Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Sotomayor's Record on Reproductive Rights

So far, it seems little is known of Obama's Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's stand on reproductive rights. Steven Waldman of Beliefnet has a quick summary of her abortion-related rulings, which weren't really abortion-related. Worryingly, she has twice ruled in favour anti-choicers, but not on abortion itself.

In better news, Americans United for Life are against her, not for her abortion stance, but for her evul activism.

Ah well, in the shrieeeek-fest that is looming, we'll surely learn more.

MORE: A link to Christian news site on her opinion on the 'Mexico City rule', you know, the rule about not sending US gov family planning dough to any outfit outside the US that supports or refers for, let alone does, abortions. The one that Obama struck down pretty early. Sotomayor's view: it's OK for gov to base actions on a 'pro-life' point of view. REVISION: From JJ in the comments:
Just a little nuance on her Mexico City ruling -- her opinion wasn't that it was "okay" for the government to make policy favouring anti-abortion views, but rather that it was not a violation of the pro choice group's 1st amendment rights to do so, and that, according to the law of the day, the government had the right to exercise such bias. It was a straight legal interpretation; meaning the 1st amendment was the wrong way to take down the Mexico City Policy.


MORE TWO:Glenn Greenwald is very positive about her. Lots of links there and updates as various worthies weigh in.

3 comments:

JJ said...

Just a little nuance on her Mexico City ruling -- her opinion wasn't that it was "okay" for the government to make policy favouring anti-abortion views, but rather that it was not a violation of the pro choice group's 1st amendment rights to do so, and that, according to the law of the day, the government had the right to exercise such bias. It was a straight legal interpretation; meaning the 1st amendment was the wrong way to take down the Mexico City Policy.

fern hill said...

Thanks, JJ. IANAL and apparently I read too fast too.

JJ said...

fern hill - I also noted with a chuckle that in the actual ruling, she used the term "anti-abortion", not "pro-life". A good sign ;)

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