[stupendousman]

I think they've been watching the Republicans and figuring a few things out. The latest on the abortion debate seals the deal for me. It used to be Democrats came off as irrational extremists (and actually, probably deep down are) when it comes to this issue, while the Republicans seemed like the reasonable ones for the most part with their efforts to stop extreme stuff like no parent notification and partial birth abortion.

What the Republicans understood but the Dems didn't seem to want to was that while Americans don't want abortion to be illegal in all cases, they DO want it to be rare and not simply another birth control "choice". At least that's what polling shows. The Republicans have spent the last 10 years trying to get to that place (while some still cried "Down w/ Roe V. Wade") with the Dems fighting tooth and nails. Now they are focusing on the middle ground as well, and I think they'll reap benefits.

Smart move if you ask me.

Democrats Seek to Avert Abortion Clashes - washingtonpost.com

[lpkmckenna]

You've been suckered.

The Dems aren't changing their position on legal abortion. They're trying to woo conservative voters by aiming to reduce unintended pregnancy via "hand-outs," i.e. more government spending on contraception, post-natal care, etc.

"Legal, safe, and rare" is a slogan from the previous Clinton era. Old news, new spin.

[BRussell]

It's Democratic party.

[stupendousman]

I'm not being suckered. I know the score.

The point is that the parties now seem to be seeking some kind of middle ground instead of ranting and raving about "rights".

The majority of America isn't "Pro-Choice", as in an undeniable right to have an abortion for any reason. I don't think most think there really is a "constitutional right" to such a thing,.

Neither are they "Pro-Life", as in an undeniable right for the unborn to come to full term.

They are somewhere in the middle of the two extremes which neither parties "base" reflects. We're talking about some abortions being illegal and some not. The more the parties stop spending all their time focused on the extremes, the more likely they are going to find ground in the middle. At that point, all there would be to stop them is an over reaching judiciary.

[Uncle Skeleton]

Originally Posted by stupendousman 

The majority of America isn't "Pro-Choice", as in an undeniable right to have an abortion for any reason. I don't think most think there really is a "constitutional right" to such a thing,.

Neither are they "Pro-Life", as in an undeniable right for the unborn to come to full term.

They are somewhere in the middle of the two extremes which neither parties "base" reflects. We're talking about some abortions being illegal and some not. The more the parties stop spending all their time focused on the extremes, the more likely they are going to find ground in the middle. At that point, all there would be to stop them is an over reaching judiciary.

That's ridiculous, in that the law currently is not one extreme or the other, rather in the middle. Yet you never hear of liberals trying to change the current law to be less restrictive, only about them opposing conservatives who want to change it to me more restrictive. You seem to be trying to claim the center as your home territory, but it doesn't wash.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by stupendousman 

The point is that the parties now seem to be seeking some kind of middle ground instead of ranting and raving about "rights".

This whole debate is about rights.

Originally Posted by stupendousman 

The majority of America isn't "Pro-Choice", as in an undeniable right to have an abortion for any reason.

I don't give a damn whether the majority is for or against abortion-on-demand. I advocate certain political values because I believe them to be true, not whether they are popular or not.

[stupendousman]

Originally Posted by Uncle Skeleton 

That's ridiculous, in that the law currently is not one extreme or the other, rather in the middle.

Not at all. Abortion is pretty much legal for any reason, at any time. That's to the extreme. It's no where in the middle. It's far from what the "average" American (at least according to polls) has said they want, and it's far from what can be truthfully justified via the Constitution without just making stuff up (as they've already done).

Yet you never hear of liberals trying to change the current law to be less restrictive....

Because there are almost none, and the ones that are there are not enforced. Not much need to get laws which aren't really restrictive at all, "less restrictive".

[King Bob On The Cob]

There was several going through recently with liberals trying to remove the "parental notification" part from a state's law and trying to remove restrictions with going over state lines to avoid parental notification.