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The Democratic Party v. Children

27 Dec 2016
Mary Meehan
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After their devastating losses in the November election, Democratic Party leaders finally understand that they have a huge problem with blue-collar Americans. They know it will take major efforts to regain the trust of the working class they used to champion.

But doesn’t it occur to them that there is also a problem in their attitude toward children? While children cannot vote, there are many millions of Americans who care deeply about them who do vote.

Democrats long have stressed efforts to help children and their parents through Head Start, food programs, education programs, and more. They strongly oppose abuse of children after birth. But how can they support abortion—which actually kills children before birth? Doesn’t this, in some deep way, bother them? Hurt their conscience? Don’t they have any compassion for the smallest, weakest, most defenseless of all human beings?

Many people see feminism as the main force behind the Democratic Party’s support for abortion. Yet the early American feminists opposed it, and Feminists for Life continues their tradition. Unfortunately, though, the most powerful feminists of recent decades have gone the other way. So have many Democrats—more and more strongly as Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro Choice America became major funders and power brokers within their party.

When PP and NARAL say “Jump!” the Democratic Party now asks, “How high?” Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards was a featured speaker at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. So was Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro Choice America, who spoke about her own abortion years ago. “I wanted a family,” she said, “but it was the wrong time. I made the decision that was best for me . . .” The 2016 Democratic platform was more pro-abortion than ever before—even calling for repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which prevents most federal funding of abortions done in the U.S.

In November, Planned Parenthood and NARAL helped Clinton and the Democratic Party drive into a large, barren, rock-strewn ditch. Yet there is no sign so far that this disaster will reduce abortion influence on the party. It’s likely that the Democrats will just give their broken bones time to heal, then hobble on much as before. But even in their weakened political condition, they will continue to harm the unborn.

At the national level, the only organized opposition to abortion within the Democratic Party is the small band called Democrats for Life of America. With very little money and working in a hostile environment, they have been marginalized within their party. Unfortunately, the pro-life movement also has marginalized them. Starting with the Ronald Reagan era, the movement has tied its fortunes to the Republican Party. When the Republicans win, as they have this year, there is hope for unborn children; but when the Democrats regain power, they start undoing whatever good Republicans have been willing to accomplish.

In 1976 New York pro-life activist Ellen McCormack was a candidate for president in a number of Democratic primaries. With the help of matching funds, she was able to run pro-life advertising that had some positive impact. Unfortunately, major election efforts within the Democratic Party were not continued—mainly because the pro-life establishment put all its eggs in the Republican basket after the 1980 Reagan victory. This was a tragic mistake, as proven every time the Democrats regain power and use it against the unborn.

Pro-lifers need a strong and consistent effort within the Democratic Party—one led by a combination of old-timers and talented younger folks. Serious money is needed for such an effort. There must be many pro-life congressional candidates. And there must be at least one pro-life presidential candidate in the Democratic Party every four years. The goal should be elections in