abortion debate

I hate playing the game of “i told ya so”, but it looks like that is what’s going to happen.

Last Friday I wrote a post in which I said:

I’m just spit-balling here, but something has struck me. For years we have talked about how banning abortion was a necessity for Republican victory, as backed up by the evidence of them actually not doing much to deliver once in office. The thought is that Republicans need to keep the abortion debate alive to insure they have voters come election day – the hard core anti-abortion base. If abortion was banned then this huge chunk of the base may not be willing to vote as much.

So that makes me wonder if health care reform could be viewed the same way for Democrats. Keep dangling that carrot in front of the face of electorates from one cycle to the next in hopes that they will turn out on that Tuesday morning in November.

And then yesterday this news comes out:

A new polling memo offers encouraging news to Democratic senators as they embark on a high-stakes effort to sell health reform to voters following this week’s historic votes.

In a strategy memo to be provided to Democratic senators on Tuesday, Mark Mellman, CEO of The Mellman Group, reports that public polls are giving a distorted picture of the level of opposition to health-care reform. That’s because in many of these polls, “opponents” include people who think the current proposals do not go far enough.

So the Mellman Group is selling the failure to get things like Medicare for 55+ and the lack of a public option as a win for Democrats when it comes voting time.

Here is a very interesting article that somewhat slipped under the radar last week. This one is out of the U.K.:

Blogger puts guide to abortion online

 By Andrew Buncombe in Washington

Published: 17 March 2006

 A blogger has added fresh fuel to the abortion debate that divides the US by posting online detailed instructions on how to perform such an operation. She said she had received death threats as a result.

The blogger, who uses the pseudonym Molly Blythe, said she was inspired to post the abortion guide after the recent signing of legislation in South Dakota that outlaws abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. The only exception to the law would be if the woman's life was threatened if she continued the pregnancy.

This exposes us to something not yet really considered - a world without Roe but with the information super highway. Those dark alleys could be quickly replaced with a living room and WiFi. No matter what the outcome is still one of great danger and is more evidence why abortions should be legal - so they can be performed in a safe and sterile environment. Even if it is truly a baby that dies isn't the loss of that life better than the loss of the baby's and mother's lives?

Of course these are things not considered by the religious right, who is so good at seeing the world in only black and white. For people who claim to be so "spiritually enhanced" they certainly are close minded.