Pulse reacts to Trump’s abortion statement

Here is Donald Trump’s abortion statement released Monday:

“Under my leadership, the Republican Party will always support the creation of strong, thriving and healthy American families. We want to make it easier for mothers and families to have babies, not harder. That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every state in America.”

“Like the overwhelming majority of Americans, including the vast majority of Republicans, conservatives, Christians and pro-life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby. What could be more beautiful or better than that.”

“Today I’m pleased that the Alabama Legislature has acted very quickly and passed legislation that preserves the availability of IVF in Alabama. They really did a great and fast job.”

“The Republican Party should always be on the side of the miracle of life and the side of mothers, fathers, their beautiful babies, and that’s what we are. IVF is an important part of that, and our great Republican Party will always be with you in your quest for the ultimate joy in life.”

“Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights, especially since I was proudly the person responsible for the ending of something that all legal scholars, both sides, wanted and, in fact, demanded be ended: Roe v. Wade. They wanted it ended.”

“It must be remembered that the Democrats are the radical ones on this position because they support abortion up to and even beyond the ninth month. The concept of having an abortion in the later months, and even execution after birth — and that’s exactly what it is. The baby is born, the baby is executed after birth — is unacceptable, and almost everyone agrees with that.”

“My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint. The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land. In this case, the law of the state. Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others, and that’s what they will be.”

“At the end of the day this is all about the will of the people. You must follow your heart, or in many cases your religion or your faith. Do what’s right for your family and do what’s right for yourself, do what’s for your children, do what’s right for our country, and vote. So important to vote.”

“At the end of the day it’s all about will of the people. That’s where we are right now, and that’s what we want. The will of the people.”

“I want to thank the six justices — Chief Justice John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch — incredible people, for having the courage to allow this long-term, hard-fought battle to finally end.”

“This 50 year battle over Roe v. Wade took it out of the federal hands and brought it into the hearts, minds and vote of the people in each state. It was really something. Now it’s up to the states to do the right thing.”

“Like Ronald Reagan, I am strongly in favor of exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.”

“You must follow your heart on this issue, but remember, you must also win elections to restore our culture and in fact to have our country, which is currently and very sadly a nation in decline. Our nation needs help. It needs unity, it needs all of us to work closely together. Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, everyone. We have to work together. We have to bring our nation back from the brink, and that’s where it is. It’s at the brink. And we will. We will do it. I promise you, we will do it.”

“Always go by your heart, but we must win. We have to win. We are a failing nation, but we can be a failing nation no longer. We will make our nation great. We will make our nation greater than ever before. Thank you very much.”

Pulse Executive Director, Maggie DeWitte responded to Trump’s abortion statement:

Donald Trump made an announcement this week that was hard to listen to.  As a Catholic, I follow the teachings of the church that Invitro Fertilization (IVF) is not permissible.  (CCC 2270). The IVF process is fraught with ethical and moral issues that often result in the destruction of a living human embryo.  While I grieve with couples experiencing infertility, IVF is not something I would recommend for those wanting to start a family.

Many states will be different,” Trump added. “Many states will have a different number of weeks … at the end of the day it is all about the will of the people.” But life begins at fertilization. That is an undisputed fact and it should not matter whether you live in Iowa or New York.  This concept didn’t work for slavery and will not work for the issue of abortion.  This is an issue of right and wrong and killing innocent human life is always going to be wrong and cannot be supported in any way.  The federal government has an invested interest in protecting its preborn citizens.  This isn’t about the ‘will of the people’ to decide life and death; that is only for God to decide.

What is also troubling is the exceptions to Trump’s statement of life in that he believes in exceptions for rape, incest, life of the mother, and IVF.  Regardless of the circumstances of how that child was conceived, he or she is still a child and therefore deserves equal protection under the law.