Any reasonable limitation that the GOP proposes on abortion is stillborn because the majority of the party has explicitly endorsed the idea of a total ban on abortion. As long as you have this as your stated goal, Democrats will not agree to any compromise since they see it as an attempt to under... more
Any reasonable limitation that the GOP proposes on abortion is stillborn because the majority of the party has explicitly endorsed the idea of a total ban on abortion. As long as you have this as your stated goal, Democrats will not agree to any compromise since they see it as an attempt to undermine existing abortion rights. Many European countries have common-sense limitations on abortion that don't exist here because of this attitude.
Limiting abortion to the first or second trimester, or requiring some sort of counseling before one is performed should not be controversial. But this type of reform will never happen as long as the GOP continues to insist on a total ban on the procedure. Be pragmatic and realistic.
waxhaw
Your comments on various ideas indicate you may want to consider registering as a democrat
LedeAgenda
If the Republican party embraces Abortion by dropping its Pro Life stance I will cease to vote Republican.
kathleenharris
If we support abortion, we increase the chances of not having people like fricker around to make us look like morons.
Zak Carter
The lesson to be learned for the GOP after this election-When the GOP fails to give us real conservative candidates to vote for-and fails to implement a conservative agenda when having the presidency and both houses of congress for 6 years - we get ticked off at the party, and we dont come out to vote, and the GOP loses. The GOP needs to reafirm its Pro-Life stance, not become watered down Dems.
fricker
Good Idea!
To promote our new "Culture of 1/3 Life" direction, we could host an Aborted Fetus Eating Contest!
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We could play that music from Blue Belle ice cream "...Just like the good ole days!"
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Set a Fair type atmosphere, with the traditional red checkered table cloth and fat women with bee-hive hairdos
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The slogan could be "Support a culture of MOSTLY life, when it looks like us!"
JaxNPA
dcgirl - not meaning to be dismissive, sorry. I do agree that promoting a "culture of life" is about more that obsessing over legal abortion, and that it should not be the single defining issue for the GOP. As you can see by all the different boards, many issues are under discussion.
JaxNPA
dcgirl - "Well, there are other moral issues about life out there too."
Fine. Start your own topic, or stay on this one.
dcgirl
I love all the talk about how critical this issue is to the party. its about morality and life. Well, there are other moral issues about life out there too. Remember we are fighting 2 wars killing thousands of Americans, Iraqis, and Afghans and we have a broken health care system that is not delivering quality care. When are we going to make these issues central to a partisan divide in elections?
JaxNPA
I just checked out a couple of pro-choice links. THEIR side is upset, NOT because they expect that Roe v. Wade will ever be overturned. They are upset because states are not FORCED to use public funds for abortion ON DEMAND. We have along way to go. The Hyde (R-IL) Amendment of 1976 limits medicaid (our taxes) funding of this barbaric practice. Let's keep that intact, for starters.
dankoba
I'm very split on this. I've sort of moderated my pro-life stance over the years. I feel that abortion, like other end-of-life decisions, should be left to individuals. But I'm infuriated by those who insist that fetuses are not alive or unworthy of any sort of legal protections. I guess I'm kinda with you HJ.
Nick
The GOP has not been pro-life. It controlled the executive and legislature from 2000-2006 and could have stopped abortion as easily as they passed Grand Theft Bailout. They didn't do it because the GOP has not been truly pro-life. We need Ron Paul's Sanctity of Life Act and genuine pro-lifers to put an end to this slaughter once and for all.
jr1776
12% of Americans support a total ban including rape and incest. Far more people think the moon landing was faked or that Elvis is alive. But the our bigwigs choose one of that 12% (Palin) to save the ticket?
We have to admit that some abortions in the 1st trimester have to be allowed. And that life doesn't begin at conception, because then the birth control pill would be illegal.
alchemist
From a practical standpoint this measure is a good idea. The religious base will either stay on because "the democrats are even worse". If they leave, I wish them luck in whatever far-right party they like.
MatthewL
The day Republicans disown the idea of a total ban on abortion is the day I will leave the party for good. That is a non-negotiable for me, and I personally know at least 80 - 100 other Republicans who feel the same way.
briendownie
I think an end to abortion is a lofty goal to strive for, but a worthy goal. this party was founded on an anti-slavery stance. Perhaps in order to free the slaves some form of gradual move was necessary, just because an idea is polarizing doesn't mean that it should be abandoned.
If we ditch a staunch pro-life stance, I guarantee you we'll lose a good chunk of the religious base of this party.