I am sitting in Room 315 of the Iowa Capitol as I type this, awaiting a noon subcommittee on Senate Joint Resolution 9, which would essentially put language into the Iowa Constitution that it does not provide a right to an abortion or funding for abortion.
For some, this amendment isn’t the goal. It’s not even close. I’d even say for Sen. Jake Chapman, who filed the resolution, it’s not even on the opponent’s side of the 50-yard line.
But because the Iowa Supreme Court, which found rights that were “previously unimaginable” in the Constitution when it allowed homosexual marriage in Iowa, has now said there is a fundamental right to abortion in the same Iowa Constitution, it’s an additional battlefront that needs to be tackled.
One of the positives to this amendment is it introduces the concept of including something about abortion specifically in the Iowa Constitution. It’s not a Personhood amendment, of course, but any constitutional amendment will have to pass a vote by the people.
What percentage of the electorate do we really believe understands the concept of a Personhood amendment?
Spoiler, it ain’t real high. This conversation may introduce them to that conversation.
I don’t like it, I’d really like to just complete the long pass and get a Personhood amendment tomorrow. Heck, yesterday. But the reality is it’s going to take a bit to get some Iowans on board with the “radical” belief that unborn babies should never be intentionally killed.
This amendment that will be discussed today won’t stop one abortion…today.
But it will remove the court’s ability to make up any more rights to kill unborn children in Iowa.
I believe this will put us on the other side of midfield in the fight to protect unborn babies.
Pro-life Iowans can take heart in the fact that the pro-life legislators in Des Moines are still going to be doing all they can to advance the ball down the field.
It won’t happen as fast as we want, or as fast as needed to save the thousands of babies who will be aborted in Iowa this year. But we must utilize every play in our playbook.
Today’s amendment isn’t the play. But it’s a solid 10-yard gainer, if not more. The People don’t seem to be pro-lifers problem. The Legislature doesn’t seem to be either. The Courts, though, are certainly our biggest hurdle. This amendment would put a small chink in their armor.
