R. Bruce Dold’s column “Illinois politics and abortion” (Op-Ed, Aug. 22) attempts to frighten voters with the specter of “Sen.” Jim Ryan in Washington and “Gov.” George Ryan in Springfield working feverishly to make abortion illegal under all circumstances except to save the life of the mother and, possibly, also in cases of rape and incest.
What Mr. Dold fails to mention is that under the Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in Roe vs. Wade, which the court reaffirmed only five years ago in Planned Parenthood vs. Casey, neither Congress nor the states have the authority to prohibit any abortions before viability. Whether states may prohibit abortions after viability remains unclear, but abortions at that state of pregnancy account for less than 1 percent of all abortions. Neither “Sen.” Ryan nor “Gov.” Ryan would have any more power to ban abortions than Mr. Dold has. To scare voters with this fantasy is absurd.
