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Fred Thompson Rejects GOP's Pro-Life Platform Plank
CNS ^ | 11/5/07 | Terrence Jeffrey

Posted on 11/05/2007 7:42:06 AM PST by pissant

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To: pissant
the 2004 Republican Party platform, and here it is: 'We say the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution. We endorse legislation to make it clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children. Our purpose is to have legislative and judicial protection of that right against those who perform abortions.

That may indeed have been part of the 2004 Republican party election plank, but I'll go out on a limb and predict that it will NOT remain a part of the 2008 party plank.

Expect the official Republican party plank for 2008 to be modified to something to the effect of supporting the rights of the states to decide the issue of abortion, or, perhaps no mention at all, other than that abortion is a matter of individual conscience for individuals to decide.

- John

381 posted on 11/05/2007 11:14:59 AM PST by Fishrrman
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To: Danae
It should be a STATE issue.

If the right to life is a state issue, shouldn't the right to vote be, too? Shouldn't both you and Fred be supporting the repeal of the 15th amendment, which mandated that states allow all citizens, regardless of race, to vote?

After all, if state rights take priority over the right to life, certainly they take priority over the right to vote as well. Right?

382 posted on 11/05/2007 11:16:02 AM PST by Ol' Sparky (Liberal Republicans are the greater of two evils)
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To: RockinRight
You're done with the thread because I just demonstrated how silly it is to oppose a amendment protecting the right to life for the unborn if one truly believes the unborn are human beings with a right to life.

I'm not saying I wouldn't vote for Fred, just that it is sad that he is the best candidate the Republicans can put forward.

383 posted on 11/05/2007 11:21:09 AM PST by Ol' Sparky (Liberal Republicans are the greater of two evils)
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To: ejonesie22

You can set up the straw men all you like and wait for as long as you like. I’m not falling for it. The issue here is why Fred doesn’t support a Constitutional Amendment that will protect the unborn. His solution is to “give it back to the states”. That will make some of us feel really good in a few states,but it will have little effect on the number of the unborn murdered.

I think I posted earlier precisely my thoughts on this issue. You do what you can, when you can as hard as you can. If going to the states is what we can get, then so be it. I’m for it. But why not support a constitutional amendment as well? Why throw away an option, relinquish a weapon in the fight? Who is the real purist here? There is nothing unconstitutional about a constitutional amendment is there? Is Fred such a “states rights” purist that he will reject an alternative? It doesn’t have to be either/or, it can be both. The efforts to spin this have been nothing short of admirable, but the truth remains, you’re wrong, Fred’s wrong.


384 posted on 11/05/2007 11:21:44 AM PST by WildcatClan (DUNCAN HUNTER- The only choice for true conservatives)
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To: RockinRight
Sparky has the bit in his teeth. Anything short of a fire and brimstone speech about the evils of (insert cause here) is tantamount to full support of the evil (insert cause here).

Having an actual, workable, viable plan to end a seriously effed up medical practice just ain't enough for some people...

385 posted on 11/05/2007 11:21:44 AM PST by Dead Corpse (What would a free man do?)
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To: WildcatClan
What you describe is the way that the Founders wanted things set up. Under States Rights, the Constitution of the US must be followed as today. That Document gives us an Inalienable Right to Life. We can force States to honor life at conception using this argument... even if presented as "human rights" under a secular argument.

GOD will judge those people that pass evil into law and those people that take advantage of that law to perpetrate evil. If I live in a State where abortion is illegal... and fought politically to keep it that way... GOD will judge me too. I know where I stand with GOD... and I know those that participate in evil will go somewhere else. If all else fails... GOD will judge them on their actions and intent. I believe that under States Rights abortion can become extinct... but it will take hard work... which is true under what we have today.

LLS
386 posted on 11/05/2007 11:22:05 AM PST by LibLieSlayer (Support America, Kill terrorists, Destroy dims!)
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To: WildcatClan
So you do favor both paths?

Good, but be prepared for the frontal assault to fail.

We don’t need preaching, we need persuasion right now, and a bit of tactics....

387 posted on 11/05/2007 11:26:46 AM PST by ejonesie22 (Real voters in real voting booths will elect FDT.)
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To: LibLieSlayer
What don’t you understand about NOT living in a State governed opposite of your heart.
-

because we are talking about people who can't move! Unborn babies simply can't move to a pro-life state and therefore they will be killed. That's why life and liberty must come first before state's rights. If you are a slave you simply can't move to another state that's against slavery.
388 posted on 11/05/2007 11:29:36 AM PST by ari-freedom (I am for traditional moral values, a strong national defense, and free markets.)
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To: Pistolshot

A constitutional amendment isn’t provided for by the law? Why would you suggest I would take the law into my own hands? Did you really think that was my intent or did you throw that in for effect? Why would Fred discount another process by which to rid this country of an inherent evil? That’s the question that needs answered not some contrived question seeking to paint me as a vigilante. LOL :)


389 posted on 11/05/2007 11:29:48 AM PST by WildcatClan (DUNCAN HUNTER- The only choice for true conservatives)
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To: pissant

1. Overturning Roe would ALWAYS have brought the issue back to the states.

The pro-abortion movement sees roe as a way to unify imposition across the land.

2. Thompson is losing people due to his illconceived adherence to his personal perception and anachronistic view Federalism.


390 posted on 11/05/2007 11:30:16 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: ari-freedom
If you are a slave you simply can't move to another state that's against slavery.

Um...not to change the subject...but ever hear of the Underground Railroad?

391 posted on 11/05/2007 11:30:41 AM PST by RockinRight (The Council on Illuminated Foreign Masons told me to watch you from my black helicopter.)
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To: ejonesie22
Too much risk involved....

