Giuliani's Abortion Folly

American Thinker ^ | April 07, 2007 | Steven M. Warshawsky

[Josh Painter]

It has long been understood that Rudy Giuliani's pro-choice stance on abortion could cost him dearly among conservative voters who wield considerable influence in Republican presidential primaries and provide a crucial core of support for Republican candidates in the general election. Those, like me, who find many of Giuliani's other positions and qualities highly attractive in a potential president... have been hoping, with fingers crossed, that Giuliani will put aside his personal views on abortion and embrace the "strict constructionist" judicial philosophy that rejects the entire liberal approach to "finding" new "rights" in the Constitution, including the right to abortion created by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade (1973)...

The main point is that there is nothing inconsistent or illogical about believing that some form of abortion should be legal, but flatly rejecting the idea that a "right" to abortion, however defined, is enshrined in the Constitution. This is the "strict constructionist" position that Giuliani and his supporters have been suggesting he holds. Of course, a lot of conservatives have had doubts about Giuliani's sincerity on this issue. These doubts have now been justified...

As someone who supports Giuliani over the other declared candidates, I find his comments... dismaying... It is clear that Giuliani believes abortion is a "right"; that there should be public funding for abortion; and that all his talk about appointing strict constructionist judges is "for a different reason, not necessarily that reason [i.e., to reverse Roe v. Wade]." Does Giuliani seriously expect conservatives to endorse a candidate who holds these positions? Perhaps more importantly, it appears that Giuliani has not been straight with Republican voters on the abortion question. Which inevitably raises the question: What else is he not being straight with us about? Immigration? Health care? Gun control? Taxes?

[Josh Painter]

Fredipedia v2.16: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

[lormand]

Think of all the progress the pro-life movement has made recently, and then scratch your head and try to figure out why a party would nominate someone who would torpedo all of it.

Rudy would also like your guns.

[Guenevere]

bttt

[madprof98]

Excellent piece. Amazing that a Giuliani ad comes up on the same screen as this very honest analysis of his pro-abortion stand.

[Man50D]

Conservatives are better off leaving the increasingly socialist Republicans and forming their own party.

[Darkwolf377]

Conservatives are better off leaving the increasingly socialist Republicans and forming their own party.

Please DO!

Sincerely,

DU, Hillary Clinton, and the DNC

[marvlus]

No doubt that the Dems, particularly Clinton, are doing everything possible to see to it that Rudy becomes the nominee for the Republican platform. They want to see a split.

[Condor51]

"Is Giuliani's ship starting to sink? It certainly looks that way."

The USS Rudy

[Condor51]

***Conservatives are better off leaving the increasingly socialist Republicans and forming their own party.***

No, we'd be better off kicking the socialist 'republicans' -- OUT out of the party. Starting with 'Tax Money For Abortions' Rudy.

[Man50D]

Please DO!

Sincerely,

DU, Hillary Clinton, and the DNC

Hillary and her socialist colleagues would not benefit from Conservative forming their own party because the socialists have already benefited as both the Republicans and Democrats share the socialist ideology. They are essentially one party. The Republican party no longer espouses Conservative values.

[Man50D]

No, we'd be better off kicking the socialist 'republicans' -- OUT out of the party. Starting with 'Tax Money For Abortions' Rudy.

That could have and should have been done a long time ago.

[tkathy]

The big thinkers would kick everyone out of the rep party except a few self righteousists.

[Darkwolf377]

Hillary and her socialist colleagues would not benefit from Conservative forming their own party because the socialists have already benefited as both the Republicans and Democrats share the socialist ideology. They are essentially one party. The Republican party no longer espouses Conservative values.

Uh...huh?

How could the DNC NOT benefit if the vote would be split between a Republican and a "Conservative" candidate?

It's simple math. Even if you think the Republican and Democrat parties are both socialist parties, how would this new party do anything but drain voters from the R while not affecting the D?

[madprof98]

The big thinkers would kick everyone out of the rep party except a few self righteousists.

The Big Tent crowd, in contrast, would prefer to revamp the party's ideology so that any decent person would have to take a bath after voting for one of its candidates.

[Man50D]

How could the DNC NOT benefit if the vote would be split between a Republican and a "Conservative" candidate?

What detailed factual data do you have to confirm your assumption?

Even if you think the Republican and Democrat parties are both socialist parties, how would this new party do anything but drain voters from the R while not affecting the D?

Huh?

