Incredible as it might seem, the Republicans want to turn the clock back to 1937, when contraception was still illegal in this country. That’s what will happen if Personhood USA and several other groups have their way. They are placing—on numerous state ballots—a proposed constitutional amendment declaring that life begins at conception. If passed, this measure not only would likely ban abortions under virtually any circumstances (including rape and incest), but it would also ban birth control methods like the IUD and Plan B emergency contraceptive. Even the Pill could be history.
Worse still, the amendment would prevent married women from conceiving children via in vitro fertilization. The Personhood Amendment will be up for a vote in at least 12 states. Presidential hopefuls Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul have all signed a pledge supporting it. Mitt Romney didn’t sign but has agreed that life begins at conception, the basis of the anti choice measure.
I don’t believe there’s any way the American people will let the GOP get away with this. If the Republicans aren’t careful, they will sow the seeds of their own destruction.
