Tim Scott guest column: A year after Dobbs, there’s more work to do for life

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Des Moines Register

Senator Tim Scott

June 23, 2023

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One year ago this week, a generation of prayers, votes, and marches for life paid off in an historic victory. I was proud to vote to confirm Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, and I have never been prouder than I was last June 24 when they ignored the angry mobs, followed the Constitution, and overturned Roe v. Wade. The Dobbs decision further bolstered the right to life and allowed our nation to begin repairing a terrible decision.I will never pretend to know what a woman goes through when making this difficult decision, but I have provided a listening ear when dear friends of mine have experienced this life-changing choice themselves. In one friend, I saw the sadness and regret that followed in abortion’s wake. In another, I saw the peace and joy that came with choosing life. Watching both sides of that choice play out firsthand opened my eyes even wider. Witnessing the emotional scars that accompany that irreversible decision, in contrast to the love and hope that accompany life, only further cemented my belief that both mothers and their innocent children deserve our support, the chance to live and the opportunity to grow.

I am pro-life and proud of it. I was already on the side of life before I became a Christian. Regardless of your faith, life is a beautiful gift! I happen to believe it’s a gift from God, and as such, has intrinsic and irreplaceable value.

Modern science keeps confirming what our hearts already know — unborn children are living human beings. In recent years, new ultrasound technology allows us to meet babies as early as 15 to 20 weeks as they yawn, stretch, and suck their thumbs.

The month before the Dobbs ruling last year, President Joe Biden’s Treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, appeared before one of my Senate committees and suggested that abortion is necessary for women to succeed financially. I couldn’t believe how coldly and recklessly this top Biden official had tossed out such a disgusting, depraved statement. The gift of life is one that we are ALL entitled to as Americans. None of us should accept a society where the value of any life can be reduced to dollars and cents.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — despite what Janet Yellen wants you to believe, you don’t have to pick just two.

I am 100% pro-life. When I am president of the United States, I will sign the most pro-life legislation the House and Senate can put on my desk. We should begin with a 15-week national limit. Poll after poll shows that a clear majority of Americans oppose abortion in the second trimester and agree it should be restricted. Which raises the real question: Why is the radical left OK with aborting babies up until the day they are born?

Now that Dobbs has returned the decision back to “We the People,” Americans will be able to actively voice their support for life in a way they haven’t been able to in more than 50 years.

But winning long-term victories for life will take more than just lawsuits and legislation. We also need to change hearts and minds and rebuild an American culture of life that applies before, during, and after birth. Life is a gift, but what we do with it is up to us. By providing opportunities and support to women and their children, there’s no telling how high they can climb.

Our pro-life principles are always righteous. When they’re communicated with clarity and love, they’re attractive, too. Our movement needs a persuader-in-chief who can take our message to unexpected places, break through the liberal lies, and unite people around the dignity of every human life.

As president, I will show the world that while the decision is hard, and life can be harder, it’s a beautiful gift that we must never take for granted. When we support, protect, and defend innocent life, we will overcome challenges, achieve amazing things, and unlock greater treasures than anyone could have imagined.

Tim Scott is a U.S. senator from South Carolina and a Republican candidate for president.