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Pro-Life Works: Gubernatorial Debate January 19, 2010
Texas Gubernatorial Debate Highlights the Need for a Strong Pro-Life Governor In Denton, TX, on Thursday, January 14th, Republican candidates in the Texas primary gubernatorial race clashed in a greatly anticipated debate. The significance of the March primary is especially felt by Pro-Life Texans who rightly identify the two main Republican candidates as defending opposite views on the sanctity of life. The candidates’ views on the life issues were a central theme of the debate. While Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has represented Texas in the US Senate for almost seventeen years, she has been at odds with the majority of Texans who are ardently Pro-Life. At numerous times during her political career, Senator Hutchison has supported Roe v. Wade in stark contrast with the Texas base of conservative voters. During the debate, Senator Hutchison was asked, “Do you believe that Roe v. Wade should remain enforced or be reversed as the State Republican Party advocates in its platform?” Aware that her views are unsatisfactory to most Republican primary voters, Senator Hutchison painfully avoided a straight answer while listing Pro-Life measures she has supported in the US Senate. She alleged that “abortion havens” could potentially arise in some states in the absence of Roe. Despite four distinct attempts by the moderator and contributor to seek clarity from Senator Hutchison, her relentless elusiveness on Roe prompted the live audience to laugh at her non-answers. No matter how vague the Senator may wish to remain about her pro-abortion convictions, she cannot hide her views. In one of her earliest campaign videos, Senator Hutchison clearly states that she is “very comfortable that Roe v. Wade is working very well.” In 2003, when the US Senate was considering the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban, she voted for the pro-abortion Harkin Amendment, affirming Roe v. Wade as an appropriate decision and one that secures an important constitutional right. Later in last week’s gubernatorial debate, an audience member asked all three candidates whether they would support changing the Texas Advanced Directive Act. The Texas Advanced Directive Act, also known as the Texas Futile Care Law (Chapter 166.046 of the Health and Safety Code), allows a physician to withdraw life-sustaining treatment (including food and water) from a patient despite the patient’s advance directive or expressed wishes after giving the patient the required ten-day notice of intent to do so. All three candidates gave life affirming answers with Governor Perry agreeing to support efforts to repeal the act. Thursday night’s debate proved that Texas needs a leader who will be honest and straightforward about the life issue. We need a leader who will face the current problems and seek to protect all innocent human life unconditionally. A video of the entire debate can be found at www.TexasDebates.org. A video of the interview with Senator Hutchison on Roe v. Wade can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9KgSKA84JY. John Seago North Central Texas Regional Director Legislative Associate |
