South Dakota Showdown on Abortion

The South Dakota legislature has passed one of the toughest anti-abortion laws in the nation, and the governor is likely to sign it, which will set-up a court battle that the right wants and the left fears:

As the South Dakota House of Representatives gave final approval today to a bill aimed at banning most abortions and creating a U.S. Supreme Court challenge to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, Gov. Mike Rounds said he’s inclined to sign it.

The House gave final approval to the bill with a 50-18 vote Friday afternoon.

At a press conference Friday morning, Rounds said he will sign the bill if he determines that it can save lives.

“I’ve indicated I’m pro-life and I do believe abortion is wrong, and that we should do everything we can to save lives,” Rounds said. “If this bill accomplishes that, then I am inclined to sign the bill into law.”

This is almost sure to be overturned on appeal in lower courts, and I don't see how the Supremes can avoid taking it up on appeal. Although I'm not ready to declare Justice Sam Alito a sure anti-abortion vote, I think the pro-abortion side has to worry that Alito may not find all the special rights in the Constitution that lefty justices in the past have found.

Just looking at the news coverage tells you that a battle is brewing. NARAL and other pro-abortion forces were trotting out all their stern-faced hairy-legged spokesthings to tell how tragic this new law will be. Tragic for the abortion industry's bottom line, maybe, but not tragic for the country.