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Jim's Pro-Life, Pro-choice Plan

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Democrats are on the eroding side of the abortion debate. Although a majority of Americans believe abortions should be legal, many anti-abortion Democrats are abandoning the party because it appears that the Democrats are beyond pro-choice. They are pro-abortion. This is false and this perception must be reversed. People need to know that abortions in this country have gone up since George Bush has been president. Under Clinton, they went down because the needs of women were better addressed. In 2003, there were over 1,350,000 abortions in America. 

Nobody wants abortions. Abortion is an awful experience for any woman. But there are different ways to reduce abortions in this country without making it illegal or unsafe, as the conservative right wants. Democrats can attract anti-abortion voters back to their party and advance significant parts of their platform with a Pro-Life Plan. There is a chance to have it all.

In simple terms, a Pro-Life plan should focus on not only supporting prevention but in advancing these four Democratic ideals: Education, economic opportunity, universal health care and war on poverty.

1. Education. A Plan Life Plan should not stop at a sex education. It needs to include higher education. The more education a woman has, the less likely that she will engage in unprotected safe.
2. Economic Opportunity. In addition to the enhanced economic opportunities that will come from the higher education referred to above, Democrats need to propose a substantial increase in the minimum wage. Thousands of abortions occur in this country because women are barely making a substantive wage. By framing an increase in minimum wage as a weapon against abortion, and visa versa, it will be difficult for the religious right to link with corporate interests in opposition.
3. Universal Health Care. This is huge. Right now, John Kerry is introducing legislation to insure all children. He should be reminding Americans that health care for children will reduce abortions as lack of insurance is a key reason many woman abort a pregnancy. But Democrats should go further. By asking for universal health care, with prenatal care covered for all women, significant steps could be taken to reduce abortions. It is not hard to imagine how many women would conceive if they made more money and had guaranteed health care.
4. War on Poverty. This involves all we can do for the 35 million Americans who are mired in poverty as well as the billions around the world. If the war on poverty were also framed as a war on abortions, no doubt many of those single-issue voters who could not vote for John Kerry in 2004 would vote Democrat.

Of course, not all anti-abortion advocates will subscribe to meeting the needs of the prospective mothers as a better way to stop abortions than throwing women and their doctors in jail. But many will, and they are the ones Democrats should want in their party.

Jim Forbes

January 22, 2005