Guest Column: SD Republicans Revealing What The Media Won’t On Amendment G

SD Republicans Revealing What The Media Won’t On Amendment G
by Kelsey Pritchard

South Dakota is one of ten states that will have abortion on the ballot this November. Serial ballot backer Rick Weiland, Nancy Turbak and their abortion lobby pals would like South Dakotans to believe that Amendment G is about limiting government interference and protecting women’s health care. Their liberal spin couldn’t be further from the truth. Aided by their allies in the left-leaning media, too many voters are unaware of how this measure would enshrine all-trimester abortion, eviscerate parental rights, allow for zero regulations on the abortion industry, and force taxpayers to fund abortion.

At any point in pregnancy – even in the final months – women can have elective abortions under Amendment G. It allows unrestricted abortion in the first trimester, says abortion cannot be restricted in the second trimester unless it’s for a health reason for the mother (note there’s no mention of the baby who feels pain at 15 weeks and is viable around 21 weeks), and allows for abortion under an undefined “health” exception in the third trimester.

The Supreme Court has said the definition of health includes physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age. Abortion can be okayed not just because of depression and anxiety, but if the woman is young, old, or doesn’t have the ideal family situation – whether it’s that the father is out of the picture or the woman already has a child to take care of. Who gets to decide if the woman meets this broad health exception? The abortionist. The person profiting off the abortion is the sole decision maker under Amendment G.

If that weren’t bad enough, girls who aren’t old enough to get their ears pierced on their own could get an abortion without mom or dad ever knowing. We fill out all sorts of paperwork so our daughters can have Tylenol at school. Imagine our state becoming a place where an abuser could take our daughters into a Planned Parenthood for a late-term abortion with no questions asked and without notifying parents. This is now the reality in Montana where the abortion lobby sued to wipe the state’s parental consent laws off the books. It happened there and the ACLU will make it happen here too.

Amendment G would also put women’s health in danger and increase government intrusion by forcing taxpayers to pay for other people’s abortions. This is what is happening in Ohio and Michigan where similar amendments have passed and they’re suing to allow non-doctors to perform abortions and require Medicaid to cover elective abortion.

Thankfully our GOP leaders are revealing that Amendment G is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

 

1. Dusty Johnson

Dusty has long opposed Amendment G and been aware of its radical implications. He was the featured speaker at an event in Minnehaha County just last night for NoGforSD.

Dusty is not only voicing his opposition to G but investing to oppose it. Dusty’s PAC is running a radio ad where Dusty says: “You’ve heard Amendment G is too extreme for South Dakota and I agree with that. It fails to protect mothers and it fails to protect children. It allows the termination of pregnancy all the way until birth. South Dakota, we can do better. Please join me in voting no on Amendment G.”

Dusty is also sending thousands of mailers to let South Dakotans know the abortion measure is way too radical.

 

2. Mike Rounds

In September, Rounds made his stance clear on X saying: “First and foremost, I believe that life begins at conception and our obligation is to save lives. That includes both the mother and child. Amendment G goes too far by including legal abortions through the third trimester.” Like Dusty, he’s clearly stating this is about abortion at any point and not letting the media get away with running cover for the Democrats on the deceptive trimester language.

Also yesterday he told Keloland, “Personally, I will vote no and I would simply with all due respect to the citizens of this state ask them to also vote no and not put this in the constitution.”

 

3. Kristi Noem

Noem released a public video for the SD Right To Life Convention saying she opposes Amendment G: “Of course I’m going to be voting ‘no’ on the extreme Amendment G and I will be encouraging others to do the same.”

 

4. John Thune

Last month, the Dakota Scout reported that Thune opposes the amendment as well.

There are a number of South Dakotans who would like our life at conception law to be altered to include rape and incest exceptions. This amendment, however, is not an exceptions amendment. Weiland could have created an amendment to specifically address rape and incest but instead they wrote something that is so sweeping that it will allow for abortion of babies who are viable. When the Democrats bring up rape and incest in light of this amendment, don’t be fooled. That is a debate South Dakotans can encourage their legislators to have. If we put this in our constitution, there will be no debate and we’ll become like Colorado where Kermit Gosnell-style abortionists are setting up shop.  This amendment will cost lives, the health and safety of women and girls, and our fundamental freedoms.

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Kelsey Pritchard is a Spearfish mother of three who worked for 7 years in the Daugaard Administration. She is now the state public affairs director for SBA Pro-Life America.