Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer under fire for calling abortion ‘good economics’

Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan delivered her “state of the state” address recently where she had a rather shocking take on legalized abortion, calling it “good economics.”

During the address, Governor Whitmer spent much time touting the state’s economy and economic potential. One thing standing in the way of that, however, was a certain lack of “essential freedoms.”

“Let’s repeal our extreme 1931 law banning abortion,” she said in her address. “Let’s repeal other dangerous laws prohibiting people from accessing reproductive health care or shaming them for seeking it in the first place. […] Protecting these freedoms is the right thing to do and it’s just good economics.”

“States with extreme laws are losing talent and investment,” she added, referring to pro-life protections, “because bigotry is bad for business. We should build on our reputation as a welcoming beacon of opportunity where anyone can succeed.”

The governor went on to target other states with pro-life laws. “Our message is simple: we will fight for your freedom. And you know what? Let’s go on offense. I’ll go to any state that restricts people’s freedoms and win business and hardworking people from them. I’m looking at you, Ohio and Indiana.”

Ohio has a law protecting preborn children after a heartbeat is detected, though that law is currently blocked by the courts. Indiana has a law that protects most preborn children from abortion, though that law has also been blocked from taking effect.

The 1931 law Whitmer mentioned criminalizes providing abortions, granting an exception for danger to the mother’s life, making it a felony. There are no exceptions for rape or incest, because as Live Action News has reported, none are needed: “A preborn child conceived in rape [or incest] is no less a human being than any other, and is deserving of the same legal protections as any human — including his mother — no matter the act that preceded his conception (fertilization).” Killing a child for the crimes of his or her father solves nothing and may even add to the mother’s trauma.

The Governor won an injunction against the 1931 law in a suit last year, claiming that it violates the state’s constitution. Legislation to delete the two sections from Michigan’s penal code was introduced in January.

Pro-life groups immediately rejected the governor’s claim that being pro-life is “bigotry” and that it is “bad for business.”

“If you want to hear what bigotry sounds like,” said Right to Life of MI in a tweet, “ask abortion supporters what they think about unborn babies. Tumors. Parasites. Blobs of tissue. Plenty more to dehumanize them.”

SBA Pro-life chimed in as well. “@GovWhitmer you do realize your abortion absolutism is the *definition* of bigotry, right? The vast majority of Americans support reasonable, commonsense limits on abortion, whereas you can’t name a SINGLE limit you would support.”

Abortion and big business tend to go hand-in-hand. In 2019, in response to Alabama’s pro-life law, over 200 CEOs of major companies signed a full-page ad in the New York Times claiming that restricting abortion is “bad for business.” True to form, a WSJ report in August revealed that big companies have scaled back maternity and parental leave benefits – which already lag behind most developed nations – while simultaneously increasing abortion benefits. This came after a record number of women left the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lack of available childcare.

Live Action News has reported on the huge and increasing number of companies paying for employees’ abortion travel if they live in a state with pro-life laws, something the EEOC has investigated as potentially discriminatory. Companies have gone to great lengths so that women can remain “productive employees” and businesses have no pressure to pay for much more expensive maternity benefits.

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