Interesting discussion of partial-birth abortion at mtpolitics.net by way of Res Ipsa Loquitur. The nub appears to be whether the new law allows partial-birth abortions when the health of the mother is at risk, as opposed to cases where her life is at risk. The link to the actual bill doesn't work, but you can find it here.

But the discussion doesn't deal with my two questions:

1. Why is this a federal issue? Crimes against fellow human beings (rape, murder, robbery, etc.) are nearly always governed by state law, not federal law. What makes this different? I mean, except for the politics, of course.

2. Why does the bill punish only abortionists for violations? It specifically excludes women who have abortions from prosecution. Isn't that a bit like saying the hitman should go to jail but the godfather who orders the hit gets off free? And doesn't this language betray a bit of underlying queasiness about the whole idea of getting government involved in such intimate and private concerns?