Here in North Dakota, I have watched in horror as Planned Parenthood has poured $1.4 million into our state to spread lies to defeat a prolife measure in the November 4 election.
Measure 1 would to add these words to the ND constitution: “The inalienable right to life of every human being at any stage of development must be recognized and protected.” It will not make law. It will simply support legislation to regulate abortion that is passed by our elected officials.
At Risk
Without this protection, we are at risk of going the way 12 other states have gone—to a state constitutional right for unrestricted abortion. Thus far, this has been accomplished by arguing that the state constitution’s right to privacy gives a right to abortion. When that happens, any abortion regulation is overturned as unconstitutional.
North Dakota has no “right to privacy” clause, so abortion groups used a new tact here last year—using the right to liberty and pursuit of happiness clause.
East Central District Judge Wickham Corwin declared a North Dakota law prohibiting off-label use of a drug to induce chemical abortions unconstitutional citing a women’s right to “liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The case has been appealed to the North Dakota Supreme Court and awaits a decision. If the Supreme Courts rules that our constitution’s right to liberty guarantees unrestricted abortion rights, then stopping abortion activists from annihilating all of North Dakota’s abortion regulations becomes next to impossible. Passing Measure 1, however, would render such a decision void. Even if the court rules that our constitution does not guarantee abortion, we still need Measure 1 to protect from future arguments.
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Scaring People
The real goal of North Dakotans Against Measure 1 (NDAM1)is to have no restrictions on abortion and to take away state lawmakers’ ability to legislate on abortion. Opponents make false arguments because admitting the truth would appall most North Dakotans. Out-of-state, Planned Parenthood has given NDAM1 96% of their contributions–$1.4 to date. (Check out the Secretary of State Campaign reporting to see for yourself.) Since when are abortion lobbyists so concerned with end-of-life issues? They have found a few doctors and lawyers as front men to tell these lies.
The Facts
To get the facts straight, I spoke with Paul Linton, a constitutional attorney and author of Abortion under State Constitution.This is why NDAM1’s concern for end-of-life directives is “preposterous” according to him.
* Advance directives are private legal documents. Measure 1 by it’s own terms does not reach private conduct so the argument that it would interfere with advanced directives is preposterous.
*. Withdrawing or withholding treatment is already a Constitutional right.
* M1 is not self-executing. Legislation has to be passed and then the amendment gives constitutional support. Does anyone think our lawmakers are going to try to take away those rights?
*North Dakota Century Code already protects a patient’s right to make end of life decisions including withdrawing or withholding treatment.
Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft came to North Dakota last Friday and held two press conferences to counteract the lies. He explained that a similar law on the books in Missouri for almost 30 years shows North Dakota’s “right to life” amendment wouldn’t lead to the “parade of horrors” as the opponents are claiming.
He said the two contain “substantially the same” language – and wouldn’t cause the unintended consequences to end-of-life care and in vitro fertilization as opponents are saying. Ashcroft also pointed out that Arkansas passed a similar amendment 25 years ago and neither issue has been affected.
Who is Opposing Measure 1?
Several out-of-state Planned Parenthood are running the opposition. Imagine sinking $1.4 million into the election of some other state. What could possibly be so important? Abortion is what. Yet, when you see anti-Measure 1 ads, abortion is not mentioned.
Think about that. Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States that performed over 300,000 abortions here last year–one abortion approximately every 94 seconds–has not said a peep about abortion as they fight Measure 1. Instead, they talk about IVF and end-of-life as if we are in danger of having medical treatment forced upon us at the end of our lives. How odd that Planned Parenthood has been sounding the alarm for issues they have never been involved in.
Could it be that they are just looking out for our well being here in ND? Let’s take a moment to get to know them better. In 2013, Planned Parenthood earned a whopping $1.21 billion with $540.6 million coming from taxpayers. That is approximately $1.5 million a day! No wonder they have so much money to throw around. Almost 94 percent of Planned Parenthood’s services for pregnant women are abortions.
Susan B. Anthony List calculates that in 2012, “Planned Parenthood gave more than 9 in 10 pregnant women that walked into their clinics abortions! Abortions made up 93.8% [327,166] of Planned Parenthood’s pregnancy services, while prenatal care and adoption referrals accounted for only 5.6% (19,506) and 0.6% (2,197), respectively. For every adoption referral, Planned Parenthood performed 149 abortions. (Underlining theirs.)
Investigations by Live Action, has revealed that Planned Parenthood accepted donations specifically to abort black babies, failed to report underage rape, would aid and abet sex traffickers, would commit sex-selective abortions, and most recently that it would encourage minors to engage in violent and dangerous Bondage Domination Sadism and Masochism (BDSM), even describing to under age girls how to engage in such practices.
Additionally, the Alliance Defending Freedom has reported that publically available federal and individual state audits of Planned Parenthood Affiliates has uncovered Planned Parenthood affiliates with at least $12.5 million in waste, abuse, and “fraudulent overbilling” of taxpayers.
Planned Parenthood does indeed have deep pockets—enough extra money to try and control our election. I cringe every time one of their deceitful commercials is aired. They have us outspent but we have the truth. We could still use more donations and we desperately need prayers to defeat the lies. Please help. Go to https://ndchooselife.com to donate or learn more.
