Michael New, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Alabama, recently published a study on abortion in State Politics and Policy Quarterly demonstrating the effectiveness of pro-life laws.
The study, “Analyzing the Effect of Anti-Abortion U.S. State Legislation in the Post-Casey Era,” evaluated abortion data from nearly every state over a span of 21 years, from 1985 to 2005 – a longer period than nearly any other peer-reviewed study. It contributes to a substantial body of social science research which finds that parental involvement laws and public funding restrictions are effective.
New found in his study that data from both the Centers for Disease Control and the Guttmacher Institute provide solid evidence that Medicaid abortion funding restrictions, parental involvement laws and informed consent laws effectively lower abortion rates. His findings included that parental involvement laws reduce in-state abortion rates for minors by approximately 15 percent. This is among the first peer reviewed studies which shows that informed consent laws have an effect.
[…]The study is now part of a substantial body of academic literature showing that such laws are effective in cutting abortions — and back up the anecdotal evidence seen in states like Mississippi, Michigan, South Carolina, Missouri and others where abortions have been cut by half from their previous highs thanks to the passage of several pro-life measures limiting abortions.
[…]Dr. New issued a previous study in 2008 showing parental involvement laws reduce abortions anywhere from 19-31 percent for teenagers.
He also issued a prior study looking at 1985-1999 finding pro-life laws cut teen abortion rates by as much as 50 percent. Parental involvement laws were part of the reason for this decline but not the only reason.
State Politics and Policy Quarterly serves as the official journal of the state politics and policy section of the American Political Science Association and is one of the top state politics journal in the country.
Wow! When I talk about raising children to have an influence by leading them towards areas where they can make a difference, this is what I am talking about. I think we need to do a lot of good research on family, marriage and pro-life issues to be able to influence policy makers and voters with the truth. Like it or not, it is very important that Christian parents push their children on to get Masters degrees and Ph.Ds in areas that matter. A lot of people are complaining about the weather, but Christians need to get serious about doing something about it – with quality academic work.
A bill that would ban abortions based on the race or gender of the baby was passed by the Arizona House of Representatives yesterday, and now goes to Gov. Jan Brewer for approval.
Titled the “Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act of 2011,” the bill would make it a Class 3 felony to perform or in any way coerce someone into receiving an abortion based on the race or gender of the unborn child.
Doctors who violate the law could face prison terms and the loss of their medical license. Any medical professional who fails to report a violation would be subject to a $10,000 fine.
Additionally, the law allows the father of an unborn child, if he is married to the mother, to bring a civil action on the child’s behalf. In the case of an abortion performed on the baby of a minor, the baby’s maternal grandparents would be similarly able to take legal action on the baby’s behalf.
In its original form, the penalty for doctors who violated the law was a $10,000 civil fine. After the Senate modified it to make violation a felony, it returned to the House for approval, and is now headed for the governor’s desk.
Steve Montenegro is one of two State Representatives from Legislative District 12. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Arizona State University with a B.S. in Political Science. He also holds an Associate of Arts in Theology from Logos Christian University. Presently, Steve works in the Glendale office of U.S. Congressman Trent Franks, where he represents the office in immigration matters and where he handles constituent casework for residents in the district.
Steve also serves as an Assistant Pastor/Youth Pastor at the Surprise Apostolic Assembly. As part of his work within his church, he has filled a number of roles including Music Director and Music Teacher.
Steve has made working with young people a real priority in his life. He spent five years as President of Arizona Messengers of Peace, providing counseling and guidance to youth in need.
He also worked as a Teacher at the Arizona Charter Academy and Superior School, where he focused on excelling students and at-risk high school students. He understands the importance of allowing parents to be involved in their children’s education: The importance of helping parents decide what kind of education they want for their children.
Steve understands and treasures the gift of freedom, and he shares this message in his daily life.
And of course, he won in 2010, and just look at what he is doing. When I think of what I want my future children to accomplish, I mean things like what Steve Montenegro accomplishes. I want to raise my children to make a difference like Steve did.
If you guys are wondering what I look like, I look a bit like him, but darker skin. My parents are also immigrants. And I hate race-selection and sex-selection abortions. That is one of the reasons why I am a Republican.
