White House Begins Effort To Bridge The Divide On Abortion

Wall Street Journal:

WASHINGTON -- The White House has begun bringing together a diverse group of abortion-rights supporters and opponents to help craft policies both sides can embrace: preventing unwanted pregnancies and reducing demand for abortion.

Read the whole story: Wall Street Journal

Comments

[CEDobson]

I am confused by the posters who are vehemently against abortion, except in the case of rape or incest. If what you say is true, life beginning at conception, then even babies of rape and incest are life. These "babies" don't know they were the product of such atrocities and could be adopted out to all the couples so desperate for babies, but you are okay with someone "killing" THAT life. In your book, isn't murder, murder? Many of you are strong believers in God. If you adhere to that creed, then the belief is that God does not give us more than we can handle - so a woman could survive nine months of hell to deliver this "life at conception." By your standards, wouldn't that make her stronger?

If you cannot accept a woman's right to choose in one respect, how can you in the other deem that acceptable? I am really curious. If you are pro-choice, then all factors are considered, and the host of that fetus gets the choice/right to decide without judgment. It seems to me that pro-choice bears a strong resemblance to what you stand for - yet without judgment attached or conditions applied.

Stick to your guns, but don't be a hypocrite and play God in judging what is considered allowable circumstances, what is murder and what is not. You are either against abortion or you are not.

[alfrede]

Kim Gandy says "there will still be women who need an abortion."

It would be interesting to hear the reasons why someone needs an abortion.

[sueinmn]

The main reason is to not give birth idiot!

[kinaz]

Oral contraception is not the only answer, however, it is better than abortion. Abstinence is also an answer, along with other forms of contraception that are not oral. There are many answers to preventing pregnancy and they all should be encouraged, not just contraception.

I also acknowledge the fact that completely outlawing abortion will result in backroom clinics and that would be a horrific situation to place a young girl in. However, complete acceptance and encouragement of abortion at anytime, anyplace in this country is a disgrace. The complete disregard for the unborn by many Americans as a statement of "freedom to chose" is wrong. It should never be a choice to kill...

[SusanStoHelit]

We don't have free abortion anytime, anywhere.

We have properly restricted abortion - roughly, it's something like, first trimester - for any reason (when the fetus is a cluster of cells without thought). Second trimester, with some reason - not as easy to get. Third trimester - only with an extreme reason - and extreme reasons do exist and must be handled - I was nearly one of them - I did have to choose to risk my life, yes, really, to continue the pregnancy to a point of reasonable viability. And, of course, any time you are at a point of real viability (not 10% chance of surviving a few days on a ventilator, lifetime extreme handicaps style viability), you'll be delivered, rather than aborted.

Exactly as it should be. Decrease abortion with better education, availablilty of contraceptives - but the reasonable, rational course has already been set, by a good Supreme Court some time ago.

That's as it should be.

[ccwguy]

I was waiting to see if someone would comment on this.

Although I don't agree with the decision of Roe Vs. Wade, you made an excellent, clear cut, informative, intellectual argument.

Congrats on the child and I'm sure you know you made the right decision. :)

[formerprosecutor]

You just circled right around back to anti-choice;didn't you(?) This is just what the anit-choice people will do that meet with Obama.

[kjstjohn]

I don't see the people in our country--even liberals--as having complete acceptance and encouragement of abortion. What I see is a decision by a majority that this very thorny, troubling issue is one that should be decided by the woman who is pregnant and not by her neighbors.

God gave each of us free will--the freedom to choose right from wrong. The notion that the women affected are incompetent to make a choice or that you are competent to make that choice for her is troubling.

[kinaz]

Most abortions are NOT occurring in red states. That is a lie that is repeated over and over in the discussions on HP. The facts:

1. New York 30
2. Florida 27
3. Delaware 23
4. Rhode Island 22
5. Nevada 21
6. Kansas 19
7. North Carolina 18
7. Washington 18
9. Connecticut 17
9. District of Columbia 17
9. Massachusetts 17
9. New Jersey 17

Abortion rate is the number of reported legal abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.

http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?typ=1&ind=465&cat=10&sub=111&sortc=1&o=a#footnote2

[SusanStoHelit]

Read the footnotes - they even admit their data isn't solid, is based on self reporting from some groups, and they don't even have data for many large states. Not much of a source.

