Extremist Green on abortion: Let women die

Rep. Mark Green is an extremist, the most conservative member of the Wisconsin Congressional delegation, even to the right of F. Jim Sensenbrenner.

Even so, his position on abortion may surprise some people. It is as extreme as you can get without advocating blowing up clinics and killing doctors. Green is on the lunatic fringe on this one.

Green wants to bring back the age-old Wisconsin law that made abortions a felony, with no exceptions.

That's right. No exceptions for rape victims. No exceptions for incest victims. And no exceptions even to save a pregnant woman's life. [Correction: There is a provision in 940.04 to allow an abortion to save a woman's life.]

So no exceptions for a 14-year-old who is raped and impregnated by a family member. That's what Mark Green calls compassionate conservatism, I suppose.

The law Green supports also would put doctors who perform abortions in prison.

Today's Wisconsin State Journal compares the positions of Green and Gov. Jim Doyle, who strongly supports a woman's right to make her own reproductive choices. On Green:

But it's his call to bring back Wisconsin's near-complete ban on abortions - similar to a law South Dakota adopted in February as a direct challenge to Roe - that is drawing the most fire from his opponents. The law does not make an exception for the health of the mother. Green contends such an exception is the chief flaw in current abortion law.

"The problem we have seen in the debates on abortion, both in Madison and in Washington, is that the 'health of the mother' means almost anything," Green said. "Those who have pointed to the health of the mother have often times simply been using it as a vehicle to undermine and remove protections for unborn children."

Nor does the law provide exceptions in cases of rape or incest, which Green said is consistent with his position.

"I understand and absolutely respect why folks feel that way," Green said of past efforts to ensure exemptions in such cases. "But if you believe an unborn child deserves protection, you believe that regardless of the terrible circumstances - sad, tragic circumstances - under which the child may have been conceived. The unborn child is obviously innocent, as is the mother."

This may be a heartfelt belief. Let's hope no one would go to that extreme for political reasons.

Whatever the case, Mark Green is far out of the Wisconsin mainstream on this issue --so far that it is an issue that is certain to damage his chances of becoming governor.

Doyle and the Democrats should hang it around his neck like an albatross, and point to it every day.

UPDATE: Rick Esenberg suggests I have "defamed" Mark Green, because the Wisconsin law that would be reinstated if Roe v. Wade is overturned contains an exception to save a woman's life. If Green supports such an exception, all he needs to do is say so. Let's see if he does that or if he gets the endorsement of Pro-Life Wisconsin, which will endorse only no-exception candidates. If Green speaks up on the issue, I will be the first to report it. But with no exceptions for rape or incest victims, he will still be an extremist.