Jim Abeler on Abortion

Human life begins at conception

Abeler: Strongly Agree

Question topic: Should abortion be allowed under extenuating circumstances? If so, what circumstances?

Abeler: To protect the life of the mother.

Rated 100% by MN Citizens Concerned for Life

Organization description:"MCCL is a non-profit organization comprised of thousands of citizens of every faith and creed, bound by the common belief that each individual is 'endowed by their creator' with the right to 'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,' as stated so aptly by our nation's founders. We hold that unless the fundamental right to life is first secured, all other rights are meaningless. In 1973 the US Supreme Court ruled that the lives of unborn children were not protected by the US Constitution, and legalized abortion. It is our mission to restore protections for unborn children and their mothers while supporting alternatives to abortion. We also oppose the cloning of humans for experimentation and support ethical research such as the use of adult stem cells that already provide treatments for illnesses"

Stricter licensure requirements for abortion facilities

• Impose new licensure requirements upon facilities which perform 10 or more abortions per month
• Apply existing rules for outpatient surgical centers to targeted clinics.

• [Regarding surgery rules]: Clinics are very different from surgical centers. For example, under surgery center rules, clinics would be prevented from offering other services such as primary and preventive care.
• There are six abortion clinics in Minnesota which would be affected by the legislation. All are members of the National Abortion Federation which sets clinical policy standards and inspects every member.
• There is sufficient oversight of clinics, and there is no evidence of poor quality or unsafe procedures being performed.

No public funding for embryonic stem cell research

Legislative title:Public Funding for Stem Cell Research

Legislative summary: Vote to pass a bill that allows the University of Minnesota to use state funding for human embryonic and stem cell research.

• Prohibits the selling or purchasing of fetal tissue and attempts at human cloning
• Allows the University of Minnesota to spend state-appropriated funds on stem cell research.
• Prohibits researchers from creating human embryos and from destroying, discarding, or injuring human embryos.
• Issues guidelines for stem cell research.
• Establishes an optimal structure for an amniotic and a placental stem cell bank program.