Right-to-life agenda setting
Submitted by James on Sun, 01/18/2009 - 7:06pm
Knocked back on their heels by the sweeping victory of sanity last November, the shrinking radical right is regrouping, sizing up the enemy, picking and choosing their battles with the subtlety of a chain saw. Abortion rights will be one front on which we'll witness a full-fledged assault. It has already begun.
Here's how it works.
- Assert that the evil majority wants nothing less than zero restrictions on abortion. Charge them with advocating infanticide.
- Link that charge directly to President Obama, and by extension, the people he'll nominate for the US Supreme Court
- Stir up a ruckus so that local newspapers report on delusional fears as though they are well-researched facts.
- Use the drama to spur paranoid donors into contributing.
- Evoke god as your witness.
And of course, expect the Christianists at the The N.C. Family Policy Council to carry your banner high.
The N.C. Family Policy Council has also issued warnings about possible passage of the act. If approved, the act could invalidate state laws requiring waiting periods and parental consent for minors, for example.
The truth is, Mr. Obama has staked out an exceedingly moderate position on abortion rights. He seems in favor of preserving those rights more or less as they currently exist, while increasing efforts in comprehensive sex education, pregnancy prevention and STD prevention. Meanwhile the NCFPC and their right-to-life brethren have nothing short of an extremist agenda. They want to make abortion illegal in all instances, criminalizing millions of women who - for whatever reason - choose to end their pregnancies under the law as it currently exists.
The Catholic Church will, of course, remain complicit.
"Part of what I find attractive about the Roman Catholic Church is its teaching on a consistent ethic of life," said Scott Bass, who together with his wife, Roberta Mothershead, runs a hospitality home for homeless people and families of death row inmates. "But this looks like a retreat to an inconsistent ethic of life. The bishops' voices on issues such as torture, pre-emptive war, poverty and the death penalty are muted by comparison, and I find that disappointing."
The views held by the N.C. Family Policy Council are extreme. Only 10% of the US population believes abortion should be illegal in all cases. Fully half think it should be always legal or legal most of the time. But don't expect the extremist minority to accept reality. They have a new enemy that happens to include 90% of the American population, and they will use the issue for every ounce of political gain they can. Even if it means misrepresenting Mr. Obama's positions.
Funny you bring this up, James
Actually, it's funny you bring this particular issue up at this time. As you guys know, I plead guilty to perusing some conservative/republican blogs from time to time. Nope...you guys are definately the best :>)
I say this because on one that I tend to get on the most the main issue/question of the day is "what does the republican party need to do to become viable once again in America?". My responses have, by and large, been not only accepted but echoed by most of the posters there. This will surprise you.
My input to this site was that for the republican party to pick themselves back up, they (in my opinion) need to do the following:
1. Put "social issues" such as gay marriage, abortion and stem cell research on the back burner. These are no longer hills republicans can or should be willing to die on. We're out of touch with the majority in America as a party in this regard and must adjust our leadership's motives and if that doesn't work, adjust OUT our current leadership altogether.
2. Make priority #1 working toward what made the party successful in the first place which is fiscal responsibility, reduced taxes for all classes in our society and reduced excessive spending by Washington created by special interests and lobbying efforts.
3. Search out viable candidates capable of taking our message to the electorate.
You are saying that you believe or have some evidence that the issue of abortion will raise it's ugly head once again so as to generate renewed interest and contributions for republicans. On this website I am talking about, I see the opposite with most posters. So many folks in my own party are becoming more and more like me with moderate views on such issues. I'm a huge proponent of stem cell research because of a particular health issue that is predominant in my family and I'm also finding very little interest within the rank and file republicans in fighting that. Sure, there is still that fundamentalist christian extremists element. It's a cross I guess we'll bear for a while (no pun intended).
The best thinking is independent thinking.
Your party has generally been more moderate
all along. It's extremists like the leadership of the NC Family Policy Council that I'm writing about. More to the point, I'm writing about how those extremists orchestrate media coverage to build the impression that they are under attack. It'll be interesting to see how the mainstream right responds. I personally am hopeful that you and your moderate friends will take control again over your party.
