Trump Says Abortion Ban Should Carry Punishment for Women

twitter Bloomberg Politics ^ | 03/30/2016 | Bloomberg Politics

[JBW1949]

It’s HER decision ultimately...He can’t have the abortion for her...

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Trump explicitly condemned federal-funding of PP’s abortions and that aspect of their business.

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So we should pay the rent for them so they can sell birth control and prop them up as long as we don't directly pay for abortions? My conscience won't be happy with that. Woe to them who call good evil, and evil good. Abortions is there business that needs to be admitted and recognized. Many have admired Trump for his ability to avoid falling for politically correct nonsense, but in his dealing with PP he goes out of his way to be PC in a way that most Pro-life Republicans don't.

If Trump were concerned about avoided being branded as 'against women' he wouldn't have made the crude remarks about Meghan Kelly and other women since the beginning of his campaign. He certainly wouldn't have said women have abortions should be punished. He's now given them more ammunition to scream 'war on women' than almost any other action he could do. That's why he had to retract the statement the moment it became public. How's that for master strategy?

How hard is it to believe what you believe, and stick to it? The lives of millions are on the line and Trump can't decide what he believes. Cruz may not have the planning ability of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, but at least he stands strong against the murder of babies.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

The pro-life movement has never been in favor of punishing women. The only time I’ve seen it brought up is by liberals to either mis-portray the pro-life position or to derail. Trump is well off the reservation on this one.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

So now that Trump has reversed his position, would you like to change yours?

[wardaddy]

He had a choice

Evade and dodge like Cruz did

Or answer honestly like a man

It’s a simple question

If abortion is illegal should there be penalties for violating the law

What a novel concept

Yet so called conservatives and pro lifers have a conniption fit

“But Wardaddy you never answer that question....it’s simply not done.....it’s the kiss of death”

No it’s not

Trump walked it back a bit

That’s the part I disagreed with

[Read Write Repeat]

I’m going to say this as gently as possible: if you want a culture of life, then there needs to be accountability and education on both sides of the equation.

We need to preserve life.

[wardaddy]

Amen ma’am

God love u

[JBW1949]

Of course.....

[DungeonMaster]

Gingrich would have said “We have abortion on demand, abortion for any reason, third trimester abortion, baby parts being harvested and sold and no one is accountable for any of it. Your question is stupid and so are you”.

[BeadCounter]

Great response.

[wardaddy]

Actually you’ve hit on something unintentionally

I think walking back is what politicians like Cruz do or they wafflé and dodge like Cruz does over abortion questions like this one

I prefer when Donald is himself and doesn’t walk it back

Clarifying or reinserting context for a hostile media is ok but I don’t like walk backs

Cruz will parse anything to try to score points with whomever notices

He is pure political animal hence his filibuster to nowhere

Trump is just a man who says what he thinks and I love that

It’s his strength so

I DISAGREE WITH THIS WALKBACK

How’s that for a straight answer ..,just like my candidate

Straight shooter

I think women who have abortions if it’s made illegal should face penalties under statute and judicial discretion

Doctors as well

Otherwise it’s not a law, it’s a suggestion

Are you really an Idaho cowboy?

I’m a TN horse guy but I’m no cowboy

I like Idaho...the Bitteroots.......Lewiston and Orofino and Trapper Peak

Great state

[Future Snake Eater]

He certainly wouldn't have said women have abortions should be punished.

What was wrong with that statement?

[Grampa Dave]

Amen!: Lesson to Trump: Never answer a hypothetical question. I know you are learning on the fly and you are not a politician BUT... really, you don’t ever answer a hypothetical question.

The same rule applies to so called theoretical questions from freepers trying to become the MegynE on Free Republic.

[mquinn]

This is bad...why?

The woman getting an abortion is a guilty as one who drowns a child in a tub.

I’m saddened that he’s walking this back as a “misspeak”.

[BearArms]

Rush currently is basically implying that the pro-life movement is not about banning abortion (something that will never happen, according to him), and that the media doesn't understand this fact. Therefore, the question to Trump was unfair.

Given this and some of the posts in this very thread, I'm now honestly a bit confused. Is the pro-life movement actually about making abortion illegal and punishing the lawbreakers, or just about talking up the sanctity of life?

[Grampa Dave]

I don’t know.

My wife wondered what Trump said yesterday.

I told her to wait until we could read what was actually said by both parties not edited hits on tv. Now, she understands what was actually said.

So we wait on this one.

[wmfights]

How hard is it to believe what you believe, and stick to it? The lives of millions are on the line and Trump can't decide what he believes. Cruz may not have the planning ability of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, but at least he stands strong against the murder of babies.

I thought your entire post was spot on.

If it isn't clear to Trump supporters by now I doubt it ever will be that he lacks the skill to repair his image with women and pro-lifers.

It should also be clear that Cruz is a much better tactician than he is being given credit for. He's been in politics long enough that he avoids most "minefields" and knows what he believes and why those beliefs are superior to those of the left.

[PoeToaster]

In retrospect, what do you think an appropriate punishment would have been? Twenty years imprisonment maybe?

[BearArms]

The bottom line here is that if a pro-lifer supports only prosecuting abortionists, that pro-lifer is essentially supporting a blanket "License to Abort" for all American women. They would be able to abort with impunity, while others are punished for the crime.

Actually, in most cases, there probably won't be anyone to punish at all, since RU486 (which would allow for easy self-abortions, and would presumably become as easy to buy as pot) will most likely be the abortion method of choice in the event a ban is passed. Unless, of course, pro-lifers decide to support prosecuting women for illegally obtaining the drug, but that would present an embarrassing oddity. Punish the woman for acquiring the murder weapon, but not for killing her unborn child? Is there any planet on which this could be taken seriously?

Honestly, those who claim to be against abortion, but who don't support prosecuting women for murder, are virtually NO DIFFERENT than "personally opposed" pro-choicers. I fail to see what would actually change for women contemplating abortion.

It's either murder under the law, or it isn't. If it is, that has logical and necessary consequences. Otherwise, this is just a joke.

[boatbums]

As someone who has volunteered at a Crisis Pregnancy Center and led post abortion healing groups, I can tell you some stories that would break your heart for how “that” woman was as much a victim as her baby.

I really do not see how abortion in this country can ever be made totally illegal. What we SHOULD be trying for is to make abortion UNTHINKABLE. Would you agree?