Abortion and stem cell research.

[Julien Sorel]

After Bush's words last night, and reading newspaper accounts of peoples' thoughts on stem cell research, this is a huge opening for Democrats. Bush either gets on board and risks cracking his base, or he panders to them, and watches the moderates run away from his extremism.

Abortion should hurt him badly with women -- where are the women's organizations sounding the alarm?


But the big winner is stem cell research. Kerry started this last week, but this has a huge potential in the future, not just in this race, but going forward. What can be more pro-life than supporting research that can cure heart disease, and cancer, and congenital defects? And if the U.S. sticks its head in the sand, other countries are going to go forward with it, leaving us behind both technologically and from a business standpoint.

Hiding behind the bible has costs, and Bush and the Republicans need to start paying them.

[Lefta Dissenter]

1. Kerry needs to more strongly remind people

that embryos are being destroyed because they aren't being used. How can people feel that in vitro fertilization, which usually results in extra embryos being destroyed, is fine, but it's not ok to actually use those discarded embryos to save lives???

edited to add that he did make reference to it last night, but I want him to hammer that home.

[TexasBushwhacker]

2. I don't think it's one of those single issue issues

I don't think funding stem cell research is a make or break issue for most people. Actually, most heavy duty pro-lifers are against it, because the stem cells are extracted from an embryo that was created, but not used, for in vitro fertilization. Currently, these unused embryos are either disposed of or are frozen. Couples can donate the embryos for stem cell research, but federal funds cannot be used to extract the stem cells from the embryos. So there's the Catch 22.

[Julien Sorel]

3. That's partially my point.

Actually, most heavy duty pro-lifers are against it, because the stem cells are extracted from an embryo that was created, but not used, for in vitro fertilization.

We don't get their votes anyway, so.... We can force Bush to take a position and publicize it. He already made his stand last night, and Democrats and Democratic groups should pound him on it. It's a symbolic issue as well as an attack on Bush's base: Kerry stands for economic and technological progress, for the healthy and full functioning life of every American; Bush stands for sitting around.


Bush stands for sitting around. I think I listened too closely to him last night; I'm picking up his language deficiencies.

[girl gone mad]

4. Over 80% of people disagree with Bush's abortion stance.

Recent polling suggests that only about 17% of adults think abortion should be completely outlawed. Close to 60% think it should remain legal in most circumstances.

[Carolinian]

5. I'm furious over Bush's abortion stance & his obvious plans.

But I really admire what Kerry said about his personal stance on abortion vs his stance as president, paraphased here:

"I can't take what is an article of faith for me and legislate it for someone who doesn't share that article of faith. I can't do that...
As a president, I have to represent all the people in the nation. And I have to make that judgment.”

That's presidential thinking.

[Sparkly]

6. Also regarding funding -- he made an important statement

Now, I believe that you can take that position and not be pro- abortion, but you have to afford people their constitutional rights. And that means being smart about allowing people to be fully educated, to know what their options are in life, and making certain that you don't deny a poor person the right to be able to have whatever the constitution affords them if they can't afford it otherwise.

[Carolinian]

8. Did you see the thread that showed the goole search

abortion dred scott?

[Mz Pip]

7. If the RWers

were really so concerned about the sanctity of life they would mobilize to ban invitro fertalization. How they can accept they fact that all those ujnused embryos will just end up frozen until there's a power shortage is beyond me.

They don't think through their positions very carefully IMHO.

MzPip
:dem:

[JI7]

9. he should also name conservatives who support it

like Nancy Reagan to back himself up and show that his is the mainstream position.

on the abortion thing he should frame the issue based on Bush's lack of support for allowing abortion even when the woman's health is at risk .

it would be good if he could bring up his work as a prosecutor taking on rape cases and fighting for raped women and helping set up support centers. and instead of saying he was a lawyer he should say he was a prosecutor .