By Dave Andrusko
By the time many of you read these remarks, we will likely know whether Ohioans were hoodwinked into passing “Issue 1,” a sweeping pro-abortion initiative that Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights are said to already have raised almost $40 million since February, and whether pro-life Republican in Virginia were able to capture control of both houses of the legislature.
“Millions and millions of dollars were spent in Virginia to drum home the completely untrue messages that pro-life people will criminalize women who get abortions or will callously prevent pregnant women from getting life-saving medical care,” Olivia Gans Turner, president of Virginia Society for Human Life, wrote. “Their main goal–keeping the truth from the public and the voters at large– has nothing to do with women’s health care and only serves to protect their deadly businesses.”
Yesterday, Elle Purnell offered examples of the “Horror Stories” that will follow if this “slyly worded amendment” passes.
Contrary to the talking points of abortion activists, out-of-state donors pouring money into the Ohio fight, and partisans in local and national media, Ohio’s Issue 1 isn’t a compromise or a common-sense proposal. It’s a radical change that would enshrine late-term abortions, abortions for young girls without their parents’ knowledge, fertility-decimating drug regimens and surgeries for confused teenagers, and more horrors into the Ohio Constitution.
There is a deadly irony in “Issue 1.” The number of abortions in Ohio was 18,488 in 2022, a 15% decrease from 2021.
“Peter Range, chief executive officer of Ohio Right to Life, put a spotlight on how the decline in abortions in 2022 directly correlates with Ohio’s Heartbeat law being in effect from June to September,” according to Chris Alexis.
This insight is critical to understanding what’s at stake for Ohio’s Issue 1 vote which would expand abortion access in the Buckeye State.
“Ohio’s most innocent face a new threat with Issue 1 that would legalize abortion through all nine months of pregnancy,” Range said.
“Not only that, Issue 1 would eliminate a parent’s right to know whether or not their underage child is considering an abortion,” he said. “These changes to Ohio law would skyrocket the number of abortions in Ohio. We urge all people of goodwill to vote no on Issue 1 this November to protect children from abortion and ensure parents still have rights when it comes to the lives of their children.”
.Virginia Gov. Glen Youngkin has lobbied on behalf of Republican candidates by barnstorming all through the state. Both Houses of the legislature are extremely closely divided. “The governor has been a major presence in the campaigns — raising and spending money for candidates and pushing for higher turnout,” according to ABC News.
If Republicans win control of both houses, Gov. Youngkin is advocating for a bill that prevents abortion after 15 weeks when the unborn baby can feel pain. It’s a sensible law. Similar laws have saved lives in 18 other states pre-Dobbs.
As Olivia said, “The pro-abortion organizations backing pro-abortion candidates will clearly say anything to create hysteria, where none is warranted, but telling the truth doesn’t push their radical agenda forward!”