The Susan B. Anthony List, or simply SBA List, is a 501(c)(4) non-profit, non-partisan political action committee[1] that seeks to advance pro-life women in politics, especially to Congress. The group has over 160,000 members as of 2009[2], and its activists sent over 1,500,000 letters to Congress in 2009.[3] It has seen a 50% increase in activity over the past two years.[4]
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According to the official website, the SBA List was founded by Jane Abraham and Marjorie Dannenfelser in 1992 after the so-called "Year of the Woman" produced "nothing but pro-abortion women elected to Congress". The women were upset that all but two congresswomen were pro-choice. It was originally created as just a political action committee, but in 1997 it became a 501(c)(4) called the Susan B. Anthony List, with a connected PAC called the SBA List Candidate Fund.[5]
The SBA List has outspent one of its pro-choice counterparts, the National Organization for Women, in every election cycle since 1996.[6]
The name of the organization stems from suffragist Susan B. Anthony's anti-abortion views. Anthony denounced abortion as "child-murder" and advocated for an end to it.[7]
Susan B. Anthony herself along with many if not most of the feminist/suffrage leaders of that time were secular. Many were Unitarians, agnostics or even atheists which may be in contrast to much of the membership of the SBA list who are probably more likely to be religious in nature. Anthony was a Unitarian who became an agnostic. [8]
In 1869, Anthony wrote about abortion in her newspaper The Revolution: "Guilty? Yes, no matter what the motive, love of ease, or a desire to save from suffering the unborn innocent, the woman is awfully guilty who commits the deed. It will burden her conscience in life, it will burden her soul in death; but oh! thrice guilty is he who, for selfish gratification, heedless of her prayers, indifferent to her fate, drove her to the desperation which impelled her to the crime."[9]
The group gained renewed attention during the 2008 presidential election after the nomination of then-Governor Sarah Palin for vice president. They had endorsed her 2006 run for governor.[10] They embraced her candidacy for vice president, and started a social networking site called "Team Sarah", which is "dedicated to advancing the values that Sarah Palin represents in the political process."
One current project is called "Votes Have Consquences", headed up by former congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave, which is aimed at defeating pro-choice candidates in pro-life districts[11]. It is currently targeting twelve representatives[12] and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.[13] It is currently airing $130,000 worth of ads such as this one in Nevada attacking Reid for saying he is pro-life but not voting that way.[14][15]
In September 2009, the group endorsed Conservative Party of New York candidate Doug Hoffman over the Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava, saying Scozzafava is an "abortion radical who does not represent the views of the growing majority of pro-life American women."[16]
The organization is currently involved in keeping abortion coverage out of health care reform.[17] They are targeting Senator Bob Casey to ensure abortion is not covered in H.R. 3590, the Senate version of health care reform[18][19], and were involved in lobbying for the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to H.R. 3962[20] The group blasted Sen. Ben Nelson for what they say is a fake compromise on abortion in H.R. 3590,[21] and condemned the Christmas Eve passage of the Senate bill.[22]
In January 2010 they launched a [http://www.blockhardfortebow.com "Block Hard for Tebow" campaign in support of star quarterback Tim Tebow, who came under fire from pro-choice groups like NOW for starring in a pro-life commercial for Focus on the Family that will air during the Super Bowl.[23]
   | Official website - Home-Susan B. Anthony List |
| | Susan B Anthony List, Inc. - GuideStar - JustGive Search - SUSAN B ANTHONY LIST INC |
| | Musgrave to pilot pro-life push - Musgrave to pilot pro-life push - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com |
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