Criminalizing Abortion

[wbcoleman]

I don't want to pollute a thread about Paul Ryan's speech with an abortion discussion, so I'm going to respond to THIS

On this, ted, I disagree with you.

We don't really have any disagreement here. Abortion is here, and it probably is here to stay.  Collectively, the American public seems to be okay with mothers killing their offspring.  Why? I suspect it is because they haven't really given the issue much thought.

HERE.

ted, if you had your druthers, what punishment would you prescribe for a mother who "kills her unborn child"?

[Ted S]

You have asked me this before  I don't remember what my exact answer was so I'll give it a go again.

I believe that in the interest of consistency, the punishment should probably be that of a mother who kills her days old child.  Seems harsh, given that abortion is lawful today but the idea that a yet-to-be born baby is worthy of no protection but killing a newborn can bring life imprisonment just doesn't compute for me.

There is a good alternative to abortion called adoption.

[wbcoleman]

You have asked me this before  I don't remember what my exact answer was so I'll give it a go again.

I believe that in the interest of consistency, the punishment should probably be that of a mother who kills her days old child.  Seems harsh, given that abortion is lawful today but the idea that a yet-to-be born baby is worthy of no protection but killing a newborn can bring life imprisonment just doesn't compute for me.

There is a good alternative to abortion called adoption.

ted, sorry, I forgot.

Your answer is consistent and lends credibility to your opinion.  Surely, however, you'll acknowledge that, if you ever got your way on this, the result would be massive, repeated jury nullification.

[Ted S]

Surely, however, you'll acknowledge that, if you ever got your way on this, the result would be massive, repeated jury nullification.

I will acknowledge that if Republicans were successful at outlawing abortion today it would have a significant negative effect on their immediate political standing and election hopes, but will abortion be such a dividing issue forever?  Maybe not.  I've got to think that significant social (not government) pressure, if done right,  could change the minds of a lot of people over time.  Now it could be that abortion will become more acceptable as the years pass by but the reverse could happen too.

At some point even die hard leftists should recognize that preserving the lives of children trumps the temporary inconvenience that a pregnancy brings.

I will however concede that in today's atmosphere, while protecting the lives of the unborn is the moral high road, the road would likely lead to political defeat for the GOP.

[wbcoleman]

Surely, however, you'll acknowledge that, if you ever got your way on this, the result would be massive, repeated jury nullification.

I will acknowledge that if Republicans were successful at outlawing abortion today it would have a significant negative effect on their immediate political standing and election hopes, but will abortion be such a dividing issue forever?  Maybe not.  I've got to think that significant social (not government) pressure, if done right,  could change the minds of a lot of people over time.  Now it could be that abortion will become more acceptable as the years pass by but the reverse could happen too.

At some point even die hard leftists should recognize that preserving the lives of children trumps the temporary inconvenience that a pregnancy brings.

I will however concede that in today's atmosphere, while protecting the lives of the unborn is the moral high road, the road would likely lead to political defeat for the GOP.

Right now I am waiting for Mike Huckabee to reach that conclusion.