I am absolutely disgusted with the so called "mainstream " Dems!

[saracat]

There have been tons of threads lately defending not only the DLC and their centrism but threads that defend softening our position on abortion! We are afraid we won't get the anti abortion vote! I never thought I would see this. There is a Newsweek article about Kerry wanting to reframe the debate. And Dean thinks it should be downplayed. This is about MY body. This is about me as a person, and I am furious that this debate is being fought again in our party. I thought we had a platform that supported both civil rights and Human rights and now we are throwing women's rights over the side? Someone explain to me why I should remain a Democrat, if this continues?

[Union Thug]

1. Prepare for a massive exodus if the dems continue

this right leaning madness.

The problem isn't the idea or the philosophy it's in the marketing.

The repukes are propaganda masters, absolute geniuses in that respect. The Dems haven't figured out that this is a war of advertising. Hey, you want a capitalist society? You better learn how to survive in one.

[TrustingDog]

2. the repukes ain't all that smart ... it's about serf dumbness. n/t

[liberalpragmatist]

3. How is it a change in position to change the way we talk about abortion?

Sorry, but I just don't see what the outrage is about. Nobody - Dean, Kerry - nobody is talking about changing the party's platform on abortion. The Democratic Party will remain the party of choice. But why shouldn't we change the way we talk about abortion? The Democratic party has to do better in rural areas and suburban communities. The vast majority of the country is pro-choice but nevertheless uncomfortable with abortion.

We have to be able to let the know that we respect their beliefs on when life begins, but that banning abortion is not effective policy because it leads to big government, impedes on women and doctor's ability to do the right thing, and would lead to huge numbers of unwanted births, women dying from botched coat-hanger abortions, and rich women flying to Canada and the Caribbean.

We should continue saying things like "safe, legal, and rare" in addition to the phrase "right to choose." Simply saying "right to choose" sounds very legalistic outside the activist community.

[The Flaming Red Head]

6. Pro-choice isn't out bombing businesses and shooting people

Maybe that's why the Party Tent isn't big enough for all of US. People died and were maimed protecting these rights.

[saracat]

7. They also talked about rethinking partial birth abortion

and promoting that we are not pro abortion! This is disingenuous. We are either supporting abortion rights or we aren't. I am pro abortion. Abortion saves women's lives. They want us to dumb down our support!

[donkeyotay]

4. Gag! Mainstream media. Mainstream democrats. Fuuk. I'll never have a

chance to be mainstream anything. Here's what I think about the whole souffle of morality issues:

Sure the repugs manipulated the election by bringing gay marriage in. This is yet another hot-button issue that they can hammer us with, just like a woman's right to choose or any other feminist topic, civil rights issues, environment, anything that can be called socialism (which means any government spending not beneficial to the corps). The list just goes on and on. If it looks like we might win in 2008 or 2012, they can always trot out the issue of reparations for slavery. That ought to sink us.

But you know what? I think the Democratic Party has to accept that by supporting minority rights, you aren't going to win popularity contests with a majority that has been seduced into being increasingly intolerant. If that means we lose, well then America will get the representation it deserves. Eventually, maybe they'll regain their senses. But this "keep moving to the right" shit is really getting old.

[BurtWorm]

5. If it's true that abortions have gone up during Bush's term

as Dr. Stassen has argued, then there is absolutely no harm in pointing this out to right-to-lifers--no harm to anyone but the Republicans, that is. At the same time that this is being pointed out, Dems should say, if you want abortion to become rare, vote for a pro-choice candidate who will fund sex education and distribution of birth control. Put your money where your mouths are.