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Elizabeth Shipp

Elizabeth Shipp

Posted: September 12, 2008 11:28 AM

John and Sarah's World


Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America launched the first in its series of web videos that shows America just how extreme and radical the McCain-Palin ticket is when it comes to abortion, Roe v. Wade, and a woman's right to choose. And best of all, we have them saying what they believe in their own words -- no spin, no re-interpretation of what they said -- just the real McCain and Palin.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've read a few of the blog posts from people who decry the fact that abortion has become a major issue in this campaign. They worry that the Democrats -- specifically the Democrat named Barack Obama -- are going to lose their races by talking about respecting and defending Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to freedom and privacy.

Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but abortion is an important issue for millions of women in America and it's an issue that is always used in campaigns -- whether it's a campaign for city council, judge, state legislator, governor, or yes, even President and Vice President of the United States. So, NARAL Pro-Choice America is going to continue speaking up and speaking out about abortion, age-appropriate medically-accurate sex education, about making birth control more affordable, and about making sure rape survivors have access to emergency contraception in the emergency rooms...and a whole host of other issues that involve women's reproductive rights.

Why? Because exposing the records of the most extreme, out-of-touch, radical candidates for President and Vice President that this country has ever seen (and I'm not being hyperbolic here...literally the most anti-choice ticket in history) lets voters know where they stand on issues of choice and reproductive freedom. The anti-choice extremism of McCain-Palin creates a clearer picture for voters on a variety of issues that seem to have nothing, but in fact, have everything to do with a woman's right to choose safe, legal abortion.

Are you worried about which ticket will do a better job in lifting the economy and low-income families out of this downward spiral of higher gas prices, increased food costs, home foreclosures, and no health care? Well, look no further than the federal Title X program or the Alaska state funding for a home for teenage unwed mothers (which Sarah Palin cut funding for in her line-item budget). John McCain voted to eliminate the entire Title X program that provides low-income women with birth control and cancer screenings [Weicker motion to table Helms amendment to FY'89 Labor, HHS, and Education appropriations bill, H.R.4783, 7/25/88; motion to invoke cloture on Family Planning Amendments Act, S.110, 9/26/90.]. So, low-income women who are struggling to get ahead, who can't afford to get pregnant at this time in their lives, who have no health insurance and therefore, can't get cancer screenings anywhere else; women who may be trying to go to school to find a better job, to get out of debt, to provide for their family...where are they supposed to go under a McCain-Palin administration? Back to the streets where they belong in John and Sarah's world.

Are you worried that your health insurance premiums are sky-rocketing and more often than not, your claims are denied? Look no further than insurance equity. John McCain has voted twice against requiring insurance companies who cover Viagra to also cover birth control [Clinton/Reid amendment to FY'06 Budget Resolution, S.Con.Res.18, 3/17/05.]. So, when it comes to health insurance, John McCain and Sarah Palin would say that American women have no right to have their prescriptions covered in the same way that men do. That's how they roll, in John and Sarah's world.

And, are you worried about the invasion of personal privacy that the Bush administration has undertaken in the most brazen of ways: wire taps, warrant-less search and seizure, outing CIA operatives, unlimited detentions...injecting themselves into every aspect of our lives? Then finally draw the line between abortion and the loss of privacy rights in this country. These are the same politicians who want to step into your bedrooms and tell you whether or not you can use contraception, whether or not public schools can teach teens how to be safe and prevent disease with real sex education, whether or not your emergency room physician gives you emergency contraception if, God forbid, you find yourself a victim of rape; and yes, whether or not you can have an abortion. John McCain and Sarah Palin both believe that they, as politicians with fully anti-choice voting records and actions in their political careers, have the right to make those decisions for you. They want politicians to decide for you and your family about the most personal, private decision some families ever have to make. That's how it is in John and Sarah's world.

Please take a moment to watch this video.

Watch it and then tell your friends: It's about more than just a woman's right to choose. A woman's right to choose is a very good indicator of the kind of politicians John McCain and Sarah Palin really are.

Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America launched the first in its series of web videos that shows America just how extreme and radical the McCain-Palin ticket is when it comes to abortion, Roe v. Wade, and a ...
Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America launched the first in its series of web videos that shows America just how extreme and radical the McCain-Palin ticket is when it comes to abortion, Roe v. Wade, and a ...
 
