Federal Judge blocks new abortion-regulatory law

The role that conflicts over embryo-destructive stem cell research is playing in state politics:

Many anti-abortion groups equate the research with the destruction of human life. Blunt disagrees. He says the research is ethical, and he champions it as a key to promoting the state’s biotechnology industry.

The fate of all anti-abortion legislation has rested on a philosophical disagreement. Many opponents of stem cell research aren’t satisfied with any abortion bill unless it contains language criminalizing the research. Blunt, in turn, won’t sign any bill containing such a ban.

That kind of standoff was avoided in the session only because Blunt had the authority to set narrow parameters within which the abortion bill could be considered.

But all bets may be off when lawmakers return for their regular session in January.

Larry Weber, executive director for the Missouri Catholic Conference, said he was pleased with the anti-abortion bill signed by Blunt. But Weber and his allies plan to press the stem cell issue, saying the aim is to "protect life in a test tube."

Pam Fichter with Missouri Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, tangled with Blunt all summer in competing op-ed pieces run in religious publications around the state. "This is the most important issue in the pro-life debate," she said.

Weber said he was "optimistic that Gov. Blunt will come to his senses . . . and honor his pro-life commitment" by backing such a ban.

Actually, contrary to what the headline indicates, the issue doesn’t seem to be splitting "groups" – prolife groups seem of one mind on this. It seems that the split is between pro-life groups and some politicians.