Abortion: One Issue Politics?

[Michael Patton]

Quick question...maybe some what of a poll.

How many of you believe that the issues of abortion is so central that you will decide your vote based upon a canidates position with regard to such?

[J.Wizzle]

Abortion isn't the only issue but it is very important. I have to disagree with Klinstein. I do believe that the abortion issue pertains to the presidential elections...since Presidents are the ones who appoint people to the Supreme Court. Right now there are four conservatives on the Supreme Court. It will only take one more to have a conservative majority. Unless Obama wins and then I'm sure we'll end with more Justices on the Supreme Court who are in the mold of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. *shudder*

[Arthur Thompson]

As to the question posed here, while abortion is a very important issue it is not a defining issue for my vote. As Valarie stated above, “if a candidate is pro-abortion than most likely he/she is liberal on a variety of social issues which does not fit into my view of biblical politics” and would not get my vote. However, I would have voted for Giuliani ever though he was politically pro-choice because his overall platform would be beneficial to the country.

“One issue politics” is the hammer that the Emergent Movement (Jim Wallis, Tony Campolo, Brian McLaren, Shane Claiborne et al) have used to bash Conservative Christians, or what they and the MSM call the “Religious Right.” Basically saying Conservatives are “a one trick pony” or possibility two with homosexuality being a close second.” So we begin this conversation on “their” terms.

What the Progressive Left has done is frame the issue of abortion as choice. What Conservative Christians have done is bought into this instead of standing up and defining the real issues; truth, morality and standards. Yes, we are adamantly against abortion on demand for reasons other than rape, incest and physical health of the mother. Yes, we hate homosexuality, the sin not the sinner.” But those are manifestations of the real problem, lack of morals; sin.

I see a lot of folks here believe abortion is a critical issue, and it is, but for the wrong reasons. Abortion is the most visible of issues because of the number of abortions performed every year. Step back and look at the big picture. For every abortion there are two other people involved whose turpitude began the process that climaxed in the death of an infant. Also, the doctors, nurses, medical assistants, et al evolved and any family members, friends, acquaintances and counselors that contributed to making the decision to abort; where was the man to stand in the gap?

It seems to me that battling abortion in 21st Century America is pretty much like bailing a leaky rowboat with a teaspoon. Unless or until we can turn our nation from Postmodernism we are doomed to be a secularized nation and deserving of the wrath of God that will pour out upon us.

See Ezekiel 22:23-31

[Cindy]

Dear Michael

I would not vote for a person who favored abortion who would be going to a job that would have any influence in preventing or allowing abortion. It might not have a big influence in my vote for county dog catcher, but for someone who will be choosing judges and voting on legislation, no. I would not vote for an abortion rights supporter.

Grace and Peace,

Cindy

[Jacob Klinstein]

Hey "Wizzle".

A few points to consider.

First, should it be the courts deciding whether or not abortion is legal, or should it be a matter of legislation? More to the point, do you think McCain has any chance of getting a pro-life justice appointed with a heavily Democratic Congress? Overturning Roe v. Wade would only return the issue to the state's (where it belongs) - IF they ever get a pertinent case. You have a very tentative path to achieve your end, politically.
(1) your man is elected president,
(2) pro-abortion justices decide to retire in the next 4 years,
(3) your man nominates pro-life candidates,
(4) Congress (which is currently very pro-choice, even among some Republican) appoints the nominees,
(5) a pertinent case makes it through the courts before the court changes members,
(6) the court decides to overturn a relatively recent supreme court decision.

If 1-6 happens, all you have is a reversion to state laws. How many states have laws that make abortion illegal? So now you get to the state legislatures having to make abortion illegal, which will be quickly challenged in the lower courts. And with this your man will be making policy & signing legislation that "reaches across the aisle" on a host of other issues... and maybe even on the abortion issue!

[Jason Ingersoll]

Considering that it would be very nearly impossible at this point to make abortion illegal (Roe v. Wade won't be overturned, very difficult to create legislation making abortion illegal AND circumventing Roe v. Wade, Supreme Court will never except a case that could negate Roe v. Wade, etc.), I don't look for the "pro-life" tag next to a candidates name. The issue does impact my vote, however, if a candidate is like Obama, for example, heavily in support of partial birth abortions.

Here's a scenario for you: a person is pro-choice on the basis that they have no right to interfere, however, they strongly support programs to educate people about the actual abortion process and wish to push this legislation through so that all women considering abortions have to go through this before they have one. I would think that would do a world more good than the 99% of candidates who claim they support pro-life causes but do nothing about it (either because they don't care or are unable to do so).

[Jacob Klinstein]

the 99% of candidates who claim they support pro-life causes but do nothing about it (either because they don't care or are unable to do so).


