by Vermonters for the Common Good
Yesterday, the Vermont House advanced Proposal 5, a proposed Constitutional amendment to guarantee a so-called right to “personal reproductive autonomy,” which includes abortion.
While portrayed by advocates as a simple proposal to preserve abortion rights in case Roe v. Wade is overturned, the reality is much different. Unlike Roe v. Wade, Prop 5 protects late-term, anything goes abortion.
“Prop 5… It’s serving judicial power. It’s serving special interest groups. It’s not serving the state of Vermont. It’s not serving parents. It’s not serving the minors of our state, and it’s certainly not serving taxpayers,” said Annisa Lamberton, spokesperson for Vermonters for Good Government. “It would place Vermonters’ futures, not in their own hands as purported, but in the hands of unelected, unaccountable, judges, who will decide its meaning,” she added.
If Roe v. Wade is struck down, abortion will remain legal in Vermont, even without Prop 5.
Proposal 5 effectively elevates a man’s rights in the reproductive process onto same legal level as a woman’s. And, where those rights come into conflict, it will be up to a court – not the woman — to decide what happens.
This scenario and the need for judicial remedy was confirmed in testimony before the House Human Services Committee by a spokesperson for the ACLU. (You can watch the Vermonters for Good Government video of that testimony here: https://youtu.be/eFPH2ojknxA)
This is just one of many unintended consequences the vague and frankly bizarre wording of Proposal 5 could unleash on Vermont. Others include eliminating parental rights in regard to children seeking abortion, sterilization, or gender therapy; unfettered taxpayer funding for a variety of medical procedures related to reproduction and sexuality; future forms of eugenics such as genetically modified “designer babies,” and creating a legal mandate for nurses and doctors to participate in procedures they may deem medically unwise or ones they morally oppose (or else they could be fired with no legal recourse).
For all these reasons, we believe Vermont voters should and will reject Article 22 on election day, and Vermonters for Good Government will ensure that every Vermonter has the facts they need to make an informed decision about this poorly written Constitutional Amendment before it becomes the law of our land.
For interviews, contact:
Official Spokesperson; Annisa Lamberton: LearnMore@VermontersForGoodGovernment.org
Executive Director; Matthew Strong: Matthew@VermontersForGoodGovernment.org
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Vermonters for Good Government, a 501c4 nonprofit organization, was formed by individuals across the political spectrum to oppose the addition of Article 22/Proposal 5 in the state constitution.
Learn more about the grassroots work of Vermonters for Good Government HERE: