Georgia’s worrisome intramural fight over abortion
There’s one bit of unfinished business from the GOP primary for governor. And, no, I don’t mean a public kiss-and-make-up session between Nathan Deal and Karen Handel.
I worry that the long-term health of the pro-life movement in Georgia may have taken a self-inflicted hit during this primary, because of the words and tactics of Georgia Right to Life.
The most prominent anti-abortion group in a red state, GRTL issues endorsements during each election cycle that Republican candidates covet. High among its criteria is a stipulation that candidates agree to only one exception to a ban on abortions: when the life of the mother is in danger.
GRTL defends its stance as “the 21st-century demands of being pro-life,” a tacit acknowledgment that one exception hasn’t always been the rule. For decades after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, many pro-life groups allowed for two additional cases: pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.
It was largely over these two exceptions that GRTL and Handel, the only GOP gubernatorial candidate not to get the group’s endorsement, disagree. But it was no light disagreement.
After Handel received a late endorsement from Sarah Palin, GRTL lashed out: One day before the primary, the group sent out a robo-call to voters describing Handel as “extremely liberal” on abortion.
That’s when I began to worry.
I understand that intellectual consistency dictates that the unborn’s right to life isn’t lessened by the circumstances of conception. I understand that allowing abortion in the case of a rape but not in most others could lead to an explosion in the number of rape claims, and a ban-enforcement nightmare.
But I also understand that people don’t always like to be intellectually consistent. And, more to the point, we are eons away, in public-policy years, from reaching a point where this kind of debate can be more than just theoretical.
The fact is that abortion under any circumstance remains legal in this country — and that, as GRTL itself notes, more than 99 percent of U.S. abortions don’t involve rape or incest. Even a ban on partial-birth abortions proved highly contentious not that long ago.
There’s reason for hope. Gallup, which tracks U.S. attitudes toward abortion over time, found last year for the first time that more Americans call themselves pro-life rather than pro-choice — reversing a 10-percentage-point deficit as recently as 2006, and a 23-point gap just 15 years ago. There were gains in all age groups.
But the number of Americans who believe abortion should be legal in some circumstances remained a majority of 54 percent — almost unchanged from the years immediately following Roe. It’s unlikely that most of them favor just one exception rather than the more commonly stated three.
As the left has proved over the years, a gradual approach to big policy changes is usually more successful than a one-fell-swoop strategy.
Withholding an endorsement is one thing. But there’s an important difference between that and an all-out attack on a three-exceptions candidate as “extremely liberal.” The latter is an unlikely way to build and sustain the momentum in public opinion that will be essential to any lasting change in the law.
It’s a bit like Charlie Brown asking Lucy to place the football farther from the goal posts. To the degree that this rigidity makes it harder to realize slow but steady pro-life progress, it’s an unconscionable mistake.
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215 comments Add your comment
Peter
August 29th, 2010
3:43 pm
This is what Republican’s are good at…..wasting American money !
AP IMPACT: US wasted billions in rebuilding Iraq
AP – In this Sunday, Aug. 15, 2010 photo, a worker walks through the nearly-complete waste water treatment …
By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer Kim Gamel, Associated Press Writer – 2 mins ago
KHAN BANI SAAD, Iraq – A $40 million prison sits in the desert north of Baghdad, empty. A $165 million children’s hospital goes unused in the south. A $100 million waste water treatment system in Fallujah has cost three times more than projected, yet sewage still runs through the streets
As the U.S. draws down in Iraq, it is leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or incomplete projects. More than $5 billion in American taxpayer funds has been wasted — more than 10 percent of the some $50 billion the U.S. has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a U.S. watchdog agency.
They start a made up WAR…Bilk the American public with “Cost Plus Contracts”……then waste more money.
Then they refuse to help American’s at home, and refuse to rebuild the American infrastructure.
But maybe God told them to do all of this ?
Mike
August 29th, 2010
4:23 pm
As someone who has been a liberal most of his life, I find most Republicans (and liberals) to be disingenuous. They act as if they are pro-life, but they seem to dispise the living.
When a person promotes war, has contempt for the poor, and doesn’t walk along the path the Lord set, then I have no faith that the said person is pro-life.
I am pro-life. This means I am against abortion, against war, and in favor of helping the poor.
Carry on.
Highten
August 29th, 2010
5:38 pm
Landry, nice analogy although I would say adult life gets exciting at that time. Look abortion is legal for a reason. It will stay legal in this country because, sex, not being a religious experience, is a basic biological function. One whose inherent outcomes are dependent upon the participants line of thought. It’s their business in other words. No church leader nor anyone else has any right to subjugate a woman of free will to carrying any unwanted child to term, ESPECIALLY in the matter of rape or incest in particular. You might not like my position but I am pro-choice, pro death penalty, believe in killing in self defense, and sometimes wars are necessary. That has integrity. I am for life termination when circumstances warrant. The pro life movement is blatant hypocrisy and no amount of argument to the contrary will ever change that fact.
