Act passed in 1989, but did not go into effect until the mid 1990s because of court challenges. In fact, the law, which became a model for the rest of the nation, was the basis of the 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

           

The law provides protection against late-term abortions and offers a 24-hour waiting period for abortion. It also includes provisions for parental consent and informed consent. When the Abortion Control Act went into effect, abortion totals dropped by half. The statistics demonstrate how pro-life laws do, indeed, save lives.

           

Now it is up to a new generation of pro-life leaders to protect the Abortion Control Act and to build upon it. If the turnout and enthusiasm of the PA March for Life are any indication, these young leaders are up to the task.

           

For the latest updates on pro-life issues in Pennsylvania, please subscribe to the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation’s email newsletter, PA LifeLinks. You can subscribe online through the website www.paprolife.org .

 

      

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