By Dave Andrusko
Executives of two local New York YWCA chapters are joining pro-abortion Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a push to force the Republican-controlled state Senate to reconvene to pass the Reproductive Health Act which is even more radical than Roe v. Wade.
Executives of the YWCA Niagara Frontier and YWCA Western New York “wrote Tuesday that they support ‘protecting access to the full range of reproductive health services for women,’ and called efforts to ban legalized abortion ‘part of a larger erosion of the rights of women,’” according to reporter Tim Fenster.
Of all the states in the Union, you’d think New York would be among the least likely to worry about a possible reversal of Roe. They were among the earliest states (pre-Roe v. Wade) to pass legislation allowing abortion on demand through 24 weeks and afterwards if there is a threat to the mother’s life.
What is the motivation? It is two-fold. First, as we’ve written recently, pro-abortion Gov. Andrew Cuomo is trying to one-up his gubernatorial pro-abortion rival Cynthia Nixon by predicting the imminent fall of Roe and calling on the Republican-controlled state Senate to reconvene to pass the Reproductive Health Act as a “backup” should the abortion battle be returned to the states.
In fact, as noted above, the Reproductive Health Act goes further as the New York State Right to Life explained:
Governor Cuomo’s vilifying and bait-and-switch tactics continue to escalate in pitch and tone to obscure examination of the actual provisions of the so-called “Reproductive Health Act,” which by no means is about “codifying Roe.” The Reproductive Health Act is a radical abortion-any-time-for-any-reason bill which would preclude and even repeal sensible limits on abortion, something the Governor knows Americans and New Yorkers do not support.
The other motivation is the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill the vacancy that will be created this month when Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy retires. Pro-abortionists write as if the end of Roe is just around the corner (were it only so), if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed.
Maureen Hammett, chair of the YWCA Western New York board of directors wrote, “At no time in our recent past has it been more critical for New York State officials to put aside partisanship in order to ensure that the fundamental reproductive rights of women are protected within New York State. We cannot afford to sit idly by as women’s rights continue to erode. New York State must take a stand.”