LizBeth
August 29th, 2010
6:48 pm
“It will stay legal in this country because, sex, not being a religious experience, is a basic biological function.”
Oh, good. Now we can talk about the legalization of prostitution, too…
josef nix
August 29th, 2010
7:02 pm
“Oh, good. Now we can talk about the legalization of prostitution, too…”
I’m for it.
landry
August 29th, 2010
7:41 pm
orgasms for all my men
No More Progressives!
August 29th, 2010
7:46 pm
AmVet
August 28th, 2010
2:24 pm
Of course these violence-prone reactionaries, religious nutjobs and science-averse neo-cons are angry! Other than their kids, they can no longer just intimidate and boss entire groups of people around any more, can they?
Too bad, so sad. We in the reasoned and reasonable center took that power away from them and they’ll never get it back.
1. Where was the violence?
2. “We” in the reasoned and reasonable “center?” Who is we?
You’re so far to the left, ScamWet, you make Stalin & Lenin sound sane. Who do you think you’re kidding?
md
August 29th, 2010
7:59 pm
“When a person promotes war, has contempt for the poor, and doesn’t walk along the path the Lord set, then I have no faith that the said person is pro-life.
I am pro-life. This means I am against abortion, against war, and in favor of helping the poor. ”
“Contempt for the poor” is such a broad brushstroke. There is a difference between “can’t” care for oneself and “won’t” care for oneself.
The won’ts are quite capable of doing so but choose not to – I see no problem with letting them live with the consequences of that choice. Too many bleeding heart excuse makers want to give them a pass, which actually does them more harm than good. Enabling is not the same as helping…..
JF McNamara
August 29th, 2010
8:01 pm
I agree with Road Scholar. Who cares? I’ll take care of things in my own house, and I’ll let others handle their homes the way that they want. Making it a wedge issue is dumb, and changing the law will make things drastically worse. It wasn’t all smiles and sunshine before Roe vs. Wade, but I’m sure none of those against abortions care about that or have any way of solving those issues.
Real American
August 29th, 2010
8:06 pm
The GOP just like the fake Right To Life groups could care less about abortion. They just want control and to make sure the white population stays a majority. LOL…since they see that’s not happening, they’re bunkering down on this pro-life craziness. Seriously….they could care less.
md
August 29th, 2010
8:19 pm
“She’s a receptacle, willing or unwilling? Are you still on your Sacred Sperm kick? ”
Merely pointing out that all too often folks resort to abortion when the choice should be made much earlier – we choose everything we do and all choices have consequences, if one doesn’t want to have a child, choose not to prior to getting pregnant – not too difficult to do.
J.B. STONER
August 29th, 2010
8:21 pm
How about Glenn Beck……………
OUTSTANDING JOB YESTERDAY !!
Peter
August 29th, 2010
8:50 pm
JB what did Beck do that was outstanding ?
Please let us know….Thank you !
BRW
August 29th, 2010
9:14 pm
The very idea someone would use the name of J.B. STONER in public says abortion can be a good thing. Too bad his parents didn’t see the light on that one.
landry
August 29th, 2010
10:38 pm
if I said you have a beautiful body would you hold it against me
if I swore you were an angel would you treat me like the devil tonight
if I were dying of thirst would your flowing love come quench me
if I said you have a beautiful body would you hold it against me
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
6:38 am
Alrighty…. as a LIB who is pro-choice…I’ll cave in and agree to make abortions “illegal” when the “all life is sacred-sanctity of life” crowd agrees to the following:
1-The will adopt EVERY SINGLE CHILD around the world who needs a home first before we make it illegal. They also agree to adopt ever child born once it enters the world if the parents can not provide for it. Failure to do this means you are kicked out of your mega-church and will spend eternity in hell for not helping out a tiny “already born” human.
2- The “sanctity of life” crowd will condemn and make the death penalty illegal on the same day that abortions are banned. I mean who are we “humans” to judge other humans? I thought only your god (well YOUR version of he/she) can judge one’s life. Also… no more “collateral damage” of any humans when starting phony wars. If other innocent humans are killed during the bombings…you agree to say our troops and military “murdered” them (just as you do for “not yet born” embryos).
So..there’s more offer Talibangelical “right to life” crowd. Put your money where your mouth is when it comes to “life” and respecting those ALREADY BORN as much as you value the life of the not born.
mike
August 30th, 2010
7:25 am
I am sure glad to see the repubs are still dealing with the abortion issue. Always one person trying to decide what another chooses to do with their life. Georgia should always be proud to be on the cutting edge of abortion since it is a legal procedure. It does not matter Georgia’s education is at the bottom when it comes to education for kids. We have two other states dictating how we should use our water. The lottery school funds are running out. A group of people are trying to elect a man governor who ran from a D.C. ethics investigation. Etc and etc and you folks are talking about abortion. How about trying to do something for the people who are already here and living in this state.
