In Michigan Life Matters
Michigan has made great strides in lowering its abortion rate in the last 12 years. We need a prolife governor in order to continue this important life-saving work.

The primary goal of Right to Life of Michigan is to restore legal protection to unborn children and to maintain protection for those threatened by a quality of life ethic. Michigan has produced a climate of life by staying focused on this primary goal.

In the last 12 years, the prolife movement has been able to lower the number of abortions in Michigan dramatically. In 1987, there were 49,098 Michigan abortions while in the year 2000 this number dropped to 26,807. Much of this success is due to the persistent grassroots educational efforts of prolife people across the state. Another point of credit comes from legislation passed by state representatives and senators and signed by the governor.

During the last decade, a large number of prolife bills have become laws including: parental consent for minors before an abortion, informed consent with a 24-hour reflection period before an abortion, prioritization of family planning funds, and abortion clinic regulations and reporting requirements. This legislation has had a profound effect on Michigan’s abortion rate.

However, these laws would not exist without prolife lawmakers and a prolife governor. Prolife lawmakers in Lansing are needed to introduce and pass life-saving legislation. A prolife governor is required to sign the legislation into law. Also, a prolife governor would make appropriate judicial selections and appoint state department heads who share a value of human life.

During the years of Medicaid-funded abortions, Michigan taxpayers paid the bill for approximately 19,000 abortions a year at a cost of about $6 million annually. We cannot return to this pro-abortion policy. To keep Michigan focused on a climate of life, we need a prolife governor.

The two major party candidates for governor this year are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the abortion issue. Dick Posthumus has a 100 percent prolife voting record and has been a strong supporter of prolife legislation during his time as a state senator and as Lt. Governor. He would work with the legislature to pass more laws that help protect women and their unborn children.

Jennifer Granholm is not prolife. Granholm calls herself pro-choice, but her radical pro-abortion position allows for abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy.

“I fully support Roe vs. Wade,” Jennifer Granholm said of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. Granholm, who proclaims her Catholicism, says she would defend a woman’s access to abortion and supports an increase in the number of abortion clinics in Michigan.

Jennifer Granholm has also stated she is opposed to Michigan’s ban on tax-funded abortions. Granholm is endorsed by EMILY’s List, an extreme pro-abortion group based in Washington D.C. What does it take to be endorsed by EMILY’s List? An absolute pro-abortion stand with no exceptions and complete opposition to any and all prolife legislative efforts.

According to USA Today, 47 percent of Americans say they are pro-choice and 46 percent say they are prolife. But when it comes to abortion laws, views are more mixed. Only 25 percent of the people agree with EMILY’s List and the extreme candidates they support like Granholm. The rest of Americans, 73 percent, agree that abortion has gone too far and needs to be curbed.

It is important for our prolife community to educate others about the importance of supporting prolife candidates.

Set a goal to educate at least five people in Michigan. Join other prolife people by adopting five people and encouraging them to get registered to vote and/or to come out to vote on November 5.

For more information, visit the Right to Life of Michigan web site at www.rtl.org

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