GOP Platform Draft Calls For Abortion Ban Without Rape, Incest Exceptions

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As Rep. Todd Akin’s comments about rape and pregnancy spell trouble for the GOP and turn a spotlight on the far-right views of some of its members, Republicans in Tampa have crafted a draft of their party’s platform that calls for a Constitutional amendment outlawing abortion without specifying exceptions in cases of rape or incest. 

A copy of the draft obtained by CNN shows that the draft calls for a “human life amendment” to the Constitution without explicit exemptions: 

“Faithful to the ‘self-evident’ truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed,” the draft platform reads. “We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.”

The language is not final an must be approved by the full platform committee on Tuesday and again by convention delegates next week. The language is similar to the platform language from 2004 and 2008, but the issue is playing a larger role in the election this year and particularly this week after Akin’s comments.

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