Posted on 11/11/2012 8:55:29 PM PST by SquarePants
First off, let me say this. I am completely, unabashedly and unapologetically pro-life. That being said, I was somewhat dismayed by the reports of the 2012 election featuring the largest gender gap in history. Given multiple national polls showing that people do not support abortion, it remains an issue, and it remains an issue that the GOP does not handle well.
I remember watching the VP debate between Biden and Ryan, and being hugely disappointed in how Ryan handled the abortion question. You can watch a video of it below, but, if I may paraphrase Ryan's answer in general terms, he stressed how important his faith was in coming to his pro-life position. Biden then rambled on about how much he supports a woman's "right to choose." The net result is that Biden generally came across as a rational, compassionate, caring sort - which is not what he is at all, while the impression of Ryan that the underinformed voters ultimately got was that he would be the sort of person who might just be capable of supporting any sort of position informed by his religious views.
Of course, Senate candidates Akin and Mourdock also had cringe-worthy comments on the abortion issue as well. Arguably, poor handling of "women's issues" cost the GOP two Senate seats and possibly the Presidency. So what's the problem? Why does the GOP insist upon conveying the most important message of civilized society - the message that every life is valuable - in such consistently inarticulate fashion? What kind of an approach would serve to neutralize the issue at the voting booth, and bring election results in line with national polls on the matter?
Well, as to why the GOP is so incompetent at communicating the value of life, I'm not really sure. They certainly know it's an issue that will be raised by Democrat candidates and the progressive, state-run media. They certainly have the time and resources to prepare for it. Honestly, I have no idea why the GOP can't positively deliver the pro-life message, but I do know what their message should be.
The GOP message should be, "The abortion issue has nothing to do with religion. Mine or anyone else's. The senseless and societally counterproductive promotion of abortion as an acceptable solution to the problem of unwanted pregnancy has led to a culture where the value of a life can be quantified, and that's wrong. Abortion is a human rights issue, and a civilized society has several undeniable obligations. Primary among them is the right to life. This is not an opinion informed by my religious beliefs. This is an opinion informed by common sense. Every life has value, and a civilized society protects life. It's that simple."
The GOP needs to stop hinging their abortion discussions on religion, and their public policy positions on faith. Frankly, it makes the pro-life position look fanatical, when it is anything but. The GOP needs to have confidence that their position is informed by reality, and by the conviction that a society is judged, ultimately, by how they treat the least among them. And most Americans support candidates who promote the future of our nation and stand up for using our government programs in the manner they were intended - which is to protect and provide for those who cannot protect or provide for themselves.
If they were smart, the GOP would position themselves to call out the pro-abortion Democrats for the hypocritical simultaneous support of the contradicting position on Human Rights. Real concern for human rights and promotion of abortion can't exist together. That's not fanatical. That's Realville, USA.
Amen.....
I'm reading a lot of excuses lately. Most of them try to blame someone else. Sorta reminds me of the Democrat candidate's behavior.
I agree, however, the only way to do it is a Constitutional Ammendment. An overturning of Roe V Wade will simply revert the decision back to the states. Some will have abortion some will not, some will have many restrictions some will have none.
Akin and Mourdock had ZERO bearing on the presidential race. Both those states went big for Romney, despite the Senate losses.
Because the GOP was very liberal by then. It was enough of an indication of how liberal the GOP was three decades earlier when Nixon signed off on creating things like the EPA.
You like to pretend that voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, et al weren’t aware of Akin and Mourdock’s comments? Would you also like to pretend that the national media didn’t have a field day with their statements and repeatedly associate their statements with the GOP as a whole?
OK, then.
Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding. Ladies and gentlemen we have another winner.
After I noticed the same thing happen, I never gave the abortion issue another thought. I won’t support it, my wife and kids won’t either. However, it appears that until the vast majority of women rethink this, overturning it ain’t ever going to happen, period.
The toothpaste is not going back in the tube.
I believe the efforts have to be focused on the non-political realm, changing hearts and minds outside of the political process, which I believe there has been tremendous strides.
I believe in general, society does look down on women who have had abortions. We must use “shame” and “social sanctions” as our weapons.
Oh, another absolutist. Must be a Taliban. I would hate to live in a world run by you.
BTW, I noticed you conveniently forgot to answer my other question.
“Side stepping is a politician’s speciality. Do you actually see them directly answering anything?”
Problem is YOU would want to know where a candidate stands on abortion.
Somebody saying “I don’t want to talk about it” is not exactly a principled position.
Hey troll, take your pro-abortion concern trolling somewhere else.
You sound just like the Whigs who wanted to ignore slavery.
