“What was Reagans record on abortion? What the hell are you talking about?”
As Governor, Reagan signed the very first abortion law in California.
There can be no doubt that the question of abortion, despite the complex nature of its various issues, is ultimately concerned with equality of rights under the law. While we recognize differing views on this question among Americans in generaland in our own Partywe affirm our support of a constitutional amendment to restore protection of the right to life for unborn children. We also support the Congressional efforts to restrict the use of taxpayers' dollars for abortion.
We protest the Supreme Court's intrusion into the family structure through its denial of the parent's obligation and right to guide...
This is Reagan's 1980 platform position on abortion. It was a contentious issue and there was probably no item in the platform that recieved more careful deliberations than this one. It made clear what the Party in general stood for but recognized that there were countervailing arguments by men of good faith. It was not in the least exclusionary.
1.5 million abortions per year were performed during each of the 8 Reagan years.
This talk about abortion issue purity is totally disconnected from what should be the real goal: less dead babies.