You answered your own question! The problem is many, such as yourself,cannot see past the party labels and focus on the ideology. One group sharing the same ideology, regardless of the party label, cannot benefit from itself if others who don't share their beliefs by forming their own party! You actually think anyone who opposes the socialist ideology should encourage people to remain with a party run by socialists? Please show the details of your "simple math".

[Josh Painter]

Man50D wrote: “Conservatives are better off leaving the increasingly socialist Republicans and forming their own party.”

No, we most assuredly are not. There’s nothing the DemoRats would like better than to see the GOP split like you suggest. Doing so plays right into their strategy of divide and conquer.

Conservatives must save the Republican Party. We need it as much as it neeeds us. We must save it from:

People who have corrupted the Republican brand. This includes RINOs who vote for bigger spending and higher taxes (Arlen Specter, Lincoln Chafee), corrupt party hacks who break the law and drag the party’s name through the mud (Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham), and anyone who sells out conservative principles in an attempt to gain or retain political power.

Conservatives can save the Republican Party by:

1. Promoting the ideals of the conservative movement.
2. Fostering and spreading the message that Conservative Republicans who stick true to their principles are more likely to win elections.
3. Building an online community of like-minded conservatives who seek changes in the way the Republican Party governs and to promote conservative Republicans who run for office.

http://www.savethegop.com/about/

Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan had to deal with the RINOs of their day. Those RINOs were known as “Country Club” Republicans back then. These two great icons of modern conservatism didn’t turn their backs on the GOP and walk away from it. They literally transformed it. Anyone who is worthy of being callled a conservative should follow their examples.

[Condor51]

**That could have and should have been done a long time ago.**

Amen, ditto, and you bet! They are like a cancer or parasite, slowly eating away at the host.

[Alberta's Child]

Giuliani's pathetic display of political/philosophical knot-twisting on this issue is likely to do serious damage to his presidential prospects. It's one thing for a candidate to stand up for what he/she believes int . . . but he comes across as a stubborn jack@ss even to the point of taking intellectually irrational positions that ultimately end up being politically destructive to him as well.

The entertaining part of the whole thing is sitting here on FR and watching so-called "conservatives" make excuses for him.

[Man50D]

There’s nothing the DemoRats would like better than to see the GOP split like you suggest. Doing so plays right into their strategy of divide and conquer.

It's already happened! The Republican party played into thier hands along time ago!

Conservatives must save the Republican Party. We need it as much as it neeeds us.

Oh really? If that's true then why didn't people who share your views preempt the socialist takeover in the past? Conservatives certainly don't need the continued socialistic creep infecting the Republican party. You forget a very large block of unaffiliated voters are Conservatives fed up with the Republicans. They were so frustrated from the last election they either did not vote or voted for Demorats because they couldn't see the difference between the two "parties"!

This includes RINOs who vote for bigger spending and higher taxes (Arlen Specter, Lincoln Chafee), corrupt party hacks who break the law and drag the party’s name through the mud (Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham), and anyone who sells out conservative principles in an attempt to gain or retain political power.

Specter and Chafee are not the RINOs. They belong to the majority of the "Republican Party". Conservatives are the minority and therefore are the RINOs. It's time conservatives accept this reality and deal with the socialists head on.

Conservatives can save the Republican Party by:

1. Promoting the ideals of the conservative movement.

2. Fostering and spreading the message that Conservative Republicans who stick true to their principles are more likely to win elections.

3. Building an online community of like-minded conservatives who seek changes in the way the Republican Party governs and to promote conservative Republicans who run for office.

Why weren't these steps implemented a long time ago? Point two can best be accomplished by Conservatives distinguishing themselves from the socialists. That can't be done so long as they remain associated with the Republicans.

Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan had to deal with the RINOs of their day. Those RINOs were known as “Country Club” Republicans back then. These two great icons of modern conservatism didn’t turn their backs on the GOP and walk away from it.

They didn't reform it for very long because now we have the likes of Specter and Chafee having considerable control over the Republicans while George Bush condones the illegal immigration flow and condemns the Minutemen as "vigilantes". The Republican party abandoned Reagan, Goldwater and the Conservatives.

Anyone who is worthy of being called a conservative should follow their examples.

Anyone who is worthy of being called a conservative needs to recognize the Republicans are decreasingly conforming to the Reagan and Goldwater conservative principles, recognize what republicans have become and take the bold step striking out on their own.

[dangus]

That’s an absurd statement. You’re going to win a majority of the general public AFTER you abandon any hope of winning a majority of Republicans?

Learn how to sway the GOP; From there, the nation. In the meanwhile, the Democrats will have 999,999 FEWER ways to destroy civilization.