Jason, that's just the thing.... Since abortion became THE one issue for so many Christians, what has our voting gotten us in these 24 years? Approaching it politically has simply put us in the pocket of the GOP instead of doing a smidge about the abortion issue.

[Stan]

I will decide who I vote for based on their qualifications. Of course, someone who argues that killing babies is perfectly okay doesn't seem very qualified for office ...

[Jennifer]

I will not base my vote on this issue.
This issue has become a wedge issue and neither side will do anything about it; because, it gets them votes on both sides. As Serrin Foster puts it, you have one side yelling "you don't care about babies" and you have the other side yelling "you don't care about women." it is not a productive environment.
I do not think this is an issue that can be solved in the political (secular) arena, until it is solved in the hearts and minds of mothers AND fathers to be and society in general. Once this happens the politicans will fall in line.

[Jason Ingersoll]

Since abortion became THE one issue for so many Christians, what has our voting gotten us in these 24 years? Approaching it politically has simply put us in the pocket of the GOP instead of doing a smidge about the abortion issue.

Jacob,

This is my biggest beef with the Christian Right. Every election year they hem and haw about abortion and claim that this will be the election cycle that abortion will be made illegal, but they are ignorant of the fact that 1) there isn't much that can be done legislatively other than to make sure it doesn't get worse (i.e. partial birth abortion) and 2) most politicians simply use the issue for vote garnering. Why should politicans fix the problem if it is an issue that generates votes, after all? Why create one less reason for people to come out and vote?

People with influence like Pat Robertson and Jim Dobson could be making a difference by promoting CPCs and abortion education programs, but instead they waste their time constantly riling Christians up to vote for pro-life candidates as if it's going to make a difference.

[Gina Mosko]

The value of electing pro-life officials can be seen in, for example, the case this year where in a Supreme Court case on partial birth abortion, the court recognized the personhood of the fetus, as expressed in Judge Scalia's rendering of the majority opinion. This was when you had comics showing the court in Catholic bishops' robes etc.

Most politicians are too weak-willed or ignorant to lay out the ethical and moral case against abortion in any kind of substantive way, but occasionally you get a public official able and courageous enough to do so. And that helps to shape public discourse and eventually can affect public opinion.

All too often I sense among Christians this defeatism that says secularism has won, it is up to us just to bide our time until Glory comes because it is all going to pot anyway. But this is not necessarily the case. Conservative churches are the ones growing; there is some backlash on radical feminism, including pro-abortion rhetoric, among former feminists themselves. Ground can be taken back from the darkness, and in the case of the mass slaughter of babies by their own mothers, should we even be equivocating?! Wherever we have to keep the pressure up on society, we must keep it up- the pulpit, academia, legislatures, medical ethics committees, media, and across the garden fence.

Of course, churches should also do some soul searching as to how they are contributing to such devaluation of the sanctity of parenthood. One area is in a ready embrace of contraception and the contraceptive mentality. Another is in casually adopting the same "careerist" and individualist mindset as the larger culture, rather than encouraging godly marriage and childrearing as the most important vocation a Christian can take on short of a radical commitment to celibacy.

[Jason Ingersoll]

Just to be clear, I'm not saying we shouldn't try to fix the abortion issue politically, and I'm not taking a defeatist attitude. But, I do realize that stopping abortion is going to be much more heavily impacted by changing peoples hearts rather than legislating morality. This is why I get upset that the Christian Right is so focused on changing things politically first when a much more effective job would be done by promoting Crisis Pregnancy Center's and such.

[J.Wizzle]

First, should it be the courts deciding whether or not abortion is legal, or should it be a matter of legislation?
I prefer it be decided by legislatures but because of Roe v. Wade it is now in the courts hands...for now.

More to the point, do you think McCain has any chance of getting a pro-life justice appointed with a heavily Democratic Congress?
Yes, I do.

More to the point, do you think McCain has any chance of getting a pro-life justice appointed with a heavily Democratic Congress?
Yup.

You have a very tentative path to achieve your end, politically.
I find that path to be quite plausible. The only one that could take a little while is #5 which I still think would happen.

So now you get to the state legislatures having to make abortion illegal, which will be quickly challenged in the lower courts.
Ok, and the Supreme Court would have the final say.

And with this your man will be making policy & signing legislation that "reaches across the aisle" on a host of other issues... and maybe even on the abortion issue
Going by McCain's record and what he has said I have no reason to believe that he will be reaching across the aisle on the abortion issue. McCain said that last week that if he wins that he will have Fred Thompson (who was endorsed by the NRLC) head up his committee that will look for justices to appoint.

I think your post highlights just how important is it to not let Obama win. If he wins and gets to appoint people like Ginsburg then it will be a very, very long time until we have another shot at having a conservative majority on the Supreme Court.