The fundamentalist Christian extremists element (your words) exercise far more influence than their numbers would dictate. That's partly because reporters and the media like covering weirdos, but it's also because those extremists are a source of boots on the ground and funding. The NC Family Policy Council puts the fear of god, literally, in scaredy-cat legislators every day. The rank and file Republicans in Raleigh would no more stand up to them than the man in the moon.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
I heard that !!
Yep, and there's that cross to bear thing again. What I fear...well, "fear" might be the wrong word...but what I see happening if me and people like me fail in moderating our party is people moving away from it...and do as I believe I understand you've done going Independant (??). Me and people like me believe in much of the GOP platform and principles, Plus, we are scared to death that the democratic party is moving farther and farther left in principle which will eventually roll over into policy which eventually goes into initiatives, bills and other things that affect our lives. For me, and I'm certain I can be persuaded to alter my opinions on this...reduced taxes, the free market and competition is still our best chance for us to pull ourselves out of this economic situation in the long run. Short run? Yep, I'm okay with stimulous efforts. But, if our capitalism is damaged and is overtaken by government, I'm afraid we're gonna be doomed.
Ah...but there I go ranting again.
Thanks, James.
The best thinking is independent thinking.
You did that on purpose !!
I personally haven't really known much about this "NC Family Policy Council so .... um...I went to the website.
YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE !!
My G A W D !!!
Shouldn't that be generated out of Utah or somewhere ???
The best thinking is independent thinking.
Sorry
I don't link to them anymore because it makes me have to wash my hands, but I'm glad you went there. These folks, along with the NC Association of Realtors, are the heart and soul of the Republican Party in North Carolina, with plenty of Democrats buying in, too.
Utah. Ha!
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
I think exit polling shows...
that "Republicans" are moderate on these issues. But, that the Republican Party has not been. I would love to see a return to a Republican Party that frothed at the mouth over taxes, spending, and ineffciency in government. I would welcome it.
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Good thought
Yeah...Robert....and that's the rift within the republican party. The "leadership" currently is so much more about social issues than issues that actually improve our country.
Sometimes I get embarrassed by our leadership. But, even when we do have solid presentation by great leaders, your party and the lib press just takes them down.
Argue it if ya want...it's just true to the bone.
The best thinking is independent thinking.
Challenge them and they will hush
The issue of abortion and the general public's discomfort with it will always remain unless...the politicization of it is exposed to its rawest form. As a southerner who votes Democratic always except a few times in the local races, I am always confronted with the guilt trip put on me by my fundamentalist neighbors that a vote for a Democrat is a vote for abortion. I have been able to counterattack their comments with a challenge for them to also outlaw sexual intercourse before or outside of marriage and that this measure would not only almost eliminate abortion, but also keep an unwanted child from being born into poverty. That usually hushes them up because most of them have erred in that direction or maybe intend to. I also tell them if they want to "defend the sanctity of marriage" then take it a step further and outlaw divorce. Most of them either are divorced or are thinking about getting one or just concerned with keeping their options open. They hush on that too. My point is that everyone is for outlawing for the common good until they are affected. That is why even with a majority for all those years the Repubicans never did anything about outlawing abortion. It is too extreme and only a symptom of a bigger and socially accepted phenomenon. I find the whole anti-abortion movement an insincere power-grab with no merit.
Fer sher....
Look, from my perspective, being "anti-abortion" is just being "anti-choice". Being "pro-abortion" is being "pro-choice".
I'm a "choicer"....I can't make that any more clear.
I'm pro-choice and against taking away anyone's "right to privacy".
Let's get that straight.
The best thinking is independent thinking.
I'm Ready
I can relate. Because I feel that these extreme sides of both parties have hurt. I am ready for the days where the biggest difference between the political parties were fiscal issues and leadership. If we look back, I believe some of our toughest times as a country were when we got sidetracked on some divisive issue some with merit, some without. I appreciate Republicans because opposing parties should make the other party better, raising the bar like Michael Jordan did for the NBA. We should not be breaking the legs of our opponents so we won't have to play them. Maybe not the best analogy, but all I could think of at the time.
Uh, huh
Exactly.
Thanks, frontstreet.
The best thinking is independent thinking.