 
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12:05 AM on 09/14/2008
Like with all politicians of any party going back to the nation's founding, there are things I disagree with on the McCain-Palin ticket. But here, they are absolutely spot on. Abortion is an important issue: It's important because Roe exists and it needs to be overturned. It's important because the selfishness of women is killing innocents.

There is no reason why abortion should come into play in the first place. A woman has the right to decide whether or not she wants a baby and is ready to have one. But if the answer to either of these questions is "no" then she shouldn't be having sex. That's all. The only way to make a baby is through sex (either natural or artificial.) It's not quantum physics, it's really quite simple.

Sure, not all sex results in pregnancy. If a woman is not ready for sex and wishes to chance it, go ahead. But if she gets pregnant, she's got no one to blame but herself. The baby should not have to be denied life because of her dumb decisions: It had nothing to do with her faulty logic.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
athenasword
wisdom is beautiful
10:53 AM on 09/14/2008
I am pretty much speechless after reading this. Selfish?! All adult women should abstain from sex unless they are ready and able to bear a child? You give no quarter for women who are raped or who's birth control fails. Or women who are struggling to raise four children and know they can't raise another and still eat (with or without a husband this is hard these days). You probably would like to deny them birth control as well as criminalize abortion. Well, I know your attitude is widely shared in some circles... and I feel sad for your collective lack of grace, compassion, generosity and logic.
12:03 AM on 09/15/2008
Should they abstain? Not necessarily. They don't have to. It's not a matter of "no sex." Chance it if you want, but if a woman has sex, gets pregnant, and doesn't want a baby, that's her fault.

If birth control fails, that's not an excuse to end an pregnancy. Birth control is not 100%, and illusions are not maintained to show this. If birth control fails, then the woman is still at fault because she chose to have sex when abstience is the only 100% way to avoid pregnancy Same goes for struggling women. You don't want another kid, don't have sex. Simple.

As for rape, that's truly a tragedy, and the victim deserves support. However, as innocent as a rape victim is, a child that results from rape is more innocent still. Ending the pregnancy punishes it, when blame should be placed on the rapist. Pregnancies from rape are a tiny portion of all pregnancies anyway, and it assumes that a rape claim is true simply because it is made. Long lists of problems with it, but to keep it short, rape is not an excuse to take an innocent life.

Generosity? I'm not paying for some woman's bad decisions, and neither should anyone else. Compassion? That's not how countries are run. As for logic, well, you seem to not grasp the simple concept that procreation is the purpose of sex. If you don't want to swallow poison, don't put it in your mouth..
12:39 PM on 09/14/2008
Wow. Someone with a 0% chance of ever becoming pregnant telling me to remain chaste if I don't want to breed. Creepy. And of course, your rant conveniently leaves out the other half of the pregnancy equation.
05:40 PM on 09/14/2008
What other half? That men are a part of pregnancy? They certainly are. Men who have sex and pregnancy results should be responsible for their child. However, men don't have freedom under Roe to end another's life; they can only suggest. That is why the direction was to women. I apologize if this was unclear.
11:03 AM on 09/13/2008
I am glad Governor Palin cut the funding for the unwed home. Why should I have to pay for someone else's mistakes in life. Let Charitable orginizations (if they want to) foot the bill, or better yet let the families of the unwed mothers support them. Title X Programs, be away with all!
As far as the Big Brother issue........all that I ask is that the Government make this Country safe for me. I care not how they do it as long as they keep doing the same fantastic job they have been doing for the past 8 years. Only those with something to hide(those who try to do ill will to our citizens)should be complaining about the great job being done. I think there should be cameras on every corner of every street in America. How often have people been busted for doing wrong thanks to good video survailance and name one person whose rights have been infringed on.
08:21 PM on 09/13/2008
jayfrttt

Fortunately, faith based and non-secular, non-profit organizations exist to help unwed mothers.

This must bring u some comfort, that your hard earned money isn't going towards someone else's mistake in life.

Enjoy your self righteousness.
09:35 PM on 09/13/2008
I guess it depends on whose perspective you look from. I have felt safe, personally, for my entire life; however, I do not give full credit to those in power. Our country as a whole is not SAFER by any means.

