Dems need to educate public on abortion stance...

[Dawgs]

The 'religious right' has been pushing abortion and gay marriage for a good while now... and for good reason. It's working for them.

Like it or not, many people have been brainwashed into thinking that Democrats are pro-abortion. And I, for one, think we are getting hurt by it.

I rarely hear the left respond when the right throws these two talking points out there. It makes me sick, because I think we have something to throw back at them.

When confronted about abortion from the right, every pundit and dem should respond with, 'well if you really are against abortions, then you should have been a big fan of Bill Clinton.'. Let them think about it for a second then explain, 'because under Clinton, abortions were down to a thirty year low... That's lower than Reagan, Bush I, and yes even Junior. Under Shrub, abortion's have steadily been increasing. Clinton said that abortions should be rare, safe, and legal. He didn't only preach that, he made it his policy and it worked.' I wish they would then explain why Democratic policies of sex education and better economic conditions have helped to reduce abortions.

I don't think many people realize this, and even if they do, how do you argue against it? You can't.

Democrats are NOT pro-abortion. They are pro-sex education, pro-safe sex, pro-privacy, and pro-choice.

Republicans are NOT pro-abortion. They are anti-sex education, anti-safe sex, anti-privacy, and anti-choice.

[CornField]

1. Let me channel my brother here for you...

"How can you calmly sit there and try to defend *any* pro-abortion decision by saying it lowers the numbers of abortions?

I think today I'll drive down the road and only run down four teenagers instead of 10. That's quite an improvement, don't you think?

Look, the purposeful death of even one innocent child because his/her Momma didn't know enought to keep her freakin' pants on, is too much.

The republicans are the only pro-life party because they are the only party discussing *ending* abortion -- all abortion. This Christian nation should have never allowed the courts to steer it into this murdering of innocents. It was wrong then and it is wrong now -- good people don't kill their children, regardless of the circumstances."

//////

Okay, back to myself again. Damn! It always gives me a headache when I channel my fanatical relatives. ;) The point is, they aren't interested in *lowering* abortion rates. They are only interested in completely and totally banning abortion. Don't bother to try and tell them about back-alley abortions either -- they don't care about the woman having the abortion nearly as much as they care about the potential child.

[Kitka]

2. I respond every single time,

But the reactions I get show that most of those who oppose abortion rights truly don’t care about the realities of abortion in the U.S. I have been debating abortion in person and online for years, and I’ve realized that VERY few anti-abortion advocates are willing to listen to reason. Their idealized “It’s a BABY” response is impossible to get through. They project their comfortable parenting experiences on others and refuse to feel compassion. Surprise, surprise. The only time we can get a real discussion going is the anti-abortion yet pro-war, pro-DP, anti-welfare stance so many right wingers hold. I think that is our best opportunity to get inside the argument with them, point out the hypocrisy.