NEWS SHORTS FOR FRIDAY
Disclaimer: The linked items below or the websites at which they are located do not necessarily represent the views of The Illinois Federation for Right to Life. They are presented only for your information.
Republicans Might Have Little Traction To Oppose Obama Supreme Court Nominee Based On Abortion
Republican leaders might have little traction to use abortion issues to oppose President Obama's nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, even though the president is expected to select a nominee who supports abortion rights, Slate reports. According to Slate, Sens. Orrin Hatch (Utah) and Jeff Sessions (Ala.), the leading Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, have "lowered expectations" that the GOP can mount a successful fight against Obama's selection, and thus far, the "two usual suspects -- gay rights and abortion -- are getting only scattershot, tentative play." Hatch said that if Obama chooses a nominee "in the mainstream," the president will "probably have a pretty easy time" winning confirmation. Hatch also said that it would be a "real dilemma" for Republicans to oppose two women who are considered potential candidates, Solicitor General Elena Kagan and appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor. However, some GOP members are using abortion-related issues in attacks against another possible candidate, Judge Diane Wood of the Seventh Circuit Court, Slate reports.
Click here for the full article.
U.S. Now Holds UN Human Rights Council Seat
With no competition, the United States received 167 out of 192 votes for an empty regional seat on the UN Human Rights Council. Having now entered into what Obama termed a "new era of engagement" in the international world, the United States will sit with Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia, also newly elected and having less-than-stellar human rights records. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice noted, "We're gratified by the strong showing of encouragement for the United States to again play a meaningful leadership role in multilateral organizations including the United Nations on the very vitally important set of issues relating to human rights and democracy."
Click here for the full article.
First Comes Love, Then Comes... Motherhood?
According to research released yesterday by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), America is rapidly becoming a nation of unwed parents. While the social shift has been underway for years, few could have predicted just how quickly it would sweep the country's households. In 2002, 1.4 million babies were born to unmarried women--doubling the number from 1980. Five years later, the data spiked to 1.7 million babies born to unwed moms in their 20s and 30s. To put things in perspective, four of every 10 babies are now born to single mothers.
In the blink of an eye, the United States has gone from a relatively gradual uptick in unwed births to being completely Europeanized. Experts cite plenty of reasons for the surge, but the de-emphasis of marriage and family is by far the largest.
Click here for the full article.
Disclaimer: The linked items below or the websites at which they are located do not necessarily represent the views of The Illinois Federation for Right to Life. They are presented only for your information.
Republicans Might Have Little Traction To Oppose Obama Supreme Court Nominee Based On Abortion
Republican leaders might have little traction to use abortion issues to oppose President Obama's nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, even though the president is expected to select a nominee who supports abortion rights, Slate reports. According to Slate, Sens. Orrin Hatch (Utah) and Jeff Sessions (Ala.), the leading Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, have "lowered expectations" that the GOP can mount a successful fight against Obama's selection, and thus far, the "two usual suspects -- gay rights and abortion -- are getting only scattershot, tentative play." Hatch said that if Obama chooses a nominee "in the mainstream," the president will "probably have a pretty easy time" winning confirmation. Hatch also said that it would be a "real dilemma" for Republicans to oppose two women who are considered potential candidates, Solicitor General Elena Kagan and appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor. However, some GOP members are using abortion-related issues in attacks against another possible candidate, Judge Diane Wood of the Seventh Circuit Court, Slate reports.
Click here for the full article.
U.S. Now Holds UN Human Rights Council Seat
With no competition, the United States received 167 out of 192 votes for an empty regional seat on the UN Human Rights Council. Having now entered into what Obama termed a "new era of engagement" in the international world, the United States will sit with Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia, also newly elected and having less-than-stellar human rights records. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice noted, "We're gratified by the strong showing of encouragement for the United States to again play a meaningful leadership role in multilateral organizations including the United Nations on the very vitally important set of issues relating to human rights and democracy."
Click here for the full article.
First Comes Love, Then Comes... Motherhood?
According to research released yesterday by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), America is rapidly becoming a nation of unwed parents. While the social shift has been underway for years, few could have predicted just how quickly it would sweep the country's households. In 2002, 1.4 million babies were born to unmarried women--doubling the number from 1980. Five years later, the data spiked to 1.7 million babies born to unwed moms in their 20s and 30s. To put things in perspective, four of every 10 babies are now born to single mothers.
In the blink of an eye, the United States has gone from a relatively gradual uptick in unwed births to being completely Europeanized. Experts cite plenty of reasons for the surge, but the de-emphasis of marriage and family is by far the largest.
Click here for the full article.
