Bush's Abortion Flip-Flop?

[whitebeard21]

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml%3Fi=20000703&s=corn

"I'm not for the extension of the time to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment," he told the paper. "I feel the ERA is unnecessary. I'm not for the federal funding of abortions. I've done nothing to promote homosexuality in our society." But he went on to explain his view on abortion. The Avalanche-Journal reported: "Bush said he opposes the pro-life amendment favored by Reese and favors leaving up to a woman and her doctor the abortion question. 'That does not mean I'm for abortion,' he said."

So, Bush opposed the main goal of the antiabortion movement, a constitutional amendment banning abortion, which the GOP had endorsed. Moreover, he echoed the language of abortion-rights supporters: Abortion is a matter best left to a woman and her doctor. Bush's reported remarks were in step with the family position. His father, who as a Congressman was such a proponent of family planning he was nicknamed Rubbers, supported abortion rights until he became Reagan's running mate in 1980. ......

Weeks before the 1994 election, he vowed, "I will do everything in my power to restrict abortions."


So which is it pro or anti ?

After his 1978 defeat, did Bush change his position on abortion to be more electable as a Republican? Earlier in the current campaign, Al Gore's abortion transition was an issue. Although Gore maintained that he had "always" supported abortion rights, as a Congressman in the seventies and early eighties, he cast antiabortion votes and declared that "abortion is wrong" and "innocent human life must be protected." Gore eventually acknowledged, "Yes, my position has changed." The Republicans hammered Gore for being a flip-flopper, and Mindy Tucker, a Bush spokeswoman, said that Bush may use Gore's shift on abortion to show that he'll do anything to get elected. "I think people want to see consistency with their leaders," she explained. With his own consistency in question, Bush might want to refrain from blasting Gore for playing politics with abortion

[whitebeard21]

What happened to all the right wingers?

[Barney]

Maybe they flip-flopped.

[whitebeard21]

I find it amusing that the people of Texas nicknamed George 1 "Rubbers" for his stand on abortion.

[tmx468]

President Rubbers.... now thats just unfortunate!

Hardly surprising - no politician ever wants to confirm many policies, to encompass as many voters as possible, and leave things open for the future...

[tony_j15]

Quote:

Originally posted by whitebeard21
What happened to all the right wingers?

We bypassed this thread, seeing no reason to debate the fallible logic in it.....ok, actually I have no idea why people havent jumped on it.

[osprey4]

I'll preface my contribution by saying that this is the most overblown political issue around today. The fact is that the courts have completely taken this issue over and there's nearly nothing politicians can do policy-wise or otherwise.

Having said that, I understand why someone might change their position in one direction but not the other. If I support abortion because it's politically expedient to do so, but then come to the decision that abortion is the taking of a human life (at whatever point during pregnancy), I would be compelled to change my position. On the other hand, it makes no sense why someone would oppose abortion, then decide to support it.

It's like the parallel issue of slavery. Our founding fathers supported slavery as an issue of personal property rights, but later came to believe that African Americans were people and that their rights must be protected by the constitution (even though it took a long time to enforce those rights). But how could you believe a black man is a person, then later decide slavery is OK?

[Omardeth]

why is it that anything said bad about GoP is overblown , but everything about Dem is not ?

[osprey4]

I said the issue of abortion is overblown. It's like the weather, everyone talks about it it but no one does anything.