Pro-Life Movement and Strategy

No running this week so I'm wading into controversy.  Here it comes:

Okay, the Left has gone hysterical again this time over Trump's Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh.  I just saw on Ben Shapiro's page that Hillary Clinton said that he might bring back slavery.  WHAT THE ________!!!!   The sad part is that I know some people actually believe it.  I predict that he will be confirmed with about 55 votes.  He'll get all 50 Republicans plus 5 red state Democrats.  Time will tell what type of justice he will be but I predict that he will be in the mold of John Roberts.  Slightly to the right of Kennedy but not like a Scalia or Clarence Thomas.  There is a chance that Roe v Wade could be overturned but first, a case would have to be taken up on that issue so it's far from imminent even if it does happen.  Calm down.

Polls show that the public favors the decision by a 2-1 margin.  I'm not buying it.  There is a common misconception that a reversal would mean an outright ban in all circumstances.  That's not true.  The issue would then be decided by the states.  When the question is framed another way, you will get a very different answer.  Should the issue be decided by the courts or the voters/legislature?  In that case, a majority prefers the latter.  The South and Heartland's laws would be heavily restrictive while the Northeast and West Coast would be more permissive.  A swing state such as Pennsylvania or Ohio would likely restrict it to the first trimester.  A federal ban on all late term abortions could be do-able.  It is highly unlikely that any state would not provide an exception for hard cases such as rape or the life of the mother.  Again, 93% are done for convenience.

If there was a national consensus for a pro-life amendment, sure I would support it.  In order for that to happen, we need 2/3 of the states to ratify it.  Not likely at least for the time being.  Overturning Roe is only the first step.  I'm not a very big fan of judicial review as a principle.  A court could be stacked with activists who can impose their will, which could never be accepted at the ballot box or the legislative branch.  Regardless of which party is in power, if a law is passed by Congress and signed by the President, it should not be allowed to be overturned by a 5-4 vote.  At the very least, I'd require a super majority (7-2) to overturn a law.    There can be no dispute that the Supreme Court has erred with Dred Scott and Plessy v Ferguson (segregation).  Typically, the Left goes berserk when that is mentioned.

As for strategy, I think it would be a mistake to frame it as a  religious issue and the Bible says this or that.  Fact is that most Americans nowadays do not have a Biblical worldview and there are plenty of pro-lifers who are not religious or could be persuaded with a little more knowledge of the issue.  Instead, make it about science.  It is indisputable that a unique DNA set is present from the time of conception.  A fetal heartbeat can be detected within 6-8 weeks and the baby is fully formed albeit extremely tiny at that time.  This is a human being entitled to full legal protection.  When it comes to late term abortion, we've got a viable fetus after 5-6 months that can feel pain.  Democrats will fight tooth and nail to keep it legal up until the day before delivery.  I can respectfully disagree about 1st trimester abortion but late-term is barbaric and indefensible.  I have no respect for that point of view.  Moreover, there is considerable opposition to providing women with material such as sonograms, fetal development or alternatives. Do you want them to make a decision without all the facts?  If so, you are not pro-choice, you are pro-abortion. I didn't watch it but heard about a Planned Parenthood ad that encouraged risky sex so their "services" would be necessary. Sick!

Now, let me debunk some arguments that I've heard from people who claim personal opposition but no legal restrictions:
1) Banning it won't stop it.  It will just force it underground.
2) Undue burden on poor and minority women.
3) Increase in welfare cases and unwanted children.
4) Can't force Christian worldview on non-believers.
5) Pro-lifers don't care after birth.

1- Woman's body woman's choice is a fallacy.  You don't have the right to use illicit drugs.  While attitudes toward marijuana may have evolved, very few people would advocate for legalizing hard drugs such as heroin and meth even though bans don't stop it completely.  Murder of people outside the womb is punishable possibly by death.  That hasn't completely stopped it either but nobody in their right mind would legalize murder.  What about "coat hanger" and back alley abortions?  If women get hurt in the process, it's a price I am willing to pay to save more lives.  I can't say I have much sympathy for a woman who would do that to her own baby.  I'm against the death penalty in most cases but can't say I will shed any tears for an executed murderer.

2- I heard a host on MSNBC lament the fact that poor women and especially poor women of color may not be able to afford a trip from Alabama to Illinois to get an abortion.  So, what you're saying is that you want more abortions in racial minority communities?  THAT'S RACIST!  Can't say I'm surprised given Planned Parenthood's history of eugenics.  That sounds an awful lot like fascism to me.  Just sayin'

3- First off, if a person is more likely to face challenges in life, does it make it more acceptable to kill them?  Some would say so and that is sickening.  That's also out of the fascist playbook.  I had a co-worker in Monty who was sometimes careless about sex.  She said that if faced with an unplanned pregnancy, she's not sure what she would do and would make that decision if/when it came up.  I was pretty disgusted by that POV but to their credit, a majority of such women will ultimately choose life.  Now, let's suppose the abortion option was either off the table or required a trip across multiple state lines.  I believe in that case, women will be more careful and we will actually end up with fewer unplanned pregnancies.  It's really not all that hard to avoid pregnancy.  You have several options:
Abstinence is best but if that's not an option there is Sterilization, Birth Control pills, Condoms and even Plan B Emergency after the fact.
NO, you don't have to choose between a career and motherhood either.  How about adoption?

4- So not everybody believes that life begins at conception and we can't force that view on others, particularly non-Christians?  Nope!  Like I said, this should not be a religious issue but a human rights issue that can be supported by non-religious people.  The truth is the truth regardless of whether you believe it or not.  Just because some people thought the world was flat didn't make it so.  A lot of people thought the black race was less than human but that certainly didn't make it so.  Don't believe in treating racial minorities equally in hiring and housing?  Too bad.  You must be made to do so.  The fact that you don't believe life begins at conception or at the very least the point of viability does not change the truth.

5- This point really bothers me.  First, a dead baby cannot receive quality health care and education.    Liberals say that because you don't support big government social programs, it means that you don't care about the poor.  That ain't true!  First, most local churches perform considerable outreach in poor communities and give much of their money to food banks and soup kitchens.  Who gives most to charity?  Southern conservatives.  Every study shows this to be true. Dr. Ben Carson was once asked about the most helpful thing to do for people on government assistance?  His answer was simple.  Get them off it.

Now if you are still not convinced, here is a YouTube video which describes the most common abortion procedure. First Trimester
It gets even more gruesome further into pregnancy.  A second trimester abortion usually involves dismemberment of limbs on a pain capable baby.  Third trimester is flat out infanticide.