More Political Hypocrisy--Partial Birth Ban

[John Cole]

The Senate voted on Thursday to pass a bill banning partial birth abortions, which, according to most critics, has no chance of withstanding a constitutional challenge. The Senate, led by Bush mouthpiece, Rick Santorum, refused to include a proviso addressing the health of the mother, and a similar bill in Nebraska has already failed to meet a constitutional challenge. The bill would outlaw partial birth abortions from the 15th week on and allow for prosecution of doctors who perform the operations.

Sixteen democrats voted for the bill while three republicans--both Senators from Maine and Rhode Island's Lincoln Chafee (carrying on his father's tradition)--opposed passage. Interestingly, democrat presidential hopefuls from Massachusetts and North Carolina missed the vote.

Sandra Day O'Connor has already stated in the Nebraska case, decided by a 5-4 majority, that any modification of Roe should include provisions for both the life and health of the mother. Why, then, have sixteen democrats voted for passage, and why has the bill been structured the way it has when the Senate already knows it has little chance of surviving a Supreme Court challenge?