The Parties' Changing Stances on Abortion
With all the brouhaha over Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and her pregnant teenage daughter Bristol, I think I have to agree with Lindsay Lohan. Yesterday, the actress wrote in her MySpace blog, that "we are taking the focus off of getting to know Sarah Palin and her political views" to instead discuss issues related to teen pregnancy. And, yes, there has been a slew of such stories, from this AP report on McCain's opposition to funding for teen pregnancy programs to this blogger from Reality Check who practically blames Bristol's pregnancy on abstinence-only education programs in schools.
If we're going to talk about reproductive health issues on the campaign trail, however, I'd rather see more discussion of how the candidates plan to implement their views on abortion—an issue largely being ignored by Barack Obama and John McCain, as my colleague Justin Ewers points out. Yet, Democratic and Republican party leaders haven't forgotten it—and both sides are guilty, in my opinion, of moving away from mainstream public opinion.
The Democrats last week adopted a new platform that, while reaffirming their support of abortion rights and opposing any efforts to undermine those rights, also eliminates the phrase that abortions should be "safe, legal, and rare," according to the National Partnership for Women & Families. The Republicans, on the other hand, presented a platform Monday that affirms that the "unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed." This implies that exceptions shouldn't be made for rape, incest, or even to save the life of a pregnant woman, going far beyond what their candidate, John McCain, believes. He said in a recent interview that he supports these exceptions and wanted them included in the party platform.
To me, it seems that both political parties are ignoring what women want. Most of us, according to the polls, seem to prefer a happy medium—access to abortion but with the hope that it will be seen as the option of last resort. In other words, we'd like it to be legal but rare.
Here are some findings from recent Gallup polls:
• Half of Americans—women and men don't differ significantly—consider themselves "pro-choice," while about 44 percent consider themselves "pro-life." (Perhaps the other 6 percent are undecided or don't have an opinion.) Pro-life Americans, though, are somewhat more likely to vote for a candidate who holds their views on abortion.
• About 60 percent of Americans would like abortion laws to remain as they are or become less strict, while 40 percent would like them to become stricter.
• In terms of whether abortion should be legal in any circumstance, about 30 percent of Americans support that. (I'm guessing many oppose abortions without parental consent.) About 55 percent think abortion should be legal but only in certain circumstances, while just 18 percent of folks would like an all-out ban on abortion.
Clearly, both of the new platforms are off base. Now, where's all the outrage about that?
Tags: abortion | Democrats | presidential election 2008 | Republicans | teen pregnancy
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abortion
In support of underage girls to get abortons:
If there is a good relationship in families, pregnant gils will confide in their parents. In cases where the girl is in danger from their parents, she should be able to get an abortion without their consent.
Wall Street Control of our Government.
To add to my earlier comment, the bailout being planned for the Wall Street firms only proves the direction and interest of the Republicans in our government.
Wall Street maybe two trillion.
Taxpayers more debt.
The REAL TRUTH about abortion.
This article is only another example of the struggle we face as a nation. The two parties will exploit anything they can to try and get that small group that will in the end settle elections. People of FAITH can be a strong group that a minority desiring control can user to build towards a small majority. Christians today have been found as necessary for the otherwise smaller Republican party. There is not likely any way the small number of wall street high income folks and corporate people could win elections with out adding other groups . They have learned to attach people of FAITH to them by using their platform as the draw. Also noone desires to pay taxes so another group can be added.
The abortion issue is a difficult problem for Christians to deal with. I am PRO-LIFE in every situation except when medically both mother and child will die anyway if the baby remains, and even then every attempt to save the child when delivered (in what ever way it can be delivered) should be done. The truth of the abortion issue is that the Republican establishment will never let it go away. If abortion was outlawed, the most faithful supporters of their party might then look elsewhere at other issues as to who to vote for. If you faithfully vote Republican now because of their pro-life platform they will never allow that to change. Unfortunately abortion is too good politically to lose as an issue. Once again the sheep are being sheered. Things being what they are I think improving the lives of women to the point none would ever want an abortion might be the best hope we may have to stop abortions from happening.
This business about which party will bring the most change kind of brings to mind the book "Animal Farm,” where all the barnyard animals want to get their freedom from the human farmer. The farmer somehow was removed and they were working (so they believed) for the benefit of themselves collectively. Before long, the story was about the Pig then living in the house and getting most of the benefits from the collective efforts of all the animals on the farm. The Christians that have become for the most part Republicans are like the animals in the barnyard believing voting Republican will help stop abortion, make the country more moral and create a better world to raise their children. The sad truth is like the Pig in Animal Farm the benefits go mostly to high income folks on Wall Street and International Corporations that move the very livelihoods these grass roots families need disparately to be able to provide for their children. McCain/Palin seem hopeful at first glance but does anyone actually believe the Wall Street group that has controlled the Republican Party for at least one hundred years are going to give up that control to anyone. I doubt it. The Republicans has been in control for at least the last eight years so any REAL CHANGE has to come from somewhere else.
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