The problem in the past election was that conservatives have never actually believed Romney when he said he was pro-life, EVERYTHING Romney says is for the sake of convenience. Abortion SHOULD be an issue, but it certainly wasn't in this election.
An innocent American in murdered in an abortuary EVERY 24 SECONDS and I refuse to support any party that wants to pretend that's not an issue.
“I would follow the Bible.”
I did a bit of Googling and found this...
But Exodus 21:22 reads:
When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine.
To me what this is addressing is what the payment should be when a third party causes you damage - similar to someone stealing something from you. But abortion is causing “damage” to yourself, so just like there is no punishment if you “steal” from yourself, is the bible then saying that there should be no punishment if you cause the abortion of your baby?
Excerpted from this...
http://civilliberty.about.com/od/abortion/f/bible_abortion.htm
I was also wondering, what was the punishment for abortion pre Roe vs Wade?
The point is that the punishment for the death of a preborn human is less than for the death of a baby. So I would favor not pressing murder charges for a doctor who performs an abortion when it’s illegal. More like manslaughter or even make up a suitable punishment/crime such as Knowingly Taking a Protected Life. The punishment should be more than someone destroying a vulture egg (already illegal) but less than murder. At this point in our history, a vulture egg is a legally protected life form but a viable human preborn is not.
. My intent was also to give poor minorities an income stream. Abort away!
***Where is your “/sarcasm” tag? Because if you’re serious, you’re one sick, racist, baby-killing mofo.
Obviously not a FReeper. Goodbye.
I thought the “modest proposal” intro kind of gave it away as satire. Jonathan Swift-wise...
My standard IB4TZ post:
___________________________________________________________________
Sung to the tune of “Oh! Susanna, don’t you cry for me.” “
.... “Oh, no Bama, please don’t lie to me... for I’m off to Free Republic with a laptop on my knee.”
I come from Minnesota with my laptop on my knee; | I’m goin’ to Free Republic my true love for to see. | It rained all night the day you left, | the weather it was dry; | The sun so hot you froze to death, | Obama don’t you lie. | | Oh! No Bama, don’t you lie to me; | I come from Minnesota, with my laptop on my knee.
I had a dream the other night, | When everything was still; | I thought I saw Obama dear, | A-coming for The Hill. | The smearing lie was in Duluth, | The croc tear in his eye, | Said I, I’m coming for the truth | Obama don’t you lie. | | Oh! No Bama, don’t you lie to me; | I’m off to Free Republic, | with my laptop on my knee.
I fight in my pajamas, | It’s plain for all to see. | I aim to be the next Buckhead; | The media all hate me. | I fell in love with Sarah | When my sister bit a moose. | The Guvnor’s family ate it up | And then they set it loose. | | Oh! No Bama, don’t you lie to me; | I’m off to Free Republic, | with my laptop on my knee.
She loves her sons, she likes her guns, | and Triggernometry. | The media will jump the shark | When she makes history. | Well, JimRob knows she’ll pave the trolls | So controversially, | And Berg will knock Obama down | With friends of Hillary. | | Oh! No Bama, don’t you lie to me; | I’m off to Free Republic with a laptop on my knee.
I soon will be in Hawaii, | And then I’ll look all ‘round, | And when I find his birth record, | I’ll fall upon the ground. | But if I do not find it, | This Freeper’ll surely die, | And when I’m dead and buried, | Obama don’t you lie. | | Oh! No Bama, don’t you cry for me; | I’m off to Free Republic with a laptop on my knee.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2073903/posts?page=30#30
If every man stood by the women they knocked up, abortion would be a non-starter. Abortion is a man’s issue.
Platitudes don’t solve problems.
The points I’ve been making lead to this:
Strong arming the population to deciding in the black and white of abortion isn’t working. It’s a wedge issue that is further alienating the GOP from the general population, causing us to lose even more ground.
Here is the important part: Politics (and society) are not quantum. Quantum means you can easily transition from one point of view to the other diametrically opposing view point. That’s not going to happen and trying to make it happen at this point just further diminishes our argument and drives us apart from the voting public.
Soften our stance and lure them back to the right is the best approach. Then keep luring them right until societies dysfunction is corrected.
If you want to brow beat, at least do it right. Get a picture of a post-abortion lump of torn apart flesh with the twisted face and blank eyes of the Fetus and slap it on a billboard with the caption “Mother, what have you done”.
That picture would be worth more then the 100’s of thousands of words that a virulently anti-abortion proponent could write — from the Pope on down to the lowliest church member.
I have done that, yes, sir.
You just keep digging the hole deeper. Why do you presume things about people you have never met?
“Strong arming the population to deciding in the black and white of abortion isn’t working.”
Bending over and capitulation just ensures more babies die.
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