TAMPA, August 21, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – While the party’s presidential candidate may have a different view, the Republican Party platform supports a constitutional Right to Life amendment and rejects civil unions for homosexual couples.
Delegates in Tampa approved pro-life language stating the right to live is one of the “self-evident truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence,” and that “the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.”
“At its core abortion is a fundamental assault on the sanctity of innocent human life,” the platform language states. “Women deserve better than abortion.”
The GOP’s abortion plank, being drafted in anticipation of the Republican National Convention later this month, endorses passage of a Human Life Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, although it does not specifically state whether such a measure should include an exception for rape or incest. Proposed amendments have differed in the past.
Carol Tobias of the National Right to Life Committee thanked the party faithful for respecting the unborn – and jabbed media outlets for criticizing Republicans on the issue while ignoring Democratic infighting.
“The mainstream news media is once again demonstrating its eagerness to use any excuse to portray a Republican presidential ticket as out of the mainstream on abortion, while ignoring the truly extreme positions taken by the pro-abortion candidate — this year, President Obama,” Tobias said.
For the most part, the mainstream news media prefer to characterize President Obama’s position in terms of hazy generalizations, avoiding specifics such as his actions to allow unrestricted abortion for sex selection and late abortions.”
Earlier today, the GOP also handily voted down a plank affirming civil unions for homosexual couples. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said such a law was inappropriate. “Government extends benefits to marriage,” he said, “because marriage benefits society.”
However, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have said they favor broader exceptions to the abortion plank. Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said, “A Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape.”
Romney has also said, while he opposes civil unions he supports “partnership agreements” granting homosexual couples domestic benefits and other privileges reserved to heterosexual couples.
The Massachusetts governor’s defections have not upset GOP leadership.
Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Convention, said, “This is the platform of the Republican Party; it’s not the platform of Mitt Romney.” Priebus said on MSNBC Republican candidates differ on the “details of some of these things, like an exception for rape or life of the mother.”
Every Republican platform since 1980 has supported a constitutional amendment to protects the lives of unborn children. Every Republican presidential nominee since that time has favored exceptions in the case of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. John McCain attempted unsuccessfully to have exceptions for rape and incest written into the party platform in 2008.
Some have been outspoken in their rejection of the convention’s final document. After supporters of runner-up candidate Pat Buchanan drafted a conservative, pro-life platform in 1996, Bob Dole said, “I’m not bound by the platform. I probably agree with most everything in it. But I haven’t read it.” Both Dole and his vice presidential running mate, Jack Kemp, denied reading it.
They went on to lose by more than eight million votes.
The platform language states:
Faithful to the “self-evident” truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. At its core abortion is a fundamental assault on the sanctity of innocent human life. Women deserve better than abortion.