Posted on 04/01/2016 4:29:09 PM PDT by ConservativeTeen
Donald Trump said Friday that he believes the laws regulating abortion should stay as they are, but he doesn't disagree with the proposition that abortion is murder.
The GOP frontrunner lit a fresh controversy this week with his shifting responses to a question on abortion policy. He said during an MSNBC town hall on Tuesday that he'd like to see the practice banned, and that women who undergo it should face "some form of punishment." But he quickly backtracked, explaining in a statement that while he believes it should be banned, the punishment should be levied on abortion providers, not the women seeking abortions.
Trump sought to clarify his position during an interview on Friday with "Face the Nation" moderator John Dickerson. The interview will air, in part, on Sunday's broadcast.
"A question was asked to me. And it was asked in a very hypothetical. And it was said, 'Illegal, illegal,'" Trump explained. "I've been told by some people that was an older line answer and that was an answer that was given on a, you know, basis of an older line from years ago on a very conservative basis."
Asked how he'd like to change the law to further restrict access to abortions, Trump replied, "The laws are set now on abortion and that's the way they're going to remain until they're changed."
"I would've preferred states' rights," he added. "I think it would've been better if it were up to the states. But right now, the laws are set....At this moment, the laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way."
"Do you think abortion is murder?" Dickerson asked.
"I have my opinions on it, but I'd rather not comment on it," Trump replied.
"You said you were very pro-life," Dickerson followed up. "Pro-life means that...abortion is murder."
"I mean, I do have my opinions on it. I just don't think it's an appropriate forum," said Trump.
"But you don't disagree with that proposition, that it's murder?" Dickerson asked.
"No, I don't disagree with it," Trump eventually replied.
The back-and-forth over abortion wasn't the only political controversy involving Trump this week. He also stood by his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who's been charged with battery after allegedly grabbing a reporter's arm during a public event last month. And he suggested on Tuesday that he no longer feels bound by his pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee, complaining that the party has treated him "very unfairly."
Despite a chorus of critics assailing both moves, Trump told "Face the Nation" it hasn't been the worst week of his campaign.
"I think I've had many bad weeks and I've had many good weeks. I don't see this as the worst week in my campaign," he said. "But certainly, I've had some weeks, and you've been reporting on them, where that was the end. And then the next week, you see poll numbers where they went up and everybody's shocked."
"So yeah, people want to stop me because I'm leading by a lot," he added.
For more of the interview with Trump, tune into "Face the Nation" on Sunday. Check your local listings for airtimes. © 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
What good is National Security if the basic unalienable Rights as endowed by our Creator - the Right of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness is not protected or is of a lower priority?
Many countries have strong national security – China or Russia for example. North Korea is really good at protecting their borders – both in getting in and getting out. Saudi Arabia ranks 7th in the world on defense spending. Do you want to live in any of those countries?
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” - Benjamin Franklin
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Yes. National security and providing for the common defense is without question important. But it is not alone the means to the ends. It is meaningless if we make that the number one priority over the Right of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
YMMV.
Where is my “Populist Propaganda for Dummies” reference book?
The 5th and the 14th are not referring to abortion and will not be interpreted that way as their meaning is pretty clear.
As I said before abortion and gay marriage are not addressed in the Constitution and therefore are issues for each state to decide. The Federal Govt has no business getting involved in either.
I understand that their are people who want a federal law prohibiting all abortion. Its never ever going to happen. Hopefully in time most states will prohibit it.
>>At this point, it appears that he is right to avoid this issue.
Every campaign should avoid it. It is an issue that is too emotionally-charged on both sides to have meaningful discussion.
Nothing short of a Constitutional amendment will end it and there is no way that it would be ratified. Perhaps when we have the Short But Victorious Civil War that everyone dreams of, we can just shoot all the pro-choicers (to save duh chilluns, ya know).
Maybe. I really don’t care at this point. I’m pretty much resigned to Trump being the nominee, but I don’t have to like it, or think it’s a good idea. I just note that we have these two main factions here that have battled over the years, and that the prescriptions of the “other” faction have not turned out well.
I’m not gung-ho for Cruz, either. But Trump seems more and more like a joke candidate who will get crushed in the general.
That is a significantly different statement than appointing judicial activists to legislate from the bench. I want a judge who correctly interprets the law in the context of the Constitution which would reverse decisions like Roe v. Wade and Obamacare.
Are you thanking me with a view to buttering me up to accept your shallow, reality-editing views? I reject those thanks, thank you very much.
This isn’t Donald’s first rodeo in the arena of converging on an answer to a tricky question. He’s fumbled before and then eventually come to a saner view. We’ve even come to know this, and to pretend otherwise is disingenuous.
Truth cannot be hidden. It is far better that an issue be dealt with erroneously at first, than ignored. This is a process needful for fallen humanity. The capability of complete wisdom left us with the folly of the Garden. God expresses grace, however, and leads every willing soul back to the truth, and unwilling souls eventually go to a place of perpetual lies and misery.
As the bible says, let every man be a liar, yet let God tell the truth.
It would not be Donald-like to do so, even if the first attempts resulted in sticking his foot into it.
In a way he’s even been correct. Abortion generally is self-punishing to the woman and that is how it was mostly viewed prior to Roe v. Wade. We don’t need to adjust any laws, of which there are a plethora of court-suppressed ones. We need to adjust the court.
We won’t ever have a YUGE GREAT WIN if all we do is go destructively at one another’s throats... I can say THAT for sure.
We need a YUGE GREAT GOD to help us. The age is begging for Him now. Trump could be a perfectly reasonable servant on a populist basis, if the populace would only once more embrace knowledge about where its spiritual bread is buttered. There are no mortally-generated “one size fits all” answers. There cannot be, when God Himself has declared the only true answer is His grace, privately dealt to every needy soul willing to accept it.
Accusations of lies and actual examples of lies are two different things.
That is one inaccuracy. He has described in detail that he became pro-life in 2001 IIRC, due to a friend’s experience. And it was not because a kid grew up into a “winner”. It was right after the child was born.
THere are real warts Trump haters could use, why not find some real ones instead of invented or exaggerated or otherwise fake ones.
Mlizzy, if you read the site I linked to, listen to a few rallies or indepth interviews (not the ultra hostile “gotcha” kind, read one or two of his books - you will see that he does not keep changing his mind. Seriously.
Also keep in mind that since the media all hate him with a fervent passion, reading quotes (taken out of context, or just part of a statement), or summaries of what he said, are designed as hit pieces to get people like you to dislike him. I decided to study up on Trump - read one book, the “On the Issues” site, listened to many of his rallies and longer interviews including ones form some years ago, and that helped me figure out what he really stands for. It’s worth the time.
Ted Screws wants to hug women who murder their unborn children, even if Roe v. Wade was overturned. He believes in no punishment for them. Anyone that thinks Ted Screws is pro-life needs to think again.
Trump says abortion is murder and would appoint pro-life judges. How many times do Ted Screws fans have to hear him say it before it sinks in. Screws on the other hand wants to hug women after they murder their unborn child, even is Row v Wade is overturned. Kasich would help them perform the abortion.
Is Dickerson the crazy ass Chris Matthews brother. Sounds exactly like him. Whatever adviser keeps telling Trump to talk to his leftist bastards about abortion needs their head examined.
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