Justices to Weigh Late-Term Abortion Ban

[kpete]

Justices to Weigh Late-Term Abortion Ban By GINA HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer
9 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will consider the constitutionality of banning a type of late-term abortion, teeing up a contentious issue for a newly-constituted court already in a state of flux over privacy rights.


The Bush administration has pressed the high court to reinstate the federal law, passed in 2003 but never put in effect because it was struck down by judges in California, Nebraska and New York.

The outcome will likely rest with the two men that President Bush has recently installed on the court. Justices had been split 5-4 in 2000 in striking down a state law, barring what critics call partial birth abortion because it lacked an exception to protect the health of the mother.

But Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was the tie-breaking vote, retired late last month and was replaced by Samuel Alito. Abortion had been a major focus in the fight over Alito's nomination because justices serve for life and he will surely help shape the court on abortion and other issues for the next generation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060221/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_abortion

[Oilwellian]

1. What do they mean?

A "type" of late term abortion? This is such a bullshit issue....it's illegal for a woman to get an abortion after the first trimester in almost every state. If she loses a baby after that, it's because the baby is either grossly deformed and can't live outside of the mother's womb, or the baby has died in utero. It's disgusting how the "wackos" use this sad event in a woman's life for political gain. It'll be interesting to see if the Supreme Court decides a woman's health and possibly life is less important than that of a fetus who doesn't have a chance for survival. And if the baby is dead, are they going to force a woman to carry it until it's "spontaneously" aborted? That's the real issue here.