[formerprosecutor]

of course (it isn't a reliable source). if you were a provider , would voluntarily provide statistics; i wouldn't

it is nobody's business what type of patient care a doctor provides; unless it it mandatory for disease control.

the red state doctor's would be MORE loathe to provide statistics (duh)

[kinaz]

Then please provide a more accurate source than your opinion.

[StL]

IRONIC.....today a baby is not a human.....long ago a black person was not a human....what arrogance for any man to think he has the right to determine these things.

[Nyland8]

Correction: The unborn - a fetus - is not a baby. Here ... perhaps this can help.

http://dictionary.reference.com/

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[tallcoolone47]

correction life begins at conception a fetus is most certainly a baby

[kinaz]

Both are still human though so in this case the definition error is irrelevant.

[formerprosecutor]

Unless an organism can survive outside the host; it is not a "living"

[j-rich]

Provide abortions for victims of rape, incest and molestation only. *Boom* there's your bipartisan effort. Those who weren't responsible and didn't use a condom don't deserve to get an abortion, but should have the child. But if you have the proof that you've been raped or molested, than you may have an abortion. There's a solution for everyone. ^_^

[Nyland8]

Nonsense. Oversimplifying the breath and depth of possible scenarios that lead to pregnancies won't lead to any resolution of the issue. Are the unborn of rape victims any less innocent? Are the lovers who've conceived because of a broken condom any more guilty?

How about this as a solution !! Women have the right to determine what will happen with their own bodies. Period.

*Boom* A solution of everyone.

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[tallcoolone47]

then maybe we should consider having the woman who is in control of her body pay for the abortion as well.

[StL]

I don't need you to pay to have the baby ripped from my womb. But....it would surely help my job prospects if you would pay for my bo ob job. If this is just a mass of tissue, it should be a no brainer for you. I want you to pay for what " the woman wants." IT"S MY BODY !!!! You buying RIGHT ????

[Seattlelite]

Here's the common ground.....1) if you believe abortion is wrong, never have an abortion. 2) Don't tell me what to do with my body and I won't tell you what to do with yours.

I will never understand why these anti abortion groups continue to try and out law a woman's right to an abortion because -- it's never going to happen, nor should it IMO. Instead why don't they put their efforts into supporting programs that prevent unwanted pregnancies. Here's a quote from this article which makes me believe these anti abortion people actually advocate unwanted pregnancies.

"Abortion-rights supporters want more support for contraception, which some abortion opponents are unenthusiastic about." NOW this makes no sense to me whatsoever.

[formerprosecutor]

I am surprised that you didn't know that most faith based anti choice groups DO NOT support contraception of any kind, you are supposed to leave it in the hands of G-d

[Thirdstone]

Oh no. God forbid the two sides should find common ground. The GOP would only have
gays and guns left as wedge issues to draw the witless into their scummy big tent.

[Seattlelite]

"Abortion-rights supporters want more support for contraception, which some abortion opponents are unenthusiastic about."

See this is why this attempt to find common ground is impossible. How can you reason with people who don't think contraception is the key to less abortions. These are the same people who think teaching teens abstinence only works.

I give Pres. Obama credit for trying through.

[kinaz]

Betha - Hate" Who bombed abortion clinics, who held up signs of Obama equating him to monkees H!tler, Mao etc?...4000 of our young people and a hundred thousand Iraqi's?

The Christian Conservati­ves....tha­t's who.
__________­__________­__________­_______

I assure you that the people who bombed abortion clinics and held up signs of Obama equating him to monkees H!tler, Mao etc? were not Christians...

I am a christian and know many Christians and none of would ever consider doing either of things you equate to Christianity, however all of them believe that abortion is murder and some protest peacefully. Some but not all supported the war in Iraq as way to free the Iraqi people from a tyrannical leader who readily admitted to killing at least 100,000 of his own people solely because he did not like their race.

http://www.int-review.org/terr35a.html

As a prior military member I am heartbroken by each and every member of our military who has died as a result of this action - however- I believe that the United States has a responsibility to try and ensure that atrocities such as is going on in Darfur and other countries are stopped.

Your brand of hate for a person based on their religious or political view I don't understand.