Forgive me if I give more weight to the opinion of people like Jim Bopp instead of you, ejoneie22. Romney's leading adviser, Jim Bopp, actually wrote the amendment which is in the GOP platform. He knows Mitt supports it or he would not have endorsed him.

This is what Bopp's said on the matter:

Romney advisor Jim Bopp, a leading pro-life lawyer who serves as the top attorney for National Right to Life and other pro-life groups, who wrote the amendment that appears in the Republican Party platform, said Romney "views the Human Life Amendment as an aspirational goal, which we hope and pray we eventually can achieve."

______________________

The bottomline is that Romney said he'd sign an amendment - and I believe he will fight for the cause.

He has been praised by numerous pro-life and pro-family organizations that worked with him in Massachusetts.

His conservative track record is already established. His words have matched his actions.

Prominent pro-life leaders, like Jim Bopp and others, have signed on to assist his campaign.

I don't see it as risky at all. What's risky is allowing Rudy to take the nomination by failing to unite behind the one conservative candidate who offers fiscal conservatism, national security conservatism and social conservatism all wrapped up in an electable, well-funded, expertly organized package.

392 posted on 11/05/2007 11:32:17 AM PST by redgirlinabluestate (Common sense conservatives unite 4 Mitt 2 defeat Rudy and then Hillary)
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To: RockinRight

there’s a reason why it was called “underground”


393 posted on 11/05/2007 11:38:33 AM PST by ari-freedom (I am for traditional moral values, a strong national defense, and free markets.)
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To: WildcatClan
Why would Fred discount another process by which to rid this country of an inherent evil?

Because it doesn't have a chance of passing, in either the House or the Senate, or being ratified by the states, and only deflects attention from doing work that CAN be done.

In the first place, abortion was a state issue until the SCOTUS legislated from the bench. Not through the laws of the 'several states', not through the legislative process. It was by fiat.

Now, if RvW is overturned, a process in itself, then it will go back to the states, NOT the Federal legislature. Trying to do both is admirable, but Federalism is about not interfering with what should be a states rights issue.

394 posted on 11/05/2007 11:38:53 AM PST by Pistolshot ("All you anti-Freds remind me of Wile E. Coyote trying to fool the sheepdog." - Josh Painter)
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To: redgirlinabluestate
Bopp hoped in and backed a pony to run against Rudy before the field was full, and now can’t back out.

If he made a mistake that is on him, not me.

And I am by far not the only one who feels that way.

395 posted on 11/05/2007 11:41:55 AM PST by ejonesie22 (Real voters in real voting booths will elect FDT.)
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To: WildcatClan
In all fairness to Fred, even Jim Bopp, the guy who wrote the HLA which is in the GOP platform, does not believe the HLA would pass right now.

Even Bopp says the drive to end abortion is seen as a two-step process: First, overturn Roe v. Wade, which would return abortion law to the states; and second, create consensus for a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion.

However, one cannot deny that it certainly would be preferable for the pro-life movement to elect a president who agrees to work towards passing an amendment in the first place -- even if it is seemingly futile at present. Fred's statements imply that he will not use his presidential position to further that cause. Romney will. Hunter will.

In fact, Fred has a laissez faire attitude regarding social issues in general as evidenced by his "so be it" statement regarding gay marriage as well. We don't have to settle for indifference when we can have resolve to lead the cause.

Having said that, even prominent pro-life leaders like Jim Bopp realize that the pro-life community should be sophisticated and savvy enough to understand how a pro-life politician has to advocate for the possible, and must not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.

396 posted on 11/05/2007 11:44:26 AM PST by redgirlinabluestate (Common sense conservatives unite 4 Mitt 2 defeat Rudy and then Hillary)
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To: Pistolshot

the HLA is the flag of the pro-life movement. it keeps focus on the issue at a national level.


397 posted on 11/05/2007 11:45:22 AM PST by ari-freedom (I am for traditional moral values, a strong national defense, and free markets.)
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To: Bull Market
Supporters of Thompson, Romney, McCain, Huckabee, Paul should be absolutely disgusted by Hunter supporters. Supporters of Giuliani should be in glee.

Congratulations, letter for letter, word for word that may have been the most obtuse and vacuous bit of hyperbole written on FR today. The approach isn't so realistic, but hey, an advance is an advance. Again I ask, why would Fred discount another tool that could be used in the fight? You are falsely defining the argument here and misrepresenting the facts. My argument isn't his approach but rather that he will not support another approach. Why leave options by the wayside? I can assure you I am in good standing with the Romney and Fred supporters, for the most part, and the Huckabee supporter and I have had nothing but pleasant exchanges.

398 posted on 11/05/2007 11:46:04 AM PST by WildcatClan (DUNCAN HUNTER- The only choice for true conservatives)
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To: 2111USMC
Fred is against abortion.

I sure hope so ... but this sounds like he does NOT want abortion to be illegal ... at the federal OR state level:

"People ask me hypothetically, you know, OK, it goes back to the states," said Thompson. "Somebody comes up with a bill, and they say we're going to outlaw this, that, or the other. And my response was, I do not think it is a wise thing to criminalize young girls and perhaps their parents as aiders and abettors or perhaps their family physician."

399 posted on 11/05/2007 11:46:19 AM PST by Oliver Optic (Never blame on strategery that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.)
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To: ejonesie22

Right all his supporters are duped, mistaken, bought off etc... Got it.


400 posted on 11/05/2007 11:50:13 AM PST by redgirlinabluestate (Common sense conservatives unite 4 Mitt 2 defeat Rudy and then Hillary)
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