Tampa, Florida (CNN) - The Republican Party is once again set to enshrine into its official platform support for "a human life amendment" to the Constitution that would outlaw abortion without making explicit exemptions for rape or incest, according to draft language of the platform obtained exclusively by CNN late Monday.
"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," the draft platform declares. "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."
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The party will reaffirm its opposition to federally-funded embryonic stem cell research and demand that the government "not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage."
Republicans have also inserted a "salute" to states pushing "informed consent" laws - an apparent reference to ultrasound bills that have moved through some state legislatures - "mandatory waiting periods prior to an abortion, and health-protective clinic regulation."
The document, crafted Monday in a subcommittee meeting of the Republican Party's official platform committee in Tampa, is being closely guarded by party officials but was provided to CNN by a Republican source here.
The source cautioned that the statement of principle is still in draft form and must be approved by the full platform committee on Tuesday and by delegates to the Republican National Convention next week.
The GOP's abortion plank faces scrutiny every four years, and this year's document contains language similar to the platforms that were adopted by the party at their conventions in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
But the abortion issue has been thrust into the center of the presidential campaign as this year's convention approaches, thanks to comments from Missouri Rep. Todd Akin, a U.S. Senate candidate, about abortion and "legitimate rape."
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan sharply condemned Akin's remarks and pledged that under a Romney administration, abortion would be allowed in the case of rape.
An exemption for rape, though, is not included in the platform set to be adopted by the party Romney will officially lead when he accepts the Republican nomination next week.
And Ryan, his vice presidential pick, has opposed exceptions for rape and voted alongside Akin in the House, though Ryan now says he defers to Romney's position on the matter.
Debate over the abortion plank flared four years ago when John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee at the time, said he wanted to add language to the platform to recognize exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
That prompted angry finger-wagging from top social conservatives.
Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, chided McCain and said it would be "political suicide" for him to add language about exceptions for rape or incest in the abortion platform.
From CNN Politics
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This is bulberic an outrage first they cut back the medical card now they want to dictate how females plan their parent hood by subjecting us to 18 yrs of living with what we have to an foster cares r full of unwanted kids that get raped an abused an killed daily yet they say abortion is murder when the embreyo is not considered a life for 10 weeks? come on!! what would they do if they werent financially stable couldnt afford the hospitol bill or the child themselfs or werent ready!! this is why u have women on the news who have misscarraiges or live births who throw them away or leave them in the toilet because we have no rights or freedom even though we supposibly are supposed to!! this is like letting rapiest an melesters an people who eat people out of confignment its ludacris it really is!! im sick at this article what if it was a life threating pregnancy someone like me whose precalamptic an anemic an could die would u still deny abortion to save a life?? seriously! im not for abortion but it aint fair!
I do not think Abortion should be an issue in politics. I am a pro-choice Republican, and there are many women in the party who feel as I do. Let's get back to discussing jos and the economy, becasue more women have lost jobs under Obama than any other President. Let's talk about the debt and government spending and how both are gong to hurt our children.
If there is such a thing as "private property" then the human body is it. It's therefore difficult to accede that those who would trespass on an invididual's body with the aim of preventing abortion respect the idea of private property.
They know nothing about medicne.....................who do they think they are these men? I don't want to die if my fetus will kill me, I don't want to see many females in court over stupid issues some man dreamed up. If laws go into effect Dr. will freak out! Females will die due to these laws.
I'm at a loss as to how any educated woman could vote republican.
Would that include language that makes it possible for frozen embryos to suit for false imprisonment?
for more details please see the GOP 2008 campaign and the 2004 campaign and the 2000 campaign and the 1996 campaign and the 1992 campaign.......
Great to see that the Republicans are committed to less government interference except when it comes to a woman's body and the bible. If men were the ones having babies...guaranteed you'd be able to get an abortion at Walmart. Gobama!
When republicans try to infringe their beliefs on everyone else it makes baby Jesus cry, which is rather odd, since every word in the bible was written by me. Trust me. I'm the devil. Yep... got me horns and the legs of a goat, at least that what I tell you. And that talking snake thing... completely made up. You humans are so gullible.
Tony Perkins, for a man of God, you do not show any of the mercy, love or compassion of the Lord that you profess to serve. I do not see any holes in your hands or feet. I do not recall you being sacrificed on Calvary for the sins of the world so stop pushing your man made doctrines. You act more like Caiaphas the high priest.
Kind of hard to pledge an exemption for rape, when your party doesn't believe in an exemption for rape, Mitt....more GOP Brilliance at work...
To quote a good movie which is totally relevent,"Stupid is as stupid does".
Rape is Rape. It's not physical, but it sure sounds like one...
I have a friend who's daughter was raped by a really big guy at the age of 14. The rapist is in prison and she has a son. He looks like his father, in 6th grade he is 6 ft tall and weighs in at 225. But he is gentle, kind, and really smart. He is about the best thing that ever blessed this family.
This is it! The War on Women is real. Anyone who votes for Republicans who sanction this ridiculous platform misunderstands freedom and the concept of limited government. It will certainly be entertaining to watch how this plays out in light of the Aiken debacle. How can the party's leaders be suggesting that Aiken ABORT his candidacy and adopt a platform that enshrines his views? Hypocrisy = GOP.
Great! its a loser. they've had majorities in the house & senate in the past. they didn't come close to getting this accomplished. they know that if abortion were illegal, they could say goodbye to power forever. its what gets the people to the polls, they can't afford to lose it as an issue. they NEED abortion to stay legal.
If God did not trust a woman's judgement with regard to child bearing he would given the responsibilty for child bearing to men. If God can trust a woman's judgement why can't man?
Will the same plank address how the medical costs of children resulting from rape and incest be handled? Any support for the child after birth or is the mother supposed to go to court for child support from the rapist, assuming he's caught and able to pay? Typical Republican – all for the unborn child till it costs a dime! The mother and child are on their own, at least until the child is old enough to join the military. Family values at work.
The Great G O P "WAR ON WOMEN" Begins
It would be so scary to have a person like Romney in the WH. He has flipped on nearly every one of his positions to appease his party. Literally every stance he says he has today can be contradicted by the stance that he had before running for president. We're not talking one or two stances, but again literally everything. He clearly does not have his own backbone to stand up to his party. His backbone IS his party.
Truly scary.
Once again the GOP wants to become involved in a family matter not their own. I thought they wanted little if any government involvement in our lives. They are the father of lyers. Let's send them back home to contemplate their stupid lives.
Oh please GOP. Do this. Any chance of Mittens winning will fail in one single act by your party. You people just don't get it. Its the same reason why McCain lost the election. Palin was too much. Too far to the right. This will have the same results. Add Ryan to the mix and the the elections are sewn up for Obama.
Great platform fellas....I like your idea of bowing to the wacko right wing and making this ridiculous idea official Republican/Tea Party policy. Now you will officially lose the vote of millions of women, who will gladly vote for the candidate who does not tell them what they can and cannot do with their bodies. What a pathetic party you have become!
The GOP is laughable. They have an issue with aborting unwanted fetuses but don't have a problem killing young men and women in a nonsensical war. Brilliant!
Plus, what maniac is against stem cell therapy??????Are you kidding me?
Well, there you go. The party platform says GOP is agin abortion and fur personhood, bit Mitt the Twit and Muscles Ryan say they won't deny abortion to rape victims - despite past statements and/or sponsored legislation. Guess we'll just have to take Mitt's word for it as in so many other instances.