When it comes to abortion, I’m more often saddened that it’s become a cornerstone of the major parties in this country: Republicans outright against; Democrats support within reason. Now, the ugly head of abortion has reared its head and Senator Obama did a poor job of answering a question about limiting late term abortions. From my point of view, I happen to agree with Senator Obama. I’m a man, and I’m often pissed by the idea that I have so say in something I helped to create, but I support abortion rights; however, when it comes to late term abortion I think there should be limits based on a medically necessary need. Those medically necessary needs include clinically diagnosed physical and mental dangers to the mother. I’m sure that puts me to the right of some Democrats, but in line with average Americans who don’t spend every day of their life thinking about abortion believe on this issue.
That being said, I’m getting angry that Senator Obama can’t answer a question without screwing it up or seeming wishy-washy on the issues. I’m also disappointed that he used the term “partial-birth” abortion when he should know that it’s a term created by Republicans to make a sometimes necessary procedure sound horrific. He should know better; the people around him should know better. Get it together Senator.
After weeks of, to coin a phrase, flip-flopping on the issue of abortion rights it looks like Rudolph Giuliani’s campaign will a stance in favor of abortion rights. As Mr. Giuliani himself says, “Ultimately, there has to be a right to choose.” So what will this mean for Guiliani’s campaign? Right off the bat he’s lost the far right in the party and Conservative Christians who vote on a small number of issues, abortion being a big one; however, that also makes him more attractive to moderate Republicans who agree with him.
I’m not a fan of Rudolph Giuliani. I think he used the tragedy of September 11, 2001 to make a crap-load of money and to secure a political future that was beginning to fade in the final month of his mayorship. However, I think it’s brave of him to take this stand, especially among a group of candidates who, for the most part, will mercilessly attack for taking that stand.
According to that scion of conservatism, John McCain, being against abortion rights is a “fundamental principle of conservatism.” Yeah, I get the Republican party has co-opted a “pro-life” stance with its opposition to abortion, but what about that is a fundamental principle of conservatism when the vast, vast majority of moderate to slightly right of center Republicans support a woman’s right to choose? If being anti-abortion is a fundamental principle of conservatism, then the greater majority of Americans are not actually conservatives since more than two-thirds of them support a woman’s right to choose in some form or another. It’s sad really that all the Republican Party really has anymore is the abortion issue.