[formerprosecutor]

sorry, but "they " keep trying to impose their belief system on us by making law and forcing us to follow their dogma.

"we" don't want a faith based government. so,...make them stop and we won't have any hard feelings

[LeftRight]

If you consider yourself a Christian then why have you not stood up against those who DO act like that??? Until such time as the "real Christians" stand up and denounce the "false Christians" I and others like me will CONTINUE to equate them!! Just like I consider Conservatives to be NeoCons now!

[Chitown-John]

I think we all agree that abortion is detestable - and I feel that it should never be chosen out of "convenience" to corrrect an irresponsible choice (not talking rape/incest). That said, it should be legal - as banning it would cause more harm to society (people will seek back room abortions or other methods way more lethal to both lives).

We need strong social/educational programs to ensure proper, responsible choices when it comes to sex, to encourage life over death, to support those that choose to carry to term (better adoption channels, tax or charity funded support groups and campaigns to remove the stigma associated...)

I believe life begins at conception and women who find themselves weighing the option to abort or keep find themselves in a Catch 22 with a hard choice to make either way.

[Nyland8]

"I think we all agree that abortion is detestable"

Detestable ? Certainly not. Undesirable, perhaps. Distasteful in the presence of better options, perhaps. But "detestable" - no. That's far to strong a word.

Can we all agree to undesirable?

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[cartunes]

If republicans don't abandon the three basic things that are setting us back we will never get back to the businesses of of government. #1 Christianity belongs in the home and church. #2 who cares about gay marriage, It also belongs at home and what ever religious group you belong to. #3 The big one ABORTION , this too is up to the individual to deal with, at home and with your own conscience. How can we as conservatives ask for smaller government and not practice what we preach. Lets get back to the issues of government , Fair taxation, small government,

[ccwguy]

You're not a conservative; quit calling yourself one.

[kapalabhati]

Tent's getting smaller and smaller, isn't it? The 20% majority!

I guess you are the arbiter of who can call themselves conservative now.

[j-rich]

No He's a progressive conservative. And we need more republicans like him in this country. I'm a liberal democrat, but everything he said is in the interests of progressing. And that's the proper way to conduct things. Like Florida Gov. Charlie Chris and Cali Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those are how Republicans should be in my view. Someone who has the audacity to listen to the majority of the people they represent. It disgusts me how much republicans see progression as a bad thing.

[kapalabhati]

Good on you!

[whatthel]

There have been 127 people freed from death row because they were innocent. (Death Penalty Information Center).

[formerprosecutor]

The anti-choice people (that value life so very much) are not usually anti-death penalty

[kinaz]

Middle ground is a hard place to find when people are discussing murdering children - no middle ground that I can think of.

[kapalabhati]

FIne, if one believes abortion is murdering children, then one shouldn't have one. What is the appropriate solution? Proper sex education and wide availability of low cost contraception. Are those in the anti-choice camp going to support that solution? Didn't thinks so....

[ccwguy]

Ummm, it's "pro-life", not "anti-choice". You have your choice.

And, as a matter of fact, I'm as conservative as they come and I'm all for low cost contraception (paid for by YOU, with your own money) and proper sex education...even taught in schools.

[CR46]

You are exactly right! The same ones ranting about abortion are against sex education and affordable and accessible birth control. The southern red states that have the highest teen pregnancy rates are also the rates where there is almost zero availability of birth control for teens.

[kinaz]

stop the hate and stop the killing - is that so hard here?

[ccwguy]

Well said.

Out of all the different social issues, I would think this would be the easiest to find middle ground on.

1) Conservatives need to embrace the idea of low-cost contraceptive
2) Conservatives need to embrace proper sex education
3) Liberals need to accept that abortion should be be used as a way to escape responsibility
3) Liberals need to recognize that abortion should only be done in cases of rape/incest, or significant threat to mothers life.

There are some very fundamental things that both conservatives like myself and liberals agree on. For example:

1) both conservatives and liberals want less/no abortion.
2) both conservatives and liberals want less unwanted/teen pregnancy.

At least we agree on the premise! Now, we just need to find a way together to get there. :)

[ccwguy]

OOPS!! "should be used" is a typo. It was intended to be "Shouldn't be used"

[CEDobson]

ccwguy: Maybe a Freudian slip?