Since I have the power, let me write briefly on the abortion issue. The debate over what constitutes doing a lot on abortion doesn’t really interest me. Symbolic victories have benefits. However having babes salt poisoned rather than dismembered or having them dismembered in the womb rather than the birth canal doesn’t generate back slapping for me. Similarly, whether General Electric funds abortion for poor women through their charitable contributions or the government funds it through Medicaid doesn’t interest me a whole lot. My preference is that the government would not fund it, but at the same time I don’t find it offensive to the senses that the government funds health care for the poor. I just happen to think abortion is not properly understood to be health care or at least medically necessary; Medicaid doesn’t cover laser eye surgery. As I’ve written previously, I think the judicial strategy is a poor one and open to honest prudential disagreements. Having said that, Roberts and Alito I believe are better equiped to address the issue properly than say Miers or a Democratic nominee.
I think progress has been made. I still believe the pro-life position is a minority position. This has been evidenced in South Dakota with the abortion ammendment and in Missouri with the approval of stem cell funding. Where progress has been made is the departure of a significant amount of the public believing that abortion policy is principally a consideration of the mother’s interests. This view has been replaced with a more moderate view that abortion policy is primarily a consideration of the mother’s interests. This view looks dimly upon mothers who aren’t expedient with their choice to abort their child barring medical or disability information learned at a point further in the pregnancy. Some would claim my view is overly pessimistic. I simply haven’t seen significant enough polling or political support that would indicate a willingness to end 1st trimester abortion. Yes, 2nd and 3rd trimester abortions are bad, but you might as well not even bother showing up if you aren’t going to address 1st trimester abortion, especially if you are going to have health and disability exceptions.
As for the political end, it is a very difficult question. If you accept my view, expecting a political solution any time soon is not sensible. You sure as hell aren’t going to change the culture having someone shouting:
Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, it’s never been more important to protect a woman’s right to choose. …
Throughout my career, I’ve been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America.
While I was in the U.S. Senate, South Dakota passed a law banning all abortions in a direct effort to have Roe overruled; I am the only candidate for President to raise money to help the citizens of South Dakota repeal that law. When anti-choice protesters blocked the opening of an Illinois Planned Parenthood clinic in a community where affordable health care is in short supply, I was the only candidate for President who spoke out against it. And I will continue to defend this right by passing the Freedom of Choice Act as president.
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