IsthmusPolls consistently show that the percentage of Americans opposed to abortion in all circumstances hovers around 20%. Similarly, about a fifth of the population believes abortion should always be legal. The group that really matters, however, is the 50% to 60% who believe abortion should be legal sometimes.
Power to unborn people! Wisconsin Personhood!
"Sometimes" means different things to different people. Some in the "sometimes" crowd believe abortion should be legal only in the early stages of pregnancy. Others believe it should be legal only in cases of rape, incest or if the mother's health is in danger.
No matter what the definition, "sometimes" is what will keep abortion legal in the U.S. It's what kept Mississippians — perhaps the most religious and socially conservative people in the nation — from embracing a recent law that would have banned all abortion and possibly some forms of birth control, such as the morning after pill. For better or worse, even Bible Belters prefer a society in which they can control the consequences of unprotected sex.
"Sometimes" is what keeps Wisconsin Right to Life, the largest anti-abortion group in the state, from supporting a Mississippi-style "personhood" amendment to the state constitution. In fact, according to the organization's website, preventing the drafting of such a law is one of the group's top priorities. It lists a variety of legally dubious excuses for the counterintuitive stance, including that such an amendment would invalidate the 19th-century statute — currently moot because of Roe v. Wade — that would make abortion illegal in Wisconsin if the Supreme Court ever overturned Roe.
Wisconsin Right to Life's position may seem hypocritical, but it is not surprising given the group's self-description as "Wisconsin's most effective pro-life organization." The slogan is meant to contrast it with its more principled (read: less effective) relative, Pro-Life Wisconsin, a Christian anti-abortion group. In addition to opposing virtually all forms of birth control and abortion in all circumstances, Pro-Life Wisconsin strongly supports a personhood amendment and dismisses as nonsense claims that the law would put other pro-life statutes in jeopardy.
While Wisconsin Right to Life's legal defense may be nonsense, its political intuition is probably correct. If you oppose abortion, the last thing you want to do is put such a policy to a vote. If Mississippians aren't ready to define "life at fertilization," Wisconsinites sure as hell aren't. [I would argue that passing a Marriage Amendment 60-40% is a pretty good sign. In fact, I would say the popular vote itself would be easier, although convincing country club GOPs to push is through with WRTL opposition is proving to be more difficult. And yet to be seen is if the bishops will passively oppose it like they did in Mississippi; note that some Catholic bishops are among some of Personhood's largest opponents. ]
Of course, some true believers are going to try anyway. Here, state Rep. Andre Jacque, a freshman legislator (of course) from Green Bay, slightly altered the language of the Mississippi initiative and has tried to interest colleagues. He gained six co-sponsors, which amounts to a tenth of the Assembly GOP caucus. Besides naiveté, I can't imagine what motivated any of his colleagues to sign, except perhaps gambling debts.
Do you have a GOP in the Assembly? Kick em in the butt! Personhood baby!
Right to Life versus Pro-Life? Ouch, not the kind of endorsement WRTL was looking for. I know many of you WRTL supporters also support Personhood. Please keep this effort in your prayers and help get this pushed through the Assembly.
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