Is the politics of "abortion" changing right now?

Question

It is clear the majority of people are pro choice. Personally I don't think its a political issue but a private one between a woman, the father and their medical professionals. That aside the Democrats have beat the Republicans on the issue for a decade or more. Now the Republicans have picked a pro life governor to be vice president. Yet it seems that's ok and no one is complaining about her stance on the issue. And Obama is under fire because he argued against a bill that would give medical attention to a living fetus if an abortion failed. Its compelling on both sides. I'm curious if the winds of change on the abortion issue are real or is it just early in the race yet?

Answer 1

A good question--but no. In fact, the oppsite.

What is happening is that the religious right is becoming more and more marginalized and out of step with mainstream America.  The "under fire" you refer to about Obama is not germane--its the same rhetoric (its even word for word the same stock phrases) they hurl at any pro-choice candidate as a matter of standard practice.

Palin is a symptom of another entirely different issue.  McCain is desperate. He is trailing and knows it. Even IF he can count on the support of the religious fundamentalists--and they haven't trusted him from the getgo.  He probably will lose even with their support--but if they choose to stay home, his chances are effectively zero.

Palin is a bone thrown to the religious right--along with his sudden reversal of his own long-standing pro-choice stance. Its a bid to lure the religious right to the polls--and that's all it is.

Answer 2

I don't think the majority is choice.

Answer 3

The issue isn't important enough to most people to make Palin's stance interesting.  Harry Reid is pro-life and he is the Senate Democratic Majority Leader.  Democrats don't get all upset about this issue and most people are much more concerned about the economy.  

Answer 4

How is it clear the majority is pro-choice?  I stopped there with your wall of words.

Provide a source for that claim.  Even Republicans who are pro-choice believe it is properly a State's rights issue, and others believe there should be limits on this "right" to abort.

Answer 5

It's called the "Infants Born Alive Act." Infants Alive sounds like a death metal band.

I give it a week before the Clintons release the hounds (in the form of campaign advertising) pointing out every glaring dissimilarity between Hillary and Palin, whose veep slot seems to be solely for the purpose of courting Hil voters.

Answer 6

I think racial stances on abortion is what hurts him. I do believe the federal version of the Infant Alive Act passed 98-0 in the senate.

Answer 7

The thing is, the Supreme court is the only one that has the power to overturn Roe V Wade, and there are quite a few old Supreme Court justices right now.  So if the next president appoints conservative justices, then it will likely be overturned.  That's why it's at the forefront of the election.  And the Republican ticket is conservative.  Yet abother reason I can't vote for McCain.