Former Hillsdale history professor Lucy Moye urged voters to reject Michigan’s pro-abortion Proposal 3, at an event in Lansing organized by Democrats for Life on Oct. 13.
“Proposal 3 is a bad proposal, even for people who are moderately pro-choice. It doesn’t restore in Michigan’s Constitution the basic rights of Roe v. Wade. It goes much further,” said Moye, chair of the American Solidarity Party, a Christian-democratic political party.
Democrats For Life Executive Director Kristen Day said Proposal 3 would remove all regulations that protect women, allowing teenage abortions without parental notification and non-licensed providers to perform abortions.
“Prop. 3 is dangerous for women whether you support abortion or not because it would overturn reasonable laws passed with bipartisan support to ensure the safety of women,” Day said, refering to laws the Michigan Legislature passed before the Dobbs decicion.
Day said she believes the government has a responsibility to protect citizens, but Proposal 3 denies women this protection.
“We are putting the decision not in the hands of women, but in the hands of providers who stand to make a profit,” she said.
Sarah Burchart, state chapter leader of Democrats for Life of Michigan, discussed the deceptive wording of Proposal 3.
“The reality is the wording of this proposed constitutional amendment would give the abortion industry free reign to self regulate far beyond what Roe ever established,” Burchart said. “The loopholes in Proposal 3 do not put women first. They were crafted by those who profit off of abortion to keep their money-making beyond scrutiny or accountability.”
Moye said the American Solidarity Party is a “pro-life for the whole life” party, and they would support the 1931 abortion ban in Michigan, which restricts all abortions except to save the life of the mother.
In September, the Michigan Court of Claims declared the 1931 ban as unconstitutional, keeping abortion legal in Michigan, according to CNN.
Moye said many falsely believe there is no middle ground between Proposal 3 and the 1931 abortion ban.
Moye said the ballot summary is deceptive and does not reflect the actual text of the amendment, especially the proposal’s redefinition of fetal viability.
Proposal 3 defines viability as the point determined by a professional when the fetus can survive outside the womb without extraordinary medical intervention, according to Moye. She said almost any fetus born before 32 weeks in utero requires medical intervention.
“This proposal pushes back viability basically to birth,” Moye said. “There are all kinds of possibilities this opens up if you say that a baby who requires medical intervention is not entitled to protection of the law.”
Caroline Smith of the Protect Life Michigan Advocacy Fund said at the press conference Proposal 3 removes protection for women and families.
“This is not a left or right, Christian or atheist issue. It’s about common sense and understanding that women deserve better than Proposal 3,” Smith said. “Michigan does not want gruesome late term abortion. Michigan does not want dangerous and unregulated abortion facilities. And it does not want Proposal 3.”
