Marco Rubio Pledges to ‘Defend the Unborn’

In an op-ed written for the Quad-City Times newspaper in Davenport, Iowa, Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio pledged to “defend the unborn.”

Friday marks the 43rd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion in the case of Roe v. Wade that determined women have a right to terminate pregnancies. He noted that Jan. 22 is a “tragic anniversary of one the most egregiously flawed Supreme Court decisions in our nation’s history” in his article.

“Since the Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion in 1973, tens of millions of children have been denied life, and America has in turn been denied the gifts God gave them.

“Make no mistake: Life is a definitional issue. It tells us what sort of society we are. If the right to life is not guaranteed for all, then our society is not truly equal. A nation that cannot guarantee a right to life cannot guarantee liberty. And of course, without life, there is no ability to pursue happiness.

“The election before us is a choice about what kind of country we want to be. The issue of life is a fundamental aspect of that choice. The next president could well determine the balance of the Supreme Court for a generation. He or she will have the opportunity to sign pro-life legislation, protect religious liberty, and save millions of lives.”

Rubio noted Planned Parenthood has, for the first time in its history, endorsed a presidential candidate—Hillary Clinton—and that if she becomes president in 2017, she will advance “the most radical pro-abortion agenda in American history.” He also noted his 100-percent rating from National Right to Life and his 0-percent rating from Planned Parenthood.

“I don’t know which I’m more proud of.”

Rubio said that, throughout his time in public service, he has sought, whenever possible, to protect life. He pledged to “continue this unfinished work” from the White House by:

• Reinstate the Mexico City Policy to stop taxpayer funding of abortions overseas;
• With the help of a Republican Congress, “once and for all defund” Planned Parenthood;
• Appoint justices to the Supreme Court who “have a record applying the Constitution as it was written and upholding the God-given rights it protects.”

“America is an exceptional nation, one that has been an inspiration to all in search of a better life,” he said. “This country tells us we are all equal—that even if we are not born into wealth or power, we can still go as far as our talent and hard work will take us. We know that a culture of life is inseparable from the American Dream. A nation that values life values the dreams we have for ourselves and our children.”