With a new year comes new hopes, new
goals, and new challenges. For
Christians, despite what “new” may come our way, we can be confident that we
have the exact same God sitting on the throne of the universe, in control of
all things. And included in “all things”
are political things — elections, Supreme Court cases, cultural battles … you
name it. So along with settling on a
Bible reading plan, making it back to the gym, and finally getting organized, this
week I’ll devote my blog postings to three major political issues to put on
your “to track” list for 2023.
2. Pro-life efforts at the state level after SCOTUS Dobbs 2022 overturned Roe v Wade
The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) Dobbs 2022 decision was an incredible, historic year for the pro-life movement at the federal level. On June 24, the SCOTUS overturned Roe v Wade in its entirety, along with Planned Parenthood v Casey — the two legal decisions that created the nationwide abortion regime that ruled in America over the last 50 years. That centralized regime is gone. The question of the legality of abortion has, for the time being, been returned to the states.
Some states, like Texas, enacted bills that banned all abortions except in the case of life-threatening medical emergencies. As a result, LifeNews.com reported, “New data from the Texas health department shows abortions have dropped to 0 under the Texas abortion ban, saving as many as 5,700 babies from abortions.”
In states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas the state-level pro-life fight has gone well. But unfortunately, in the wake of the Dobbs decision, many other new pro-life ballot measures lost and horrific proabortion measures prevailed.
LifeNews.com has a helpful and encouraging article outlining the 29 possible states that may ban abortion by the end of 2023. They set out three categories:
“14
States Have Abortion Bans Enforced.”
“8
States are Fighting in Court to Save Their Abortion Ban.”
“Other
States with the Potential to Protect Babies from Abortions.”
Pay close attention to that last category, which includes Florida, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia, Alaska, Montana, and Kansas. If you live in those states make sure to get involved. Or consider the state-level work of End Abortion Now (EAN) and Action for Life (AFL). They are “working on bans that begin at specific points during pregnancy” and “working to abolish abortion from the moment of conception, providing preborn people with the same rights and protections as people after birth.” Again, if you live in a red state, or one of the states listed above that has the potential to ban abortion, make sure to be aware of any ballot measures or legislation related to protecting life, call your state representatives, and get out to vote!
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