Proud of WV on abortion

Elections have consequences. Less than four years ago, West Virginians finally turned the Legislature over to Republicans after 82 years of Democratic control, which saw the state slip from 38th in per capita income to 49th.

Today, lawmakers approved a bill to allow West Virginians to decide if abortion is a right.

Given that the three rights named in the Declaration of Independence are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the right to life has pre-eminence.

The ballot referendum is simply an amendment to the state constitution, "Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion."

West Virginia has a low abortion rate of 6 per 1,000 women (15-44) per year. The states that are lowest in the nation at 4 per 1,000 are Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Dakota.

The highest in the nation is New York at 24, but the list by Kaiser Family Foundation does not include California.

"The amendment would make it easier for the state to pass pro-life laws, including a restriction on taxpayer funding for abortions. West Virginia is one of 17 states that funds elective abortions for low-income women through Medicaid," Life Site News reported.

An attempt by Republican Delegate Kayla Kessinger to ban Medicaid funding of abortion fell afoul of Republican House leaders who used parliamentary rules to keep it from receiving an up-or-down vote, WV News reported.

Dr. Wanda Franz, president of West Virginians for Life, said, "If this amendment is ratified by the voters in November, women will still have access to abortion under the Federal Constitution. The Supreme Court in 1973 ruled that the Federal Constitution contains the right to abortion. States cannot over-ride that ruling with their own Constitutional Amendments."

But someday Roe v. Wade will be overturned, and West Virginians will be prepared to save the lives of babies.

@@@

The media chose to go to war with Donald John Trump in 2017 rather than accept him as president.

The media chose poorly.

Fake News Follies of 2017 shows how and why.

What readers are saying:

Rob Miller: "What we have here is nothing less than a detailed, well written chronicle of exactly how the American press abandoned all semblance of scruples and journalistic ethics once Donald J. Trump became president. Like Surber's other books, this one will have you laughing out loud and you will find it difficult to put down."

PSD: "Like his other books, it is written with wonderful wit filled insight, rare in political commentary today. The style is one of gentle humor and common sense. It is refreshingly devoid of malice and partisan contempt, easy reading with not a few laughs along the way."

rurallbob: "Another winner from Don Surber."

Richard: "Funny, well written and well organized, Fake News Follies is an entertaining and thoughtful look at the news coverage provided by the press to the American people. Clearly they are not playing it straight. Sure, the press makes mistakes. It's inevitable. But when the totality of news stories not hewing to the known facts is collected and presented as it is in this volume there is but one explanation. Fake News. Don Surber brings to the subject insight that only a veteran newsman could provide. I wish this book would be read by everyone but especially people opposed to Trump because I think it would be sufficient to challenge even a closed off worldview."

A. Brogden: "Unlike Kurtz 's book, Media Madness, which sought to justify and explain away the lies and prejudices of the anti-Trump MSM, Surber relentlessly and methodically documents the tsunami of BS the press has served up since the upset victory by President Trump. Almost without exception everything Trump has done as president has been distorted, mischaracterized, or flat out lied about for over a year. This is how you get 90% negative reporting. This is how you get the press with 28% trust ratings. And by God this is how you get eight years of Trump as President."

A Kindle reader: "Easy read, a great compilation of biased new coverage of Trump before and after the election. I started out anti Trump and reluctantly voted for him for one reason only, He was not Hillary. This book is a great reference when people claim the MSM is not biased and does not publish fake news. It reinforces Glenn Reynolds description of the press as Democrat operatives with bylines."

Fake News Follies of 2017 is available on Kindle and in paperback.

Autographed copies are available. Email me at DonSurber@GMail.com for details. I am including a "director's cut." I will give you the original Chapter 1 that I cut because while the chapter was amusing, it really had nothing to do with the Fake News Follies of 2017.