An Opening on Abortion? By E. J. Dionne Jr. --WaPo

[Demeter]

NOT YOUR USUAL CLAPTRAP--READ CAREFULLY--FIND THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS, IF YOU CAN

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/20/AR2006112000964.html?referrer=email&referrer=email&referrer=email

An Opening on Abortion?

By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006; A27


The bitter political brawling of the past three decades has created an unproductive stalemate that leaves abortion opponents frustrated, abortion rights supporters in a constant state of worry and the many Americans who hold middle-ground positions feeling that there is no one who speaks for them.

But the politics of abortion began to change even before this month's elections. In September, a group of 23 pro-choice and pro-life Democratic House members introduced what they called the Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act.

Okay, it's not the catchiest title, but you get the point. The bill -- its sponsor is Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), an abortion opponent, with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), an abortion rights supporter, a leading co-sponsor -- took a lot of negotiation. Supporters of abortion rights tend to favor programs that encourage effective contraception, which some in the right-to-life movement oppose. Opponents of abortion emphasize helping women who want to carry their children to term.

The Ryan bill, one of several congressional initiatives to reduce the abortion rate, does both. It includes a remarkably broad set of programs aimed at reducing teen pregnancy, promoting contraception and encouraging parental responsibility. But it also includes strong measures to offer new mothers full access to health coverage, child care and nutrition assistance.

The public debate usually ignores the fact that abortion rates are closely tied to income. As the Guttmacher Institute has reported, "the abortion rate among women living below the federal poverty level . . . is more than four times that of women above 300 percent of the poverty level." The numbers are stark: 44 abortions per 1,000 women in the lower income group, 10 abortions per 1,000 women in the higher income group.

In other words: If you truly care about reducing the number of abortions, you have to care about the well-being of poor women.

[hedgehog]

1. What an incredible notion!

Actually addressing the reasons that force women into choosing abortion! Preventing unwanted pregnancies is one step, supporting women who want to bear children is the second!

[Demeter]

2. Is It the Rapture Yet?

Maybe we'll get some real government, instead of re(t)a(i)l!

[Joanne98]

3. Capitalism causes abortions...

The women in industrial nations have to work to help pay for an industrial nation lifestyle. They either don't have the money to afford a child or they don't have the time to take care of it or have the money to pay someone else to take care of it. The Pro-lifers need to understand that LOW BIRTH RATES are happening in every CAPITALIST country on earth. Maybe they should take off their BLINDERS and look at the abortion problem with a new eye.

Jesus said" The love of money is the root of all evil". If abortion is evil then the "money lovers" ,GREEDY CAPITALISTS, must have something to do with it.

I'm am encouraged though. I think they are showing signs of waking up.

[Demeter]

4. Soviet Union Had the Same Problem, You Know

Poverty is political more than economic. Sorting people into haves and have-nots doesn't have to be unless we let it.

[Joanne98]

5. Maybe they did, but since they have become capitalists....

It has gotten way worse. Maybe we should just learn to live like animals. We will have children and just leave them to fend for themselves like the good old "Gilded Age" days. The slavemasters in the factories will give them jobs when they're 8. We wouldn't want the "Gods on Mt Olympus" to give up anything. That's UNTHINKABLE!

[David__77]

6. It wasn't a problem at all.

Women decided they didn't want more children. They terminated the pregnancies. Voila! Big whoop...

[Demeter]

8. The Problem Was, The Govt. Wanted More Babies

and refused to permit any birth control, so abortion was the only alternative.

[Stargazer99]

7. For once someone is speaking truth to power

Poverty and low-income have a tremendous influence on abortion. Only kool-aid drinkers would believe otherwise or someone who has never experienced the world of poverty and has this RW religous ideal about poverty. The RW religious can whine about abortion but I've never seen the same whine about the misery of poverty both emotional and physical from this same quarter or have I've seen the same energy given to providing for those born in the lower classes from the "godly".

[Demeter]

9. Poverty, Like Pregnancy Is a Well-Earned and Deserved Punishment

in the fundie books.

[evilgenius602]

10. or, how about this, on the count of three, everybody

that doesn't like abortion move to texas or some other wasteland state and leave the rest of us the hell alone?