Sanctity of Life and Women's Healthcare

The ongoing debate around abortion has been a significant and polarizing issue in American society, particularly since the landmark Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973. Roe v. Wade established a woman's constitutional right to choose to have an abortion, fundamentally framing it as an issue of personal liberty and privacy. This decision has been a cornerstone of reproductive rights for decades, asserting that women have the right to make decisions about their own bodies.

However, the recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in 2022 has dramatically shifted the legal landscape. The Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, asserting that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. This ruling effectively pushed the authority to regulate abortion back to the individual states, creating a patchwork of abortion laws across the country, with each state determining its own policies.

Importance of Women’s Healthcare Decisions

First and foremost, it is incredibly important to recognize that women’s healthcare decisions should occur between a woman and her doctor. Decisions regarding serious medical issues, such as managing nonviable pregnancies, addressing severe chromosomal defects, or safeguarding the health and life of the mother, are deeply personal and complex. These healthcare decisions are private matters that should be protected and respected.

However, statistically, the leading driver of abortions by far is elective abortion based on personal preference. According to the Guttmacher Institute, approximately 92% of abortions in the United States are performed for elective reasons, meaning the abortion is not medically necessary. This reality brings us to the broader discussion of personal responsibility and the sanctity of life.

A Woman’s Right to Choose and Inherent Responsibilities

The argument for a woman's right to choose often centers around personal autonomy and the ability to make decisions about one's own body. However, it is crucial to recognize that the decision to engage in consensual intercourse inherently includes the acknowledgment of the potential for creating life. This moment of consent is where the responsibility begins. Engaging in intercourse is not merely a pursuit of personal gratification; it is an act that carries the potential for profound consequences, including the creation of life.

When two consenting adults choose to engage in intercourse, they are also choosing to accept the potential outcomes of that decision, including the possibility of pregnancy. This responsibility should be shared equally between both parents. The father, as well as the mother, must be aware that their actions could result in a new life and that they have an obligation to support and nurture that potential life.

The Role of Birth Control and Contraceptives

To address concerns about unintended pregnancies, the use of contraceptives should be easily and widely accessible for adults, enabling responsible family planning and reducing the demand for abortions. While I support the broad availability of contraceptives, I take a strong stance against emergency contraceptives, such as Plan B, as they can be seen as a means to avoid the consequences of consensual intercourse rather than a preventative measure.

Shared Responsibility and the Sanctity of Life

If a potential life is created through consensual intercourse, both parents have a duty to protect, maintain, nurture, and support that life. Abortion should not be an option in these cases, as it represents an abdication of the responsibilities that come with the decision to engage in intercourse. The unborn child, who cannot advocate for themselves, must be protected, and the state has a role in ensuring this protection.

Ensuring the Father's Accountability

It is crucial to emphasize that the responsibility for a potential life cannot rest solely on the mother. The father must be equally accountable and involved. Ideally, the father should be a permanent fixture in the child's life, providing emotional, physical, and financial support. However, at the very least, he must support the child financially. This is non-negotiable. The state must ensure that fathers are held accountable, whether it be through voluntary involvement or under legal obligation. The burden of raising and supporting a child cannot fall solely on the mother; it must be a shared responsibility to ensure that the child can grow and thrive.

Parental Responsibility for Minors

When teens or individuals under 18 are involved, the responsibility extends to their parents or guardians. Parents must provide additional support and guidance to ensure the well-being of both their child and the potential life created. This includes financial support, emotional guidance, and facilitating access to necessary resources. The involvement of parents or guardians is crucial in helping young individuals navigate these responsibilities effectively.

Legal and Moral Recognition of Life

In our judicial system, the inherent value of life is recognized. For instance, when a pregnant mother is murdered, the perpetrator is often charged with two murders, acknowledging the value of both the mother’s and the unborn child's lives. This legal precedent underscores that life has value, and by extension, so does potential life. When a woman is murdered, she did not choose to end her life or the life of her unborn child. Someone else made that choice, affirming that life, and potential life, holds intrinsic value beyond individual discretion.

