Abortion Debate Rages On
In the aftermath of the latest Supreme Court ruling on abortion, both sides in the debate agree that there will be new laws made at the state level. Wyatt Andrews reports
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To abortion rights supporters, the Supreme Court ruling was a legal and medical disaster for women. Their argument is “if women can not have the so-called "partial-birth abortion" where the fetus is removed mostly intact, the result will be thousands more abortions requiring the dismemberment of the fetus inside the womb.
"So the doctor is going to either be doing things that are less safe or is going to be having additional steps that could pose more risks to their patient.
Both sides in the abortion debate agree that yesterday’s ruling will unleash new state restrictions on abortion. In the decision, Justice Anthony Kennedy virtually invited the states to have women seeking abortions learn more about the way in which the fetus will be killed. Anti-abortion rights groups which believe more graphic information will discourage abortion hailed that part of the ruling.
"Telling the states they have a legitimate interest in making sure these women also know what they are engaging in and what’s in stake is going to have just huge ramifications.”
The court’s decision also showed the importance of Justice Samuel Alito in abortion cases. Alito, who replaced Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, was for the partial birth ban. O'Connor voted 7 years ago to strike the ban down.
This ruling makes clear that Justice Alito is more conservative and more in favor of stronger restrictions on abortions than once his predecessor Sandra Day O'Connor.
"Then there’s the big question: Will this decision impact the basic right to an abortion established in Roe versus Wade? The answer is ‘not yet ' because yesterday’s swing vote, Justice Kennedy ,has been a supporter of Roe."
Wyatt Andrews, CBS NEWS, at the Supreme Court.