Dems Urged to Reach Out to Pro-Life Voters

[still_one]

Sorry, but it isn't a question of reaching out, it is a question of what does our party stand for? Choice, environment, worman's rights, civil liberties, privacy, or should we reach out to big polluters, dobson, robertson, the big brother?

Most of the POLLS say the majority of Americans DO NOT BELIEVE ROE V WADE should be overturned

I have been a lifetime Democrat, but it won't take much for me to walk away.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050722/ap_on_re_us/dean_abortion

Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told a group of college Democrats that their party has to change its approach in the debate over abortion.

"I think we need to talk about this issue differently," said Dean. "The Republicans have painted us as a pro-abortion party. I don't know anybody in America who is pro-abortion."

Dean's approach echoed similar arguments advanced in recent months by former President Clinton and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.

"We do have to have a big tent. I do think we need to welcome pro-life Democrats into this party," said Dean.

[gkhouston]

1. define "welcome"

if he thinks "welcome" = give up abortion rights, no, I don't feel that hospitable, thank you very much.

[still_one]

4. We MUST NOT give up ANY RIGHTS OR FREEDOMS

[marshall]

6. Areas of agreement

There are lots of areas that willing people can find ways to work together--encourging adoption, promoting birth control, better access to daycare, promotion of WIC and other government programs, etc.

[still_one]

9. really?

the Catholic church doesn't even believe in Condoms

[getmeouttahere]

2. As long as the party's position doesn't change....

We are the pro-choice party, period. If that changes, I go to the party that is pro-choice, if there is one. Greens?

[DanCa]

3. As long as they understand we wont over turn roe

There are ways to counter abortion without over turnering roe. That therin lies the struggle.

[Mandate My Ass]

5. They're anti-choice. Most support war and death penalty (eom)

[ktowntennesseedem]

19. Exactly! They are merely pro-fetus.

I am strongly pro-choice when it comes to reproductive decisions, but I consider myself to be strongly pro-life: I'm against the death penalty, against war, and oppose abortion itself. I just as strongly feel that abortion is a decision left to each individual and would never want to hinder or restrict the choices available to women and their physicians; I simply advocate working to eliminate the need for abortions, which is far more effective and compassionate, rather than working to ban abortions themselves, which is nothing but empty rhetoric.

If the so-called "pro-life" crowd spent one-tenth of their energy and time on helping and supporting the would-be-mothers and continuing to fight for and defend the fetuses after they are born, then perhaps we might get along. But if they are pro-life, then I'm the Easter Bunny!
They're more than welcome to change their views, truly become pro-life and become Democrats, but I'll neither hold my breath nor hold the door open for them.

[Mandate My Ass]

20. Exactly. The supposed "pro-lifers" would spit on a welfare mom

They don't revere life. They trumpet their false moral superiority which they claim on the basis that they'd force someone to carry a fetus to term, and then totally revile that person if she needed assistance raising the child she was forced to bear.

They'd smugly denounce anyone desperate enough to seek a back-alley abortion who died in the process. A woman's life is a life too.

[Mass]

7. Do you have an issue with that.

Dean, a former
Planned Parenthood board member, said the difference between his party and Republicans is that "we believe a woman has a right to make up their own mind and they believe (House Majority Leader)
Tom DeLay should make it up and Rick Santorum should make it up for them."

The article is totally misleading, just to give us the impression that the Democrats abandon Roe vs Wade. We should not fall in the trap, but, as long as we do not abandon our principles, and clearly Dean does not, what is wrong in trying to get some people who oppose choice to vote for the party because they agree on other issues.

[still_one]

10. then why wasn't it represented that way?

[Mass]

12. Ask Associated Press.

They are champions when it comes to misrepresent what the Dems say.

This is buried at the end of the article.

[still_one]

14. good point

[formerrepuke]

8. Nobody is pro- abortion. Reproductive freedom the issue.

And outlawing "it" won't stop it from happening.

[Dogmudgeon]

11. What it's about

A lot of "pro-lifers" have a jaundiced view of the pro-choice movement and intent. It would be helpful if we (Democrats, Liberals, and Progressives, et al.) did more outreach. And not just to the anti-abortion people, but to the other wings of the New Right. Most of them are ripe for turning, having been boned worse by the Family Bush and Grampa Ron than by the worst "tax and spend libbrul" imaginable.

The idea isn't to submit to their demands -- it is to defuse a lot of the phoney rage they have, and second, to see if we can persuade any of them to accept that "Pro-Life" means applies to everyone, not just fetuses and embryos.

We'll still support Roe v. Wade. We'll also slay the Fatted Calf* for anyone who "comes home" to the Democratic Party and the 21st Century.

--p!
* Or the Fatted Bean Sprout for the vegans :)

[friesianrider]

13. I agree too...lifelong Dem, but if they give this up...

And second of all, we DO reach out to pro-lifers. Being pro-choice is NOT pro-abortion, it is pro-CHOICE. We are for adoption, having the baby, and abortion...we are for each woman having the freedom to make the choice that is best for her. Period.

[still_one]

18. I agree, but it is even more for me

I am starting to hear many "Democrats" in Congress now saying the famous line, "we just can't leave Iraq"?

What does that mean?

We have to distinguish ourselfs from the neocons?

I agree, being pro-choice is NOT the same thing as being for abortion, and I believe we have to get this message out, but we must never give up woman's health issues to a bunch of men in Congress.

[Son of California]

15. I agree with changing the way we discuss it

I respect that a person may have profound moral and religious problems with abortion. This is a free country, you think what you want, and you have the right to believe what you want and to speak about it openly without people attacking you and making you feel like a fanatic.

the Democratic party should make it clear that it is not TRYING to increase the number of abortions -or even that we fundamentaly believe as a party that is absolutely morally right, only that we believe people should have the freedom to decide for themselves whether it is right or wrong and behave accordingly WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE.

That means no brow beating pro-lifers for being morally or intellectually inferior. Tell them, if this is how you feel fine, live it, express it, do what you can to make abortions less likely to happen, BUT WE ARE NOT CHANGING THE LAW.

We need to let the social conservatives know that we are not trying to destroy their way of life -we want them to have the freedom to live the conservative life they want, just as we want the freedom to be Liberals.
We need to show that we don't want to force our concept of Freedom on them, but just want to make sure its the people who get to choose the morals and ideals they live by, not the government,.

[question everything]

16. How can anyone talk about "opposing abortion"

without mentioning support of birth control and support of children who are already here?

Yes, "republicans have painted us as a pro-abortion party" and you, Dean and Clintons go along with them, just as Kerry did last year when you let them define the debate as abortion only.

Not even mentioning the pharmacists who refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control pills? From a doctor who used to write prescriptions?

Until none of them is talking about "anti-abortion" as subjugating more than half the population - such talks should be condemned in strong language.

[ibegurpard]

17. I'm willing to reach out to any "pro-life" voter who wants to focus

on education and birth control and PREVENTING unwanted pregnancies, as well as taking care of the children that DO come from them. I'm NOT willing to reach out to any pro-life voter who wants to outlaw abortions. How they personally feel about abortion is irrelevant if their views are similar to these.