Montana Pushes Constitutional Abortion Changes to Help Republicans In Elections

Montana Republicans may just be proposing restricting abortion access to get voters out, but at least they are honest about it.

Abortion restrictions are often proposed by conservatives more on the hopes that it will drive the faithful to the polls than because of the actual convictions behind the measure. So it goes in Montana, which is in the process of trying to constitutionally ban the right to an abortion, as well as define life as beginning at conception.

House Republicans are pushing longshot constitutional changes aimed at restricting abortion, with the sponsor backing the measures arguing they will help the party at the polls.

Both proposed amendments would go to voters in 2012 if they clear the Legislature, which appears unlikely.

[Sponsor Wendy Warburton of Havre] assured fellow Republicans prior to floor votes that the ballot measures will help Republicans — beating back fears they could have the opposite effect. Many polls have shown Montana voters mixed on the issue of abortion.

Warburton said that more Republicans than Democrats consider the abortion issue, one way or the other, a top issue.

“These bills will drive our voters to the polls,” she told Republicans.

Normally the GOP isn’t quite so blatant in stating that the measures are being proposed primarily to bring more voters out on election day, but the honesty here is somewhat refreshing.

It may be less refreshing, however, to the citizens of Montana, who aren’t nearly as interested in social issue wedges being used at the polls, especially abortion restrictions.

Via the Missoulian:

When asked if they would support a constitutional amendment to ban abortion by saying life begins at conception by defining “person” as a member of the human species at any stage of development, 56 percent of those surveyed said they would not, and 35 percent supported it. Nine percent were undecided.

So much for bringing out the supporters.