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| Shared Idea |
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| Pro-Birth – Not Pro-Life
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| Despite what some media channels might say, those who are pro-choice are not pro-abortion. They are not seeking to have abortions performed or to proselytize others to have abortions. Instead, they are strongly supporting the view that this is a very personal issue and each woman should be able to weigh the issues and reach her own decision regarding this very personal topic. This is the opinion that was expressed in Roe v. Wade and I feel that it is a fully justifiable position.
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| In similar manner, the anti-abortion political position is generally not pro-life, though that “label” sounds far better. In the majority of cases, those who oppose abortion don’t actually care for the health of the mother, the child once it is born or the quality of life for members of our society. They try to impose their political and moral views on others, protecting the “sanctity of the unborn child”, but going no further. Many anti-abortionists discount rape, incest or risks to the health of the pregnant mother. They take a very complicated issue and try to paint it in black and white.
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| As comedian George Carlin has said in the past, “these conservatives are really something, aren’t they? They’re all in favor of the unborn. They will do anything for the unborn, but once you’re born, you’re on your own. Pro-life conservatives are obsessed with the fetus from conception to nine months. After that, they don’t want to know about you. They don’t want to hear from you. No nothing. No neonatal care, no daycare, no head start, no school lunch, no food stamps, no welfare, no nothing. If you’re pre-born, you’re fine. If you’re preschool….” And finally, Carlin, at his greatest, synthesizes it down to the essence: “They're not pro-life. You know what they are? They’re anti-woman.”
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| As Judd Legum, Tesnim Zekeria and Rebecca Crosby noted in Popular Information on May 11:
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| These near-total abortion bans are the culmination of decades of work by Republicans. But they are also extremely unpopular. Only 8% of Americans support a total abortion ban and just 37% think abortion should be illegal in “most cases.” The Republican strategy is to pretend like these abortion bans are not happening. A memo written by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and obtained by Axios says candidates should stress that overturning Roe will simply allow some states to put “reasonable restrictions” on abortions. Republican candidates should depict themselves as “compassionate consensus builders” on abortion. Meanwhile, those that support abortion rights that have existed for decades should be depicted as “extreme and radical.” There is no mention of abortion bans.
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| However, Population Information went on to note how “there is a stark contrast between the Republicans talking points on abortion and their legislative agenda” and how “Republicans are openly discussing imposing a national abortion ban.” Furthermore, the absence of an actual pro-life agenda was reinforced the next day when Population Information addressed the actions by the Republican party that have led to America being “the only developed country that has no guaranteed paid family leave.”
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| And, as the Progressive Change Campaign Committee noted on 21 May 2022: “This week, 192 Republicans voted against two bills that will help get baby formula back on shelves. That’s what Republicans call being pro-life? You can't square that circle.”
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