This Just In: "My City Hates Abortion," "Mine Hates Pregnant Women" and other news

Anti-choice activists in Bakersfield, CA has been trying for months to get the city to approve an ordinance that would ban abortion, despite the fact that a city ordinance would be utterly unconstitutional (are you listening, Albuquerque?). Now, they have kicked it back down a notch, saying just a city ordinance condemning the act is good enough.

 But that may not be good enough for some council members:

"I'm a strong pro-life person, and there are many people in our community that are also very strongly pro-life, so I would like there to be something stronger," Sullivan said. "I don't think this discussion has to be considered a negative thing. I hope it's enlightening."

Nebraska Republicans are getting ready to pick a new candidate for governor. One topic for debate -- does this "pro-life" group of candidates believe that a pregnant person deserves prenatal care even if she isn't documented?

Janssen, also a state senator, has one of the toughest stances on the issue. The Fremont lawmaker has made his fight against illegal immigration a cornerstone of his political career.

In the most recent legislative session he attempted, unsuccessfully, to repeal the prenatal care law. He believes the law makes the state more attractive for illegal immigrants.

“To me, this basically made Nebraska a sanctuary state for people who are here illegally and who (may) come for medical care,” he said.

Should the University of Iowa force Gov. Branstad to publicly state whether he would allow reimbursement for low income women who get abortions because of issues with the fetus? The Iowa Press Citizen says yes.

Again, we’re glad to hear that the university is continuing to help these women who wouldn’t be able to afford an abortion otherwise. But by refusing to seek reimbursement — by treating this procedure differently than it would any other medically necessary procedure — the university is still acquiescing to the politics of the situation.

Branstad hasn’t declined any reimbursements, and he hasn’t said for sure that he will. But the best thing — for the women making these decisions and physicians counseling them — would be to change this ill-conceived law and remove the governor’s direct involvement in the process.

 Finally, conservatives wish the Pope wouldn't be such a social liberal, abortion caused the floods in Colorado,  and one college student gives the West Virginia A.G. a piece of her mind on his plan to close the state's abortion clinics.