The top salesman for the culture of death in our state

RICHARD A. SOKERKA

Abortion is big business to N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy (D). He is not content with our home state already being the largest provider of abortions in Ameri­ca. He wants even more of them performed here because he sees abortion as providing an economic boon to the state.

Being the No. 1 salesman for the culture of death in New Jersey, Murphy used his zealous pro-abortion message as a reason why businesses should relocate to New Jersey. He recently wrote an op-ed piece in a Houston newspaper calling on companies in Texas to relocate to the Garden State — using the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v Wade as part of his pitch — while promoting state law that allows abortions up to the moment of birth of a child as the incentive for companies to move here.

“Abortion rights may not, on the surface, appear to be an economic issue,” wrote Murphy. “But the reality is that as more states move backward on individual freedoms, businesses can no longer sit silent. Individual rights and freedoms are an economic issue,” Murphy wrote in his op-ed piece. “For Texas companies uncomfortable with the restrictive and anti-freedom posturing of elected officials, instead of quietly figuring out ways to make end runs around state laws to provide abortion access to the women you employ, may I offer a solution: Come to New Jersey.”

In January, Murphy signed a bill enshrining the right to an abortion in New Jersey state law, shortly after being re-elected by the slimmest of margins. Signing the bill, Murphy said, “A woman’s right to an abortion is now codified in state law. We are not going to criminalize a woman’s right to her body.” Yet, he has no problem sentencing the child in a woman’s womb to a horrific death.

The governor has done a “victory lap” promoting New Jersey as “running forward” in taking the opportunity to enshrine abortion rights within state laws, yet gives no rights at all to the child in the womb. Let alone mention that the child in the womb is a living human being.

“In this economic and social climate, the value of locating a business where employee values are protected — along with their basic individual rights, freedoms and health — cannot be overstated,” he wrote. “Businesses know that it is easier to recruit and retain top talent where employees can enjoy a high quality of life, greater opportunity and, yes, more personal freedom — including access to abortion rights.” Governor, know that abortion is certainly not healthcare nor is it a “value.”

Murphy also sent letters to companies with headquarters in Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Missouri and Florida, where strict laws against abortions are in place, telling them of the abortion-friendly environment he as created in New Jersey as the solitary reason to move their businesses here.

In response to Murphy’s letter, Katie Byrd, the communications director for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, said, “Business is booming” in the Peach State and pilloried Murphy’s letter. “A sitting governor wouldn’t be spending his time making this type of desperate outreach if business was already booming in his state,” Byrd said in a statement. “He’d be celebrating the announcement of multibillion dollar projects and thousands of new jobs — like Gov. Kemp has had the privilege of doing several times already this year.”

While Gov. Murphy wants a $2.7 billion increase in the state’s previous budget, the majority of which will be funded by higher taxes, a spokesperson for Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas pointed out Texas does not have a state income tax and since Abbott was elected governor, taxes have been cut by nearly $4 billion. This tax cut included a 25 percent cut to the business franchise tax. Obviously, Texas is a far better state for business opportunities than New Jersey.

When Abbott signed into law the Texas Heartbeat Act that prohibits abortions as early as six weeks, he said, “Our Creator endowed us with the right to life and yet millions of children lose their right to life every year because of abortion. The bill that I’m about to sign ensures that the life of every unborn child who has a heartbeat will be saved from the ravages of abortion.”

Murphy’s words are so contrarian to Abbott’s because they are heartless. His sales pitch promoting the evil that is abortion to raise the state’s coffers should disgust every resident of our state.

Pray for the conversion of our governor that he sees the error of his ways and comes to understand that life in the womb is sacred, and is not to be victimized by being dangled as a bargaining chip to lure businesses to our state.