Democrats Trying Again with Abortion-on-Demand and Gaslighting Until November 8

Written by John Lopez

The Washington, D.C. Democrats are at it again.

After their abortion-on-demand legislation from last September failed twice in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives decided to double-down and pass, again, abortion-on-demand under the gaslighting guise of “codifying” Roe v. Wade along with a 2nd bill to ensure access to abortion-on-demand.

The House voting grid from July 15, in spite of a couple of changes to the membership of the House as well as the bill number, is identical to the voting grid from last September:

From California Target Book

Like last September, all of the Republicans in the House opposed version 2 of the “Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022” (WHPA), and all of the Democrats, with the exception of Congressman Henry Cuellar (D, TX-28) voted for it.

As Congressman Bill Foster (D, IL-11) boasted in a press release issued on July 15, right after the vote:

Bill Foster

“As the Trump-packed Supreme Court and radical lawmakers across the nation wage an all-out assault against reproductive rights, Congress’ work to defend every woman’s basic health freedoms has never been more important.

“The Women’s Health Protection Act, which I was proud to help pass for a second time, would enshrine the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law to ensure access to reproductive health care, including abortion care, for women in every state.”

So Congressman Foster, who faces Catalina Lauf (R, Woodstock) on the November ballot for the 11th Congressional District, declared the “Trump-packed Supreme Court” and “defend every woman’s basic health freedoms” to “enshrine” the protections of Roe v. Wade.

Foster, like Pelosi, trying to gaslight the American people, because the WHPA goes far beyond “codifying” Roe v. Wade.

Yet the House Democrats passed a second bill within minutes of the WHPA, H.R. 8297, “Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022” or EAAA which had slightly different voting grid:

From California Target Book

On the 2nd bill to ensure access to abortion-on-demand, three Republicans voted with all of the Democrats, including Congressman Cuellar, and the three include lame duck Congressmen Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) and Fred Upton (MI-06), plus moderate Republican Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01).

But beyond the Democrats’ gaslighting, equally disconcerting is lack of response from Foster challenger Catalina Lauf not only on the House votes for abortion-on-demand on July 15, but on the overturning of Roe v. Wade in general since June 24, the day the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was officially made public.

Foster’s statement included reference of the, “American people overwhelmingly support access to safe, affordable reproductive care for all” is a deceptive half-truth compared with the twin bills the House Democrats passed on Friday. No survey shows support of any kind for abortion-on-demand up to the moment of birth.

A middle ground by some mainstream independent voters believe women have a right to choose to end a pregnancy within the 1st trimester, but after that, only threat to the mother’s life justifies ending a preganancy in their eyes.

The Democrats’ stated goal is to “codify Roe v. Wade“.  Both bills, particularly WHPA, go far beyond codifying Roe v. Wade because in addition to codification, the legislation attempts to usurp States Rights on abortion made legal by the Supreme Court under the Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, the 1989 ruling which allowed states to impose reasonable restrictions on abortion, including parental consent when an abortion decision involves a minor.

The WHPA also prevents states from outlawing any procedure, including late-term abortions granted under the Webster decision.

So critics of WHPA accurate when pointing out the Democrats want to make abortion legal up to the moment of birth.

Concerning the 2nd bill, the EAAA, Congressman Foster stated the following in his July 15 statement:

“I was also proud to vote for the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, which would protect women who exercise their constitutional right to travel across state lines to seek reproductive health care.”

Some may think, “With states imposing different laws, shouldn’t access to abortion services be ensured?” as some may think H.R. 8297 would do?

Mayra Flores

Rising star Congresswoman Mayra Flores (R, TX-34), who won a special election and flipped the seat from Democrat-to-Republican on June 14, thoroughly dialed through what H.R. 8297 would really do in her floor speech on July 15:

“Protecting the voiceless ought to be a top priority in this House and in every corner of this land.  As a mother of four beautiful and strong children, I find hard to believe there are those that think defending life is optional, even to the last month of pregnancy.

“H.R. 8297 is the opposite of what brought me to Congress, and it is the opposite of the values of the people of my district, TX-34.

“Let’s be clear what this bill does: undermines the ability of states to hold sexual abusers accountable and stop states from preventing abortion pill mills, and it gives human traffickers and abusers more direct access to chemical abortions in all 50 states.

“Protecting life should not be political.”

(UPDATED Oct 22) Catalina Lauf Can’t Stay Silent when Foster Casts Controversial Votes

Catalina Lauf

It’s been four weeks since Catalina Lauf won the 11th Congressional District Republican primary for the honor to challenge Congressman Foster on November 8.

Lauf won the June 28 primary with a plurality of 31% of the vote, considered underwhelming given Lauf’s campaign spent $1.4 million, with her nearest competitor spending, combined with a super PAC spend, little over $200K.

But Illinois’ primaries are winner-take-all, and Lauf will face Foster in November.

While Lauf has a published plank on her campaign website that she is a “Pro-Life Conservative”, Lauf stayed away from stating if she would support a nationwide abortion ban if one is proposed in a Republican-controlled House, as most expect the House will be flipped on November 8.

