Wendy Davis not so pro choice after all

[bigdarryl]

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4775016/

[lostincalifornia]

1. That may be, but I suspect it is still better than the repuke alternative.

[ribbs056]

2. She just doesn't like late term abortions.

She still wants the issue to be between the doctor and the woman and not have the legislature controlling this, but she just has a slight issue with terminating a pregnancy when it is that late term. Of course constitutionally it is supposed to be legal to terminate until twenty four weeks so she does sort of miss the mark there.

[riversedge]

3. I think her more detailed exceptions after 20 weeks are

reasonable. The main point is that any decision will be between the women and her doctor.

[jberryhill]

4. Roe v. Wade authorizes more restrictions late term

I'm convinced that most people don't have the foggiest notion how Roe v. Wade was decided.

Roe v. Wade has NOTHING to do with "when life begins".

Roe v. Wade does not bar any and all restrictions on late term circumstances.

Davis said that she could support a 20-week ban if it deferred more to the woman and her doctor, and if it had exceptions for fetal anomalies and the health of the mother. The anti-abortion bill she filibustered last summer included a 20-week ban without those two exceptions and a number of other provisions that threatened to shut down a majority of the abortion clinics in Texas.

[CTyankee]

9. OK, I gave you a heart, jberryhill, for that!

I know I shouldn't, because it will only encourage you...but, I had to do it!

You have clarified most excellently. Bravo.

[joshcryer]

18. Yep, Roe v. Wade was about viability.

The implications will be interesting if we get artificial wombs and zygote removal techniques...

[idendoit]

20. I agree. Roe v. Wade is about keeping government out of medical decisions.

[Aristus]

5. Don't forget, she's trying to get elected in Texas.

IMO, I think she'd be better off leaving abortion alone, except for proposing that in Texas, they should be performed with guns. That will earn universal approval.

[MADem]

26. And all politics--like it, or not--IS local.

People have to dance with the one what brung 'em...

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Not so pro-choice? Emily's List doesn't think so...

Accepting the 20 week limitation this way is not a problem.

And, she is in Texas.

[Keefer]

7. Yeah, but

why come out and say something like this NOW, instead of before she did her filibuster? It just makes it LOOK like she is changing positions to win "because she is running in Texas."

[840high]

10. x-zactly

[joshcryer]

19. Political rhetoric.

Have to pander to the extremes on both sides.

[Tx4obama]

8. See the other ARTICLE and comment #4 on DU thread on link below...

Article here: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/wendy-davis-20-week-abortion-ban-support

Last paragraph from article on link above...

-snip-

Planned Parenthood Votes Executive Vice President Dawn Lugens made a similar argument in a statement to TPM:

Abortion later in pregnancy is very rare and often happens under heartbreaking and tragic circumstances, and like the majority of Americans, Wendy Davis believes that these personal health care decisions should be between a woman and her doctor. What’s clear is that Wendy has spent her life standing up for Texas women and their families while Greg Abbott has fought to restrict access to safe and legal abortion and women's health care. As governor, Wendy Davis will continue fighting to protect women’s access to health care and will stand up to politicians and special interest groups dead set on turning back the clock for women.

-snip-

And an additional DU thread, here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014725615

[CTyankee]

11. what about this do you NOT understand folks? Really....

[imthevicar]

12. The Lessor of 2 evils.

[FSogol]

14. So, you are against Hillary and Wendy Davis? Any Democrats you

approve of?

[imthevicar]

16. Wendy Davis Is the lesser of two evils.

That's about as good as your going to get from me, Unless your name is Allen Grayson, Al Frankin, Elizabeth Warren, Or Bernie Sanders.

[FSogol]

13. So, are you supporting her Republican opponent then?

[Hippo_Tron]

15. It really depends on the wording of the bill...

People don't have late term abortions (and doctors don't perform them) for shits and giggles, except for a few anecdotal cases that the religious right digs up every time this discussion happens. So basically if we could write a law saying "you five people that waited until the 8th month of your pregnancy and just decided to have an abortion can't have one" you'd get near unanimous consent for it and that would be that.

But laws aren't that precise and any wording that describes under what circumstances late term abortions are allowed is going to have some Type I and Type II errors. The left will want to reduce Type I errors (where the null hypothesis is that the abortion is medically necessary) and the right will want to reduce Type II errors. So if Wendy Davis supports language that reduces Type I errors to as low as they possibly can be, then that's pretty much a mainstream pro-choice position.

You're not going to get very many politicians to engage in the theoretical argument about rights of the 5 people who want to have an abortion in the 8th month of pregnancy for shits and giggles, because it's a losing political position, and it's 5 people.

[blkmusclmachine]

17. More "Centrist" FAIL! Why are so many so-called "Democrats" TERRIFIED of the DEM Party Plank?!?!

[brooklynite]

23. Because a National Party plank that nobody but activists reads doesn't play as well in Texas?

[Rstrstx]

21. Repubs are trying to get the 'Abortion Barbie' label to stick

Gives them less ammo to work with

[Gothmog]

28. Greg Abbott is running a nasty campaign

The Abbott supporters are really pushing the abortionbarbie thread on twitter

[idendoit]

22. And isn't it great, she has that choice?

[TBF]

24. FFS - we have a battle down here

and she is doing a good job imo trying to be reasonable with a bunch of nutjobs who would just as soon send women back to the 14th century.

If you're going to smear dems please find one in a safe state. We could actually win this governor's race and a blue Texas is a very beautiful thing.

At least to ME it is - YMMV.

[Cha]

25. ...

[Gothmog]

29. Agreed

Texas is a tough state for Democrats to run in. I am supporting Wendy and will work like crazy because she is far superiou to Greg Abbott

[beachbum bob]

27. she is a far better choice

than any alternative...hell, I'm against abortion after 20 weeks unless its a health risk to the mother....abortion at the stage becomes a method of birth control that I can's support as a liberal. A women has 16 of the first 20 weeks to decide. Its still a clear pro choice decision....and prochoice was never meant to be 100% nonrestrictive choice

[yellowcanine]

30. I read the article at the link. It seems like well thought out position she is taking. I agree

with her. Blasting Wendy for this is the left wing equivalent of tea baggers going after the likes of Mitch McConnell, imo. If we are only going to refuse to back politicians over this minor of a disagreement, we deserve to lose.