One of the most notorious criminals on the top of the FBI most wanted list is still alive. There are no such things as bad teams, just bad leaders.

If your neighbor came into your home and killed your family and you were the survivor, wouldn't you do AND expect the authorities to DO everything in their power to bring the responsible person to justice? How would you feel if they knew were the perp was living, but decided to bug other neighbors instead? Think about it...its perspective :)
06:01 AM on 09/13/2008
It's time to start calling "PRO-LIFE" what it really is - "ANTI-CHOICE". Those right wing liberty-sucking vampires are not "PRO" anything except sanctimoniously telling other people how to live their lives. I would tell them to all burn in Hell - if I believed in it.
08:32 PM on 09/13/2008
I agree m5marc

Pro-choice is not synonymous with pro-abortion.

Pro-life is synonymous with anti-choice.

This is an interesting stat from http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html

Who's having abortions (religion)?

Women identifying themselves as Protestants obtain 37.4% of all abortions in the U.S.; Catholic women account for 31.3%, Jewish women account for 1.3%, and women with no religious affiliation obtain 23.7% of all abortions. 18% of all abortions are performed on women who identify themselves as "Born-again/Evangelical".

I advocate comprehensive sex education for teens as opposed to abstinence only.
Let us empower our young people to take responsibility for their sexual activity and go about it responsibly and as informed individuals.
03:17 AM on 09/13/2008
These two, John Bush and Sarah Cheney are indeed dangerous for America.
12:21 AM on 09/13/2008
What many people fail to understand is that the 'Pro-life movement is not only against abortion, for any reason, but also, AGAINST BIRTH CONTROL FOR WOMEN. It is only a matter of time before they ram that ideology onto the backs of the Republican Party and Sara Palin is one of those who does not believe in the legality of birth control...she considers it de facto abortion.
Wise up women and parents of female (and male) children everywhere. Your fertility rights are at risk in more than just the abortion front.
Still, I will NOT FORGIVE NARAL FOR ITS GRATUITOUS, PREMATURE ENDORSEMENT OF BARAK OBAMA. Even though I will likely support him in the General election. I was incensed that they presumptuosly endorsed him in the primary...against and equally pro-choice candidate. It was galling to me as a Hillary supporter and I still believe it smacked of Kate Michelman's ultimate (and stupid) revenge. I was a substantial contributor before, but I will never give them another dime unless I see a full apology for this abysmal treatment of another Pro-Choice candidate.
Again, I will vote for Obama, anyway...but I will disavow NARAL forever.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
ohmercy
12:16 AM on 09/13/2008
I'd ;ile to see an ad that focuses, or rather asks the question about the father's rights and responsibilities ... and then ask- what about in the case of rape or incest???
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
BabsfromKansas
08:08 PM on 09/12/2008
The G0P are NOT pro-li fe, they are pro-bi rth. There is a huge difference! What they do not advocate is the real pro-life issues: childcare, w omen's rights, health care, education, clean energy, and ending the war. The re ligious right are wr ong. They stand for the false mantra that every conce ption should result in a birth - even in the case of r ape or in cest. If they were truly pro-life, they would not have squa ndered over a trillion dollars on the wa r. If they were truly pro-life, they would not support to rture or ki lling animals at close range from a helicopter. If they were truly pro-life, 46 million Am ericans would not be without health insurance.
HUFFPOST PUNDIT
Freesia2
I'm nicer than I appear in print. :-)
07:46 PM on 09/13/2008
Great post Babs. Great points.
FACINGREALIT
The Truth May Hurt But It Is Still The Truth
10:39 PM on 09/13/2008
You wrapped that up quite nicely! I vote that pro-choice makes this statement an ad! All in favor!
07:54 PM on 09/12/2008
You can't be pro-life and pro-war!
06:24 PM on 09/12/2008
I am not sure why many of these people call themselves Pro-life and I can't understand why people don't call them on it. My feeling is that these people are more pro-Misery than pro-Life. I can't understand how killing hundreds of thousands people (on both sides) in an unecessary war is more pro-life than aborting a cluster of cells.
It is a matter of fact that in the early Slave-Trading days, there was such a bounty of new labor that many slave owners found it cheaper to work slaves to death than feed, and take care of them even minimally. Later on they needed the slaves to procreate to create future labor.
I get the feeling that this is just a vestigial carry over of that era.
I am no Freud, but I suspect, for some, this is a way to mentally proclaim a superior moral ground to wipe out the inherited guilt and for others, it is a very cynical way to PRETEND a higher moral ground to cover up for all the other abuses they perpetrate.
Thoughts??
05:58 PM on 09/12/2008
It's a PERSONAL issue. Period. I won't tell you what to do with your unwanted pregnancy (ooops, rape or otherwise), please don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do with mine.

