Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Mitt on abortion

Various local blogs (VolunteerVoters and Bill Hobbs) are reporting about the e-launch of the Mitt Romney for President Exploratory Committee. So I dropped in for a little browsing, and I'm kind of surprised that this is the best they can do regarding the sanctity of life over at mittromney.com. Under "America's Culture and Values," we read:
Governor Romney: "I am pro-life. I believe that abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by judicial mandate."
(Boston Globe, Mitt Romney Editorial, July 26, 2005)
Romney seems to think that he will emerge as the candidate for social conservatives, but this is not a "socially Conservative" position on abortion. Heck, it's not even logically consistent.

If you're "pro-life," what difference does it make how the "life" was conceived? This position--with a list of exceptions, is more accurately anti-abortion-on-demand. Some will say, "fine" but those aren't Religious Conservatives.

And if it's a human "life" we're talking about, how is a human life on American soil not worthy of Constitutional protection from deprivation of life? While it is certainly reasonable for a "pro-life" official to compromise and arrive at a "state's rights" (or "exceptions") position on abortion, it is hardly a principled "pro-lifer" that starts at that position.

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