We need to pass bills like this in every state. Well, every state where Republicans are in the majority. Democrats favor race-selection and sex-selection abortions. Democrats think that if a woman doesn’t like the race of her unborn child, then she can abort the child. Democrats think that if a woman doesn’t like the sex of her unborn child, then she can abort the child. Democrats are racist. Democrats are sexist. If there were a gay gene, Democrats would support a woman’s right to choose to abort a gay child just because that child was gay. Democrats are homophobic.
Facing a record number of pro-life bills in the Florida legislature, Governor Rick Scott of Florida has hinted that he will approach the legislation favorably, although he has yet to review them all.
“I’ll review all those bills, but as you know, I’ve been pro-life all my life and I’m going to be a pro-life governor,” said Scott according to local CBS affiliate WCTV.com.
Florida lawmakers have filed at least 18 pro-life bills this year, according to the Miami Herald, part of a nationwide push against abortion on the state level.
One bill prohibiting private insurance plans in state-based health exchanges passed a Senate committee on March 14, alongside another proposing a constitutional amendment prohibiting state tax dollars from being used for any abortions, including in cases of rape or incest.
Last Monday, a measure that would put in place further parental notification requirements was also approved by a House panel.
In June 2010, then-Governor Charlie Crist disappointed pro-life leaders in Florida by vetoing an ultrasound bill widely considered the most significant pro-life measure in Florida’s history. Crist, who initially billed himself as “pro-life,” removed the pro-life section from his campaign website last year and changed party affiliation from Republican to Independent to pit himself against pro-life Republican gubernatorial candidate Marco Rubio.
Among the measures waiting in the wings this year is another measure requiring abortion-bound women to have ultrasounds, which was approved by a House committee Tuesday.
Don’t ever say that elections don’t matter. They do matter, and Christians need to be informed about social issues and policies. We need to vote in a way that restrains evil.
Eight Republican Senators introduced a bill Tuesday giving workers a choice as to whether to join labor unions, which they argue will boost the nation’s economy and provide an increase in wages.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), introduced the National Right to Work Act to “reduce workplace discrimination by protecting the free choice of individuals to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities,” according to a statement.
Seven other Republicans signed onto the effort: Sens. Tom Coburn (Okla.), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Mike Lee (Utah), Rand Paul (Ky.), James Risch (Idaho), Pat Toomey (Pa.) and David Vitter (La.).
“Facing a steady decline in membership, unions have turned to strong-arm political tactics to make forced unionization the default position of every American worker, even if they don’t want it,” Hatch said. “This is simply unacceptable. At the very least, it should be the policy of the U.S. government to ensure that no employee will be forced to join a union in order to get or keep their job.
“Republicans cited a recent poll they said shows that 80 percent of union members support having their policy and that “Right to Work” states outperform “forced-union” states in factors that affect worker well being.
From 2000 to 2008, about 4.7 million Americans moved from forced-union to right to work states and a recent study found that there is “a very strong and highly statistically significant relationship between right-to-work laws and economic growth,” and that from 1977 to 2007, right-to-work states experienced a 23 percent faster growth in per capita income than states with forced unionization.
“To see the negative impacts of forced unionization, look no further than the struggling businesses in states whose laws allow it,” Vitter said. “It can’t be a coincidence that right-to-work states have on balance grown in population over the last 10 years, arguably at the expense of heavy union-favoring states.”
DeMint blamed the problems faced by U.S. automakers on the unions.
“Forced-unionism helped lead to GM and Chrysler’s near bankruptcy and their requests for government bailouts as they struggled to compete in a global marketplace,” he said. “When American businesses suffer because of these anti-worker laws, jobs and investment are driven overseas.”
If you want to attract businesses, then you need to have pro-business laws. That’s where jobs come from – businesses.
Currently 14 states beyond Indiana and Wisconsin are considering legislation that would limit union benefits and/or collective bargaining power. They are: Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington (state) and West Virginia. In any number of these states, supporters have planned or held rallies against the measures. But public support might be less than deep. According to a Rasmussen Poll conducted late last week and released Monday, 48 percent of likely U.S. voters sided with Wisconsin Governor Walker whereas only 38 percent sided with his union opponents; the other 14 percent were undecided. And 50 percent of the respondents favored reducing their home state’s government payroll by one percent a year for 10 years either by reducing the work force or reducing their pay. Only 28 percent opposed such action.
This is how we are going to turn the recession around. Cut off the spending on left-wing special interests – NPR, PBS, ACORN, Planned Parenthood, Unions. They all will have to pay their own way, just like the grown-ups do.
WINTERY KNIGHT 