I originally had published a post here taking issue with Senator Lindsey Graham’s proposal for a 15-week abortion ban at the national level, out of concern that it would preempt state efforts to set stricter limits. I am retracting the post because it was factually wrong. I did not realize that Graham’s proposal is just a federal ceiling; it allows states to set limits lower than 15 weeks.
I am not personally in favor of federal legislation. I believe abortion is a state and local issue and democracy should be allowed to work, so that jurisdictions that would favor protecting life from the moment of conception can do that. I recognize, nevertheless, that (a) Democrats favor federal legislation that expands abortion, and, therefore, the battle over such legislation cannot be avoided; and (b) the American public as a whole, as a recent NR editorial observes, is not willing at this time to support a law protecting life from conception. Ergo, if there is going to be federal legislation in a pro-life direction, it would have to be along the lines of what Senator Graham has proposed in order to be plausible.
The error is mine entirely for not better educating myself on the proposal. I apologize to Senator Graham.