Whether we like it or not, the Democratic Party has made legalized abortion a central tenet of its platform. While such a claim is practically a platitude, it is important to note that the Democratic Party addresses legalized abortion not only as an matter of individual liberty, but also a matter of entrenched partisanship. This is what really makes me sick. Straight out of the The 2004 Democratic National Platform for America:
We will defend the dignity of all Americans against those who would undermine it. Because we believe in the privacy and equality of women, we stand proudly for a woman’s right to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, and regardless of her ability to pay. We stand firmly against Republican efforts to undermine that right. At the same time, we strongly support family planning and adoption incentives. Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.
One wonders whether legalized abortion would even be mentioned in the Platform if not for those “Republican efforts to undermine that right.” In other words, abortion seems to be important largely because it is a political wedge-issue. Now, I have deep respect for groups such as Democrats for Life of America. But I cannot see how they can hope to make serious headway into a Party that explicitly seeks to counteract Republican threats to a woman’s “right” to choice. Not only is the dignity of human life cheapened, but it is cashed out in political, legal terms.
I realize that this issue is not quite as simple as I make it out to be, so I welcome any respectful thoughts.
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