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
7:55 am
mike, just remember….they’re the party of LESS GOVERNMENT….right? Which of course makes sense when they do all they can to get involved in people’s personal lives by restricting or banning their write…by government “control” of what they can do to their own bodies… or by saying who can get married and who can not… when one can buy booze, and where… where a strip club can or can not open. Yups….let “government” involvement and an open “free market” system for all… expect for those things….
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
8:25 am
Real American
August 29th, 2010
8:06 pm
The GOP just like the fake Right To Life groups could care less about abortion. They just want control and to make sure the white population stays a majority. LOL…since they see that’s not happening, they’re bunkering down on this pro-life craziness. Seriously….they could care less.
I see that Dennis Kucinich and his spaceship landed, along with a group of moonbat visitors.
How was the ride, Real? They serve drinks in zero gravity?
williebkind
August 30th, 2010
8:39 am
Abortion is the law of the land because judges created law. Is that law of the land? Do judges create law? That is a progressive liberal’s way of thinking. Abortion is still illegal unitl congress passes a law and the president signs it. But liberals use the judges to get illegal laws a pass that fits their vile disgusting agendas.
williebkind
August 30th, 2010
8:41 am
Peter
August 29th, 2010
8:50 pm
You did not see Beck or listen to him? But you seem to have the facts without knowing the information. How progressive liberal!
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
8:44 am
willie…so I guess you’ll agree that Bush was never “Prez”…either…
williebkind
August 30th, 2010
8:45 am
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
7:55 am
If we are going to allow sin, how about rape. A lot of progressive liberals may have someone they would like to molest. Oh I see you determine sin and not the creator. This government was born under the finger print of the creator and not the progressive liberals. I know its hurts but you will get over it.
williebkind
August 30th, 2010
8:47 am
No he had the votes! He had to go to court to get Al Gore off his back. You know he conceded then withdrew it…right?
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
8:49 am
Liberals & Progressives are in denial about Beck, willie.
And as you alluded, progressives are always the smartest people in the room. No need for background or research. They just know……….
williebkind
August 30th, 2010
8:52 am
You are challenging their lies No More Progressives…keep it up because I am.
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
8:54 am
Willie….really? If that’s the case…tell me about the 10 commandments and how many of them are “actual” laws.
I’ll wait.
md
August 30th, 2010
8:55 am
So nice to see that the solution to overcrowding and unwanted children is just to do away with them. My what a great society it will be when folks believe it is more convenient to whack em vs care for them.
Of course these same folks believe actions should not have consequences and excuses are the norm.
md
August 30th, 2010
8:58 am
“The “sanctity of life” crowd will condemn and make the death penalty illegal on the same day that abortions are banned.”
Always loved the logic behind this one – comparing someone that more than likely committed a very heinous act against another human to the most innocent life form on earth.
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:00 am
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
8:54 am
Murder
Stealing
Adultery (covet thy neighbor)
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
9:02 am
Willie also…if this “government” was “born under the finger of god”…. I see the bible is FULL of references to Kings…yet I see no mention of a democratic government ANYWHERE in it. Please post the parts of the bible that show EXACTLY the form of government we have set up here.
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:02 am
md
August 30th, 2010
8:58 am
These are the same people that will flush a zygote down the toilet without a second thought; yet they’ll mollycoddle a barbarian murdering terrorist under the guise of compassion and bigotry.
It never made sense and still doesn’t.
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:03 am
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
9:02 am
For the 40 eleventh time; we are not a Democracy. We are a Representative Republic.
Most people learn that in middle school civics.
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
9:07 am
No More….okay…show me that part of the bible…show me EXACTLY where it mentions ” Representative Republics” are what YOUR (version of) god intended when it came to governments.
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
9:11 am
That’s right no more…actually only the first TWO. Don’t kill anyone and don’t steal…cheating with your neighbor’s wife or with ANYONE outside of your marriage is NOT against the law. WHile it can be used as one’s grounds for filing a divorce…divorce is a “civil” matter….You don’t go to jail or for it.
so just how is it if OUR LAWS are based upon your cult’s fable…that there are TEN commandments and only TWO of them made it to become LAWS of the land?
Seems to me that your cult did NOT form the laws of our land. Not even close…
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:13 am
Our government (or what acts as a government) is not Biblicly based, Sally. You need look no further than the Romans. Republic is from the Latin res publica, meaning public affairs.
I find it somewhere between amusing and revolting that a lefty, among the first to scream “Separation of Church & State!!!!!” wants to see a Biblical foundation for our government, much less any government.
Are you that desparate?
You wanted laws, Sally. I listed three.