And, by the way, this is no longer about me, it's about my grandchildren and the choices they should have in the future.

If one doesn't believe abortion is the path to take that's okay with me. Please sweep your own doorstep before you bring your broom to mine!
08:38 PM on 09/12/2008
It isn't just a personal issue.

How we define and value life is relevant to all in society, and all should have a say.
10:14 AM on 09/13/2008
Wrong. The cells growing in my body belong to me, and you have no right to tell me what to do with them. Worry about our own cells.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
demfriend
05:34 PM on 09/12/2008
The right to choose has never resulted in a free for all craze where all women lined up for abortions because they could and we all know that. If we were to ask every woman we know if they have had one how many would say yes? The right to choose is more about being safe when you make that choice. It hasn't been that long ago that we didn't have safe choices and were left with those who would do the "abortion" and have a result of death to permenent infertility as a result of the use of wrong or dirty instruments being used by just anyone who claimed they knew how. It cost often around $200-$400 bucks for these practitioners to damage you and sometimes the baby which you were left with if it didn't work. Some women were lucky and had a "friendly" doctor in the area who would do the abortion with less risk but still not openly. That the women today have not had to contend with the illegal abortion issue is a reason why we have lost support. With the advent of testing and knowing what baby might be bor with and knowing that the choice might not exist for you should make you think at least of choice.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
myangeldog1
05:19 PM on 09/12/2008
Great ad!
04:28 PM on 09/12/2008
In case there is any doubt about McCain's official stand on Roe v Wade, here it is in print on HIS own website. http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/95b18512-d5b6-456e-90a2-12028d71df58.htm
04:21 PM on 09/12/2008
I suspect it is, at least in modern times, the most anti-abortion ticket. BUT WHAT THE HECK DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE? That doesn't mean that anybody's choice will be taken away. Grow up.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jcwtts1
Elections have consequences
04:51 PM on 09/12/2008
You grow up. That is exactly what it means. There are cases already in the pipeline to be reviewed by the supreme court that with one more ultra conservative justice flips roe. So you can say you don't care, you can say you are anti choice, you can say a lot of things but what you can't say and be honest is that it doesn't matter what McCain/Palin believe about choice. If the GOP wins Roe is DEAD. It is as simple and as tragic as that.

J
05:18 PM on 09/12/2008
In a serious vein, said the vampire, why exactly do you think that the beliefs of the P and VP will affect how congress legislates? It is simply that they have made their choice and others make theirs.

ROE v Wade was killed by technology, by the way. The trimester viability bit has been superceded by the remarkable improvements in premature infant care that have pushed ever downward the gestation length at which babies are able to survive and even prosper.

No, it's not as simple as that. Politicians are not crazy enough to try such given the considerable diversity of opinion. The Supreme Court's imposition of its will upon the political system is what has perpetuated the animosity you are exhibiting.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
myangeldog1
05:04 PM on 09/12/2008
I beg to differ.
03:57 PM on 09/12/2008
pro-choice does not mean pro-abortion! Sarah Palin believes in CHOICE just not when it comes to the general public! Did she not make a choice to keep her Downs Syndrome baby? Did she not force Bristol to choose to keep her baby even though she is 17 and unwed!! McCain and Palin are hyprocrites and Palin is apparently on a mission from God...which of course will influence her every decision on what is good for every man, woman and unborn child in America. Get Real....McCain and Palin are living in a la-la idealistic land where what is good for their family must be good for everyone (wish I had 7 houses to raise my hypothetical children in-which if Palin is elected I may have to have because they will proabably ban birth control as well as overturn Roe v. Wade!)