Update 10/22/22:  In an interview broadcast on WGN-TV on October 16, Lauf told WGN’s Paul Lisnek she would let the states decide question of abortion, which means she would not support a national abortion ban if she wins election to the U.S. House on November 8.  The cued video discussion on abortion can be viewed here.

During the primary campaign, the question of a national abortion ban came up at the Daily Herald editorial board interview on May 6, and again at the McHenry Township Republicans candidates forum on June 4, both events skipped by Lauf.

Lauf side-stepped the question at the Sun City Civics Committee candidates forum in Huntley on June 14, the only time Lauf shared the stage with her primary opponents.

In a May 16 statement, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) stated the following:

“Catalina Lauf…must let Illinois voters know whether [she] agree[s]…there should be a nationwide abortion ban.“

The DCCC is right, and now that Lauf has won the primary and is the decided underdog against Congressman Foster in the fall, Lauf has made clear where she stands on right-to-life.  Other issues as Lauf needs to provide clarity for remainder of fall campaign to convince voters Congressman Foster needs to be retired, and she is the right person to replace him.

For reference, here is Lauf’s campaign’s stance on right-to-life during the primary campaign:

From Catalina for Congress website

While Lauf states some policy points, Lauf is vague on a natiowide abortion ban, or if she would support one as a member of the U.S. House as part of a Republican majority.  In mid-October in the WGN-TV interview, she provided clarity.

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs, Lauf was silent on social media concerning abortion, though she talked about the Supreme Court’s ruling on the New York state 2nd Amendment case which came down the same week as the Dobbs decision.

Additionally, Lauf has been silent on all of her campaign’s social media platforms on Foster’s two abortion-on-demand votes on July 15.

It’s been 4 weeks since Lauf won the IL-11 Republican primary, so she should be closer to launching her general election campaign then she was on June 28, which should include more refined policy positions she’ll try to convince 11th Congressional District voters why a change is needed from Congressman Foster in the new IL-11.

While most mainstream general election voters who didn’t vote in either party’s primary aren’t paying attention to national politics at the moment, they will be soon. By August 29, which is one month before early voting begins for the November 8 election, Lauf needs to be very clear where she stands on a national abortion ban, or if she would oppose a nationwide ban and let the states decide, as ruled under the Dobbs decision.

Scott Gryder

In the neighboring 14th Congressional District, where Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder (R, Oswego) won the primary with a plurality of 31% of the vote, the Daily Herald editorial board interview asked Gryder specifically about his position on abortion.

Gryder stated while his preference is for the states to decide abortion, upon follow-up questioning by the Herald, Gryder said if the House Republican leadership wanted to pass a nationwide abortion ban, he would vote for it.

Gryder was eventually endorsed by the Daily Herald editorial board on June 3, which included this reference about his position on abortion:

“While all the candidates oppose abortion, he [Gryder] allows for exceptions in the case of rape, incest and the life of the mother.”

There is genuine disagreement among true pro-life conservatives not only with exceptions for abortion, as implemented through the Hyde Amendment since the 1970s or if a national abortion ban is needed, or as the Dobbs ruling clearly stated to let the states decide the issue of the legality of abortion under the 10th Amendment.

For example,  SBA Pro-Life America (formerly known as the Susan B. Anthony list) tweeted last week:

“The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision is not an opportunity for pro-life Republicans in Congress to abdicate their responsibility and try to push the abortion issue to the states.”

The nationwide abortion ban, and Foster’s repeated votes in favor of abortion-on-demand, will come up at all general election media interviews and candidates forums, some will be broadcast live, or livestreamed.

The week before Labor Day, beginning August 29, is seen as the General Election kickoff, and all candidates must have their policy positions refined and ready as vote-by-mail and early voting begins on September 29.

Lauf just saying she’s a “Pro-Life Conservative” is not enough for a general election audience, and the electorate will be discerning, not only on Lauf, but also on Foster and his record supporting abortion-on-demand in spite of his half-truth he’s spinning with his July 15 press release.

On the bills passed in the House on July 15, both of these bills are doomed in the U.S. Senate, where the 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster alone would prevent a vote.  Additionally, Senator Joe Manchin (D, WV) has twice voted with Republicans to filibuster the WHPA of 2021, both on February 28, and in May, when Manchin stated the bill, “goes too far” from codifying Roe v. Wade.

John Lopez has written about policy and elections through the McHenry County Blog since 2019.  He is now semi-retired, and does freelance work with analytics, as well as political candidates, emphasizing policy as the means to advance the conservative message, by engaging through policy “dog fighting”, applying discernment for winning and advancing God’s Kingdom agenda.

John’s known for getting past the talking points, the narratives, the abstracts, the platitudes and the bromides in order to discuss policy and apply Scripture to overcome unholy divisions in the local community, our state, and nation.  John has been married for over 17 years.

Follow John on Twitter: @MarcVAvelar