Two Deep Flaws in Arguments Made By Conservatives
There are a collection of accusations that conservatives make against Senators Barack Obama and Joseph Biden that purport to demonstrate that the Democrats have a morally indefensible stance on abortion. But a closer look shows that these often-repeated arguments suffer from two deep flaws: the criticisms are often stated in absolute terms, that suggest a lack of openness by the Democrats to finding common ground solutions, and the conservatives narrow the agenda to exclude consideration of a host of economic and social approaches to abortion reduction that they oppose.
Emblematic of these arguments were those offered by Richard Garnett, a law school faculty member at Notre Dame with whom I appeared on an ABC broadcast Friday, Oct 16, 2008. After listening to a clip of Senator Obama talking about abortion in the final presidential debate earlier that week, Dr Garnett said that Senator Obama opposed the use of criminal law to restrict abortion in all circumstances, stating, "He opposes extending legal protection to children," and later, "He believes the exclusion of the law is absolute." He also insisted that Senator Obama wanted to overturn the Supreme Court decision supporting the intact fetal birth abortion ban.
But the moderator, Fr Edward Beck, corrected him, noting that Senator Obama had indicated otherwise during the debate, saying, "I am completely supportive of a ban on late-term abortions, partial-birth or otherwise, as long as there's an exception for the mother's health and life." Senator Obama has frequently indicated in public that he sought to amend such legislation in the Illinois State Senate to make provisions for the life and health of the mother, but that the Republican sponsors had opposed provisions like these that were at the heart of the initial Roe-v-Wade decision.
In other words, like most Americans, Senator Obama is in favor of some legal restrictions on late term abortions. And he demonstrated a willingness to work with Republicans to craft an intact fetal birth abortion ban that was compatible with existing law on abortion. So Dr Garnett's assertions on both counts were wrong.
Dr Garnett also made a point of raising the issue of public funding for abortions, which the Democratic Party Platform supports. He did not acknowledge that there is a difference of opinion on this issue among Democrats, for instance with Senators Biden and Obama holding different views on the matter. Conservatives tend to exaggerate the benefit of the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding of abortion. Dr Garnett suggested that taxpayers should not be "forced" to pay with their taxes for abortions, as if electing Senator Obama was a referendum that would determine the outcome on this issue.
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WE are forced to pay for born-unwanted´s,
WE are forced to pay for slow and painful dying still,
so - why should the faithheads NOT be treated equally and pay for what THEY do not want (or never need, if male!!!)?
But am I talking to the enthusiasts of the penal law here?
If there is any "common ground" on personal matters, it can only be NO penal law, everyBODY decides over his or her OWN body, and health insurance pays for a limited amount of the most costly decisions (like IVF), but all of the not-so-expensives seen in the long run.
Everyone knows that God has given us something we call free will. You are able to do whatever you please, but of course there are consquences. If you cannot make your own choice on who to vote for then there no longer is free will. There is only one ruler we must answer to and VOTE for and that is the Jesus himself. We have always be able to make our own decisions but your conscience tells you what is right and wrong. So in election time there will be no right man in God's eyes because he is the only one. Your choice i your choice. The only one you have to answer to his him. Voting for anyone who believes in the death penalty is also wrong if you want to put it into cases as this. Like my pastor says God doesn't believe in any type of death. From the WOMB to the TOMB
Senator Obama has promised to sign the Freedom of Choice Act if elected President. With the majorities the Democrats will have in both houses of Congress, that legislation will certainly arrive on President Obama's desk and he will certainly sign it.
With the stroke of his pen, abortions will be paid for, here and abroad, with federal funds, and the reasonable parental notification and consent laws that have widespread support will be swept away.
So, in fact, this election will be a referendum on FOCA.
We can find NO common ground, even to the point of notifying parents that their underage daughter is getting an abortion.
In a country where you need parental notification for taking cold medicine and taking them on field trips, it seems that getting an abortion with parent notification is not even common ground for us. This is utterly ridiculous that Obama is not willing to let a family decide what is best for the child that is underage and pregnant. (voting NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions.) What kind of president would not allow the parents decide how best to help their child? That is one huge flaw.
So a child (remember that nowadays 10-year-old´s can become pregnant) who has been raped by her father should be forced to beg him for an abortion ???
In Brazil it was the stepfather (who was a legal guardian until he was put into jail) and she girl 9.
Is this the "Pursuit of Happiness" in the US???
Note: I chose my name from personal experience, at that age I found out that "THE HORRIBLE" would soon force me to have children myself, and never be able to leave the abuse family; and have fought off ANY touch since then - and it was absolutely exhausting.
The partial birth abortion procedure is a rather gruesome one. The fetus's is "partially born," with the exception of the head, and then scissors are jabbed into the fetus's head at the back of the skull, followed by a vacuum being inserted into the incision so that the brains may be removed. Then, a dead fetus comes out of the womb. When would there be a situation where the health of the mother would depend on this procedure?