Vote seen as next battle in abortion fight

[Whoa_Nelly]

Vote seen as next battle in abortion fight

By JASON LEFFERTS, Sun Staff
Activists on both sides of the abortion issue say this week's votes in Congress to ban "partial-birth" procedures are just the beginning of a fight that will leak into next year's elections.
Leaders of pro-choice and pro-life groups in Massachusetts said they expect more battles over abortion rights in the future, and they also expect to make the issue a major policy battleground in next year's congressional elections.

Marie Sturgis, executive and legislative director for Massachusetts Citizens for Life, said this week's votes to ban "partial-birth" procedures were uplifting and re-ignited abortion as a major issue. She expects pro-life activists to push harder for more limits on abortion.

<snip>
The House and Senate both passed legislation this week that eliminates "partial-birth" abortions, a procedure in which a fetus is aborted after being partly delivered.

President Bush is expected to sign the bill, which includes an emergency preamble that would allow the law to take effect 24 hours after the president signs it. Pro-choice groups are prepared to go to court seeking an injunction as soon as Bush signs the bill.

more...
http://www.lowellsun.com/Stories/0,1413,105~4746~1722264,00.html

And in a related story from NYT:

The War Over Abortion Moves to a Smaller Stage
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

Published: October 26, 2003

ASHINGTON — Sometime soon, most likely, President Bush will sign into law a ban on a procedure its critics call partial-birth abortion, becoming the first president to criminalize an abortion technique.

To partisans in the debate it will be a historic moment, the beginning of the end of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

<snip>
"When this is enjoined by some federal court the day it is signed, I bet Karl Rove will breathe a sigh of relief," said Mr. Garrow, referring to the president's senior political adviser. "You make the constituency happy by signing it into law, and then the big bad courts torpedo it, and then nobody's talking about it."

:wtf: Could someone please clue me in as to why Karl Rove's feelings are germaine to this issue???? As *'s political advisor re: 2004 campaign, it seems Rove has way to much power in his current position.

more...
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/26/weekinreview/26STOL.html?ex=1067745600&en=213bd599d9b7c049&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE