From the Obama campaign:
FACT CHECK: Santorum, Romney, & GOP Platform Too Extreme for American Women
Rick Santorum’s speech tonight underscored the extreme GOP platform—written at the direction of the Romney campaign—which would take women’s health decisions out of their hands and eliminate protections for victims of rape and incest.
THE 2012 GOP PLATFORM WOULD BAN ABORTION WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTIONS
Politico Headline: “GOP Rejects Rape Exception In Platform.” [Politico, 8/21/12]
Associated Press: Republicans Approved A Platform That Would Ban All Abortions.“Republicans emphatically approved a toughly worded party platform at their national convention Tuesday that would ban all abortions and gay marriages, reshape Medicare into a voucher-like program and cut taxes to energize the economy and create jobs.” [Associated Press, 8/28/12]
· 2012 GOP Platform: Asserts “The Sanctity Of Human Life And Affirm That The Unborn Child Has A Fundamental Individual Right To Life Which Cannot Be Infringed.” “This speaks most eloquently for itself: “The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” This provision codifies the concept that our government derives its power from the people and all powers not delegated to the government are retained by the people. This is an essential feature of our governmental system, and we therefore celebrate the grassroots rediscovery of this and other constitutional guarantees over the last four years and welcome to our ranks all our fellow citizens who are determined to reclaim the rights of the people that have been ignored or violated by government. The Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life Faithful to the “self-evident” truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.” [Republican Party Platform, 2012]
· 2012 GOP Platform: Supports “A Human Life Amendment To The Constitution And Endorse Legislation To Make Clear That The Fourteenth Amendment’s Protections Apply To Unborn Children.” “We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.” [Republican Party Platform, 2012]
New York Times Editorial: “In Passages On Abortion, The [GOP] Draft Platform Puts The Party On The Most Extreme Fringes Of American Opinion.” “In passages on abortion, the draft platform puts the party on the most extreme fringes of American opinion. It calls for a ‘human life amendment’ and for legislation ‘to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.’ That would erase any right women have to make decisions about their health and their bodies. There are no exceptions for victims of rape or incest, and such laws could threaten even birth control. The draft demands that the government ‘not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage,’ which could bar abortion coverage on federally subsidized health-insurance exchanges, for example.” [Editorial, New York Times, 8/22/12]
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM WAS WRITTEN AT THE DIRECTION OF THE ROMNEY CAMPAIGN
The Republican Party Platform “Was Written At The Direction Of Romney’s Campaign.” “It didn’t take long for strains within the Republican Party to surface Monday as national delegates got down to work on a final draft of the party platform, one week before the nominating convention opens. … There is no doubt about who is in charge, of course. Delegates for presumptive nominee Mitt Romney are voting down substantive changes to the platform language that was written at the direction of Romney’s campaign.” [Los Angeles Times, 8/20/12]
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