Exceptions and Medical Necessity

There are, of course, complex situations that require careful consideration. Considerations for rape, incest, nonviable pregnancies, chromosomal defects, or situations where the mother's life is at risk are necessary. The life of the mother must take precedence in life-threatening situations, and the government should not stand in the way of medically necessary abortions, particularly in cases of severe chromosomal defects or other conditions where the health and well-being of the mother or child are at significant risk.

The Foundational Principles: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

The framers of our nation, from the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution, emphasized the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is essential to understand that these rights are not isolated; they are interconnected and form the basis of our societal contract. The right to life is paramount and must come first, as it is the foundation upon which liberty and the pursuit of happiness are built.

When we speak of life, it is not only our own lives that matter but also the lives of our neighbors and the potential lives that may come into existence. This acknowledgment of mutual responsibility is crucial. In the context of abortion, it means recognizing that the potential life of the unborn has inherent value and rights that must be protected.

Too often, the debate around Roe v. Wade has framed the issue solely as one of women’s liberty. However, true liberty cannot exist without the respect for life that precedes it. The potential life of the unborn must take precedence, as the right to life is the fundamental right from which all others derive.

Opposition to Elective Abortions

I strongly oppose elective abortions that are based on the preference of the mother rather than the exceptions outlined above. Abortion should not be used as a means to avoid the responsibilities that come with consensual intercourse. The decision to engage in intercourse inherently includes the responsibility for any potential life that may result.

Telehealth Abortions

Telehealth abortions should be immediately banned to ensure that the gravity of such a decision is met with appropriate medical oversight and in-person care, respecting the seriousness of the procedure. Abortion is a significant medical decision, and it must be treated with the appropriate level of care and attention that only in-person medical supervision can provide.

Mifepristone Regulation

Mifepristone, a medication commonly used in medical abortions, should be classified as a controlled substance to better regulate and control its access. This classification will ensure that it is not misused or distributed without proper oversight, thereby protecting both the potential life and the health of the mother.

Reforming Domestic Infant Adoption (DIA)

Domestic infant adoption (DIA) needs to be fundamentally reformed to make it a more viable, accessible, and affordable pathway for families. Many women and men are unable to have children, yet the cost of domestic infant adoption is prohibitively expensive. By reducing barriers and costs, and by providing greater support to birth mothers and adoptive families, we can make adoption a more realistic and supported option. This will offer a meaningful alternative to abortion and ensure children are raised in loving, stable homes.

Acknowledging Deeply Held Beliefs and Natural Law

While I hold deeply held religious beliefs and identify as a Christian, it is imperative to recognize that my position on abortion is not solely rooted in religious doctrine. This issue touches on the violation of natural law and the abdication of personal responsibility and accountability. Abortion has become both the match and the tinder for the fire that has eroded our societal institutions. Restoring principles of natural law is a critical step to reinstating order from the current state of disorder.

Conclusion: A Cohesive Approach

The debate around abortion is not simply about a woman's right to choose but about the inherent responsibilities and potential consequences of consensual intercourse. By recognizing these responsibilities and ensuring shared accountability between both parents, we can protect the sanctity of life while also considering the complex and nuanced situations that may arise. The state has a role in upholding these principles and ensuring that the rights of the unborn child are defended.

As I am campaigning to be your next State Representative for the 45th legislative district in Pennsylvania, it is critical that I make a strong assertion in this matter. Our foundational principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness guide us to prioritize life as the bedrock of all rights. Only by doing so can we truly uphold the values upon which our nation was built. Fathers must be held accountable to share the responsibilities, ensuring that the burden of raising a child does not fall solely on the mother, but is a shared endeavor that supports the growth and well-being of the potential life created. Life has intrinsic value from the moment of conception, and this must be acknowledged and protected by both individuals and the state.