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
9:17 am
You wanted laws, Sally. I listed three.
And i “proved” that our laws here are NOT based upon those TWO laws which you correctly identified… 20% of those 10 laws are only actual laws? Seems to me that we’re so far from having our laws based upon your cult’s bible that we’re just what the founders intended… NOTHING close to being a Theocracy.
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:17 am
Several City Room readers this week have pointed out that adultery is still, technically, a crime in New York State.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/is-adultery-a-crime-in-new-york/
Try again, Sally.
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:18 am
What you proved, Sally, is that you’re desparate.
Saul Good
August 30th, 2010
9:22 am
Gee no more…that really shows how it’s the “law of the land”…which unlike abortion being legal (which IS the law of the and)…again, I stand by what I said above…adultery is NOT the law of the land.
Enjoy being so “christ” like yourself… you’re about as far from following the teachings of your cults figure head as one could possibly be. Must suck being so pissed at the world all the time… enjoy the stress… c-ya! Salami Baloney!
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:26 am
Run, Sally. Go find HDB or CJ or ScamWet over at Bookmans waste of time site & compare your tax brackets.
Aquagirl
August 30th, 2010
9:28 am
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:18 am
What you proved, Sally, is that you’re desparate.
Uh, you make the claim our laws are based on the ten commandments,—they’re clearly not—then Saulgood is “desparate?” (sic)
BWAHAHAHA!
Abortion is legal, our basis of government is distinctly secular, and the crazy religious crowd is the one being flushed down the drain. Oh, and Jesus is wayyyyyyy overdue to rapture folk who want to see everyone else live in torment. Life is tough nowadays for the bible-thumpers.
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
9:28 am
For the 40 eleventh time; we are not a Democracy. We are a Representative Republic.
Patently incorrect.
A representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy.
A representative democracy that emphasizes individual liberty is a liberal democracy. One that does not is an illiberal democracy. There is no necessity that individual liberties be respected in a representative democracy.
Today, in liberal democracies, representatives are usually elected in multi-party elections that are free and fair. The power of representatives in a liberal democracy is usually curtailed by a constitution (as in a constitutional republic or a constitutional monarchy) or other measures to balance representative power:
We are a Representative Republic.
Again, false.
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic.
A federal republic is a federation of states with a republican form of government. A federation is the central government. The states in a federation also maintain the federation. Usage of the term republic is inconsistent but, as a minimum, it means a state or federation of states that does not have a monarch.
In a federal republic, there is a division of powers between the national “federal” government, and the government of the individual subdivisions.
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:33 am
The a great opinion piece, Scammer, but you need look no further than our founding documents. We are, in fact, a Representative Republic.
Make it up as you go, progressive. You have no foundation to support you.
Didn’t you take middle school civics?
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:35 am
Aquagirl
August 30th, 2010
9:28 am
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:18 am
Uh, you make the claim our laws are based on the ten commandments,—they’re clearly not—then Saulgood is “desparate?” (sic)
Can you read English, water femina? I never said our laws were based on the 10 commandments.
Sally asked for commandments that were laws; I listed 3.
Pay attention, please. You’re dragging the conversation.
No More Progressives!
August 30th, 2010
9:36 am
“….and the crazy religious crowd is the one being flushed down the drain.”
That’s not nice. That’s no way to talk about your new masters, the Taliban.
Aquagirl
August 30th, 2010
9:46 am
@ troll, zzzzzzzz…….
No, arguing about the legality of abortion is dragging the conversation about how to fix Georgia after years of pray-on-the-steps-for-rain Sonny. Too bad for you it’s the wingnut side that’s the drag on Nathan Deal.
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
9:48 am
So lets see, I provide two definitions that countermand the absurd statement that the USA is not a democracy.
And the response?
I have no foundation to support me.
That and puerile questions regarding the education and knowledge level of anyone who dares disagree with him.
Niiice.
LA
August 30th, 2010
9:52 am
“And the response?”
Your one to talk, ScamVet. I seem to remember a blog in which you really put your foot in your mouth. Something about you not knowing that LA was the abbreviation for Louisiana.
Non too bright is ya, Scam.
LizBeth
August 30th, 2010
9:53 am
Jesus makes it very clear that there are laws of God’s and laws of people. It’s the laws of people that so often get in the way of loving and respecting others. God’s law, according to Jesus, is about loving God and your neighbor.
When Jesus erupts in the Temple, he is angry at those who would sell church, those who make a mockery of loving God. He gets angry at those who would fling stones at those who don’t obey societal mores without examining themselves first. Where does abortion fit into all of this? Be very careful of making laws that make a mockery of God’s love and fling stones at women without recognizing how love, in the long run, will make better mothers and decrease the abortion rate. As long as our societal environment is one of bullying and begging women (which is not love) not to have abortions, and is a society that promotes fear, abortions will still happen.