Romney, 2005, and RU-486
By Erick Posted in 2008 — Comments (24) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Governor Romney's campaign has done excellent work responding to the charge that as late as 2005, he supported requiring Catholic hospitals to administer RU-486, the abortion causing pill.
Governor Romney says
I have . . . taken action to protect the sanctity of life. I vetoed bills that authorized embryo farming, therapeutic cloning, Plan B emergency contraception, and of course a redefinition of when life was going to begin as well.
Earlier today, an email circulated with allegations that Governor Romney, as late as 2005, supported the RU-486 policy. It does appear that at one time Gov. Romney was in favor of abortion on demand, but over the years he has transitioned into a pro-life Governor.
It should also be noted that the claim that Governor Romney ever supported RU-486, comes from this statement being passed out at the March for Life (and it documents the claim to 1994, not 2005):
Romney On RU-486: "I think it would be a positive thing to have women have the choice of taking the morning-after pill . I would favor having it available." (Andrew Miga, "Romney Leans Toward Abort Rights Camp," The Boston Herald, 5/19/94)
In fact, that is wholly misleading. RU-486 and the "morning after pill" are two completely different medicines -- something I think most people in the active pro-life community are aware of, which calls into question who exactly printed up this flier. (Romney vetoed legislation relating to the morning after pill in 2005)
I wonder if Mr. Weaver is involved in this.
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Romney, 2005, and RU-486 24 Comments (0 topical, 24 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
You seem to be mistaken about Plan B. Quoting from Physicians for Life website:
"Women who are sensitive about and respect the innate value of human life should be informed that there is a possibility that the use of EC [emergency contraceptives/Plan B] may cause an early abortion.
Again, when EC supporters insist that EC will have no effect on a current pregnancy, they are speaking of a human embryo or fetus already established in the lining of the uterus (endometrium). They are not referring to the embryo just conceived and trying to implant in the endometrium.
If we must err, err on the side of life… "
http://www.physiciansforlife.org/content/view/544/36/
The Pro Life Alliance also equates Plan B with abortion: "Like RU-486, this drug [Plan B] chemically aborts unborn babies after conception."
Then you have to place regular birth control pills in the same category... because they can have exactly the same effect. In any case, to equate a form of contraception with RU-486 is just ridiculous and factually inaccurate.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Other forms of contraception prevent fertilization (pre-conception). Plan B prevents implantation of a fertilized embryo (post-conception). That is a significant difference (at least for those of us who believe that life begins at conception).
I'd also note that Romney equates opposition to Plan B with protection of the sanctity of life.
"I have . . . taken action to protect the sanctity of life. I vetoed bills that authorized embryo farming, therapeutic cloning, Plan B emergency contraception, and of course a redefinition of when life was going to begin as well."
So, to the extent that you believe Plan B is not a pro-life issue, you appear to be at odds with Romney 2007.
Well I'm not a Romney-bot so it doesn't really bother me to be at odds with him one way or another. I'm at odds with the guy on a lot more than that.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Nothing is 100% effective... if the birth control pills don't prevent the fertilization in the first place, they could still prevent implantation. Then you end up in the same situation.
Of course, you are welcome to fight this quixotic fight against EC, but all it will do is marginalize the pro-life position and get more people to board the NARAL "abortion any time for any reason" train. I think attacking Plan B is extremely counterproductive. You can certainly convince people to outlaw vacuuming up two and three month old unborn babies... but good luck convincing people to ban EC.
In any case, none of this makes Plan B == RU-486. That would be impossible because they are two unrelated drugs with two completely different uses and effects.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
If you think attacking Plan B is quixotic and extremely counterproductive, then you must not have much respect for the current incarnation of Romney. His press release from yesterday states:
FACT: In 2005, Governor Romney Vetoed Morning-After Pill Legislation. "Gov. Mitt Romney vetoed a bill on Monday expanding access to emergency contraception, angering abortion rights advocates while pleasing anti-abortion activists... 'If it only dealt with contraception, I wouldn't have a problem with it. But it also in some cases terminates a life after conception, and therefore it ceases in that case to be a contraceptive provision,' he said." (Theo Emery, "Romney Vetos [Sic] Emergency Contraception Bill," The Associated Press, 7/25/05)
http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Myth_Fact_ProLife_Record
I'm no Romney-bot. I'm not even particularly convinced that he is really pro-life. I think he is flexible on the issue (as many politicians are) and can go either way (as he has shown in the past). That said, at least he is trying to say the right things now. All I care about is getting Roe overturned and returning the issue to the states, where it will be free to be restricted or banned outright, according to the people's will.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
It appears the McCain people are scared again.
After all, they support John McCain. If you don't believe me, just ask him.
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If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"...
Senior Writer
I'm glad Romney is beginning to push back. It's about time. He's waited long enough for people malevolent and benign to get the jump on "defining" him, which is frankly my biggest criticism of him. And I will say again: I do not work for the Romney campaign and I haven't given the man a dime of my money (yet).
With the amount of early attacks on Romney its quite clear that he has become the target of his GOP '08 rivals.
www.iowansforromney.com
If Plan B is not a problem, why did Romney veto the bill? Romney is just playing pro-life voters, like so many other pols, W included. Have some self-respect, people!
Romney vetoed the bill that required hospitals to distribute Plan B. I do not think we have heard his position on Plan B. I think he probably is like most Protestant and Mormon pro-lifers who are not opposed to like many Catholics are.
We have heard Romney's position(s) on Plan B.
Running for President: "I have . . . taken action to protect the sanctity of life. I vetoed bills that authorized embryo farming, therapeutic cloning, Plan B emergency contraception, and of course a redefinition of when life was going to begin as well."
Running for Governor in 2002: "In 2002, when he was a candidate for the office he now holds, he answered 'yes' to a question posed by Planned Parenthood about his support of 'efforts to increase access to emergency contraception.'"
. . . would have forced hospitals to distribute Plan B. There’s a difference between saying Plan B should be legal versus supporting a law that would force someone to provide it.
Romney didn't veto the bill because it forced distribution of Plan B. According to his website, he vetoed the bill because Plan B "in some cases terminates a life after conception." He's got the right position now on Plan B, but it is a change from his position in 2002 when running for governor of Massachusetts.
So is someone working on Mr. Romney's campaign song to be played on the Thongaphone? Maybe something based around the words of "The Side Step" from the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas?
or a Jimmie Buffet tune about blowing out his Flip Flop?
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Another South Park Republican spouting off !
So jbonham76, what's your deal?
Do you get paid by the posting, by the word or what for shilling for Romney? Do you get exclusive areas to shill in or is it all freelance?
Just curious!
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Another South Park Republican spouting off !
Just a dedicated volunteer. Thanks for the compliment though!
If you really want to know what I do for a living read the "About Us" page on MMM (link below.)
... and I'm not sure what to do about it. I hate how excellent Supreme Court nominations can get blocked for insane reasons. Perhaps Roe v Wade should be repealed and each state should define its own darn crime laws. I dunno.
they have to cater to pro-choice people to get elected, when the majority of Americans really don't need that. I'd have more confidence in a candidate's honesty if they simply said they hate abortion for being such an ugly issue, even if they don't have radical plans to do anything about it. Someone speaking to the idea of reducing the factors that lead to elective abortions would probably gain good traction across party lines.
Thanks for posting a clarification on this RU-486 support that actually isn't RU-486 support smear.
There's a huge difference... RU-486 should have never been FDA approved. It is simply an alternative to surgical abortion. Besides the fact that we don't need yet another way to kill babies, the pill is fairly dangerous and has killed several women in the few years it has been in use in the US. If it was a weight-loss drug or a pain reliever you can be sure it would have been pulled off the market by now and the maker would be fighting off lawsuits.
Plan B, OTOH, I have absolutely no problem with, though I understand and respect some people's religious objections to it. All Plan B consists of is a super-sized dose of hormones. It does nothing at all after conception has occurred, so even if you believe life begins at conception, there is no life taking involved there.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman