Supreme Court Says No To Partial-Birth Abortion

In a victory for the pro-life movement and a slap in the face against Planned Parenthood and the pro-abortion industry, the Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 by a vote of 5-4.

Scotusblog provides the breakdown:

Joining Kennedy in the majority were the Chief Justice, and Justices Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. With Ginsburg in dissent were Justices Stephen G. Breyer, David H. Souter and John Paul Stevens. Thus, Alito’s replacement of retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor made the most difference in turning the Court around from its 2000 decision in the Stenberg case. O’Connor was in the majority in that decision, as were the four dissenters in this new decision.

It looks like President Bush’s two successful nominations to the Supreme Court are paying dividends. Recall that Justice Alito was only nominated after Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination. And also note that Senator Brownback was an early critic of the Miers selection. Now is not the time select a candidate who will not continue to choose good pro-life judges. Sam Brownback has proven that he is one man we can trust.

Senator Brownback was elated at the news:

“I am very pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled to uphold the ban on partial birth abortions,” said Brownback. “This ban was enacted to put an end to one of the most grotesque forms of abortion, and it is completely in line with the respect for life that is at the very heart of our Constitution. This is a great step forward for our nation’s citizens, born and unborn.”

More:

Brownback continued, “I applaud the Court for finding that the constitution ‘expresses respect for the dignity of human life,’ and hope that this decision signals the Court’s willingness to revisit and reverse Roe v. Wade.”

This is a good day for the pro-life movement and for potential victims of an abominable procedure. Hopefully today will remind conservative voters about Giuliani’s pro-abortion position and that Romney is only a convenient convert after being pro-abortion quite recently.

Update: B4B friend Billy Valentine reminded me of this quote from McCain on Brownback and the Alito nomination:

Alito was in the Senate hearing room that day largely because of Brownback’s efforts. Last October, after Bush named his personal lawyer, Harriet Miers, to the Supreme Court, Brownback politely but thoroughly demolished her nomination — on the grounds that she was insufficiently opposed to abortion. The day Miers withdrew her name, Sen. John McCain surprised the mob of reporters clamoring around Brownback outside the Senate chamber by grabbing his colleague’s shoulders. “Here’s the man who did it!” McCain shouted in admiration, a big smile on his face.

Be sure to read the reaction to the Supreme Court decision over at Students for Brownback. SFB should be on your daily read list.

Update 2: Students for Brownback is (always) on the case. See Brownback: Pro-life Victory — Video and Speech. But also be sure to check back here, frequently, at Blogs 4 Brownback. We try to keep up on the latest Brownback buzz!

Update 3: The Washington (com)Post’s Mary Ann Akers awarded Senator Brownback This Week’s Fundraising “Award.” Nice hit piece, Mary Ann. And you wonder why The Compost is used as bird cage liner across the nation?

Update 4: Giuliani praised the recent Supreme Court decision, but it appears that he was against banning PBA just a few years ago:

TIM RUSSERT (host): A banning of late-term abortions, so-called partial-birth abortions — you’re against that?

GIULIANI: I’m against it in New York, because in New York —

RUSSERT: Well, if you were a senator, would you vote with the president or against the president?

GIULIANI: I would vote to preserve the option for women. I think that choice is a very difficult one. It’s a very, very — it’s one in which people of conscience have very, very different opinions. I think the better thing for America to do is to leave that choice to the woman, because it affects her probably more than anyone else.

— Psycheout