Searching for Common Ground
The problem with American politics -- probably politics across the globe -- is the inablility for people to reach a common ground.
Take the abortion debate. For years, I've been saying that Democrats need to change the debate and that the biggest problem is the labels. It isn't that Democrats are for abortion, it is that they support a woman's right to choose and believe it isn't their right and responsbility to make the decision of having a baby for someone else. Also, Democrats need to do as much as they possibly can to support that right but decrease abortions across this country. That effort has finally begun with a bill sponsored by Hillary Clinton called the "Prevention First" bill.
The bill, supported by Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid (who is against the right for a woman to have an abortion), aims to cut down the nearly 1.5 million abortions that happen yearly in this country. The bill proposes to double federal funding for family planning clinics, encorages states to subsidize family planning services for low-income families, requires private health plans to cover prescription contraceptives to the same extent that they cover perscription drugs, and promotes emergency contraception efforts.
Surprisingly, Republicans don't support the bill. Why? Well, they're not really talking about it which makes political sense. They don't want to come out too strongly against contraception efforts because they'll allianate moderates. They don't want to support the bill because they'll anger their base. It is sad they're caught in such a predicament but politics seldom always about doing what's right and usually more about doing what is politcally smart.
Democrats aren't blameless in this either. Clinton's bill, while a good step, doesn't make concessions to the right. For example, the bill does not increase funding for abstinence programs or eduction on adoption options.
Both parties , and Americans in general, need to realize that politics can't be a black and white affair. There must be some grey. Abortion foes must realize that for the time being abortion is protected by the United States Constitution. While disagreeing with the practice, it is still possible for those Republicans to take efforts to reduce the number of abortions in this country. That's something they must do.
Take the abortion debate. For years, I've been saying that Democrats need to change the debate and that the biggest problem is the labels. It isn't that Democrats are for abortion, it is that they support a woman's right to choose and believe it isn't their right and responsbility to make the decision of having a baby for someone else. Also, Democrats need to do as much as they possibly can to support that right but decrease abortions across this country. That effort has finally begun with a bill sponsored by Hillary Clinton called the "Prevention First" bill.
The bill, supported by Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid (who is against the right for a woman to have an abortion), aims to cut down the nearly 1.5 million abortions that happen yearly in this country. The bill proposes to double federal funding for family planning clinics, encorages states to subsidize family planning services for low-income families, requires private health plans to cover prescription contraceptives to the same extent that they cover perscription drugs, and promotes emergency contraception efforts.
Surprisingly, Republicans don't support the bill. Why? Well, they're not really talking about it which makes political sense. They don't want to come out too strongly against contraception efforts because they'll allianate moderates. They don't want to support the bill because they'll anger their base. It is sad they're caught in such a predicament but politics seldom always about doing what's right and usually more about doing what is politcally smart.
Democrats aren't blameless in this either. Clinton's bill, while a good step, doesn't make concessions to the right. For example, the bill does not increase funding for abstinence programs or eduction on adoption options.
Both parties , and Americans in general, need to realize that politics can't be a black and white affair. There must be some grey. Abortion foes must realize that for the time being abortion is protected by the United States Constitution. While disagreeing with the practice, it is still possible for those Republicans to take efforts to reduce the number of abortions in this country. That's something they must do.
posted by T. Hildebrandt at 9:35 PM
2 Comments:
I can't pass up the opportunity to leave your first official comment, Todd. Congratulations on your new blog.
You speak of common ground, but only criticize the Republicans for their inaction. Beware of one-sided comparisons, else you risk becoming a hypocrite.
That being said, how do you draw the right into a productive conversation when they have had such (political) success with abusive tactics and one-sided debating methods? Not withstanding the demise of Crossfire, the "talking head/talking points only" approach seems to have served them rather well.
I definitely agree with your post Kit. I posted this last night needing to read my Contracts homework for the next day. I'm going to make some changes because even though the Democrats are making a good faith effort to move to the middle, I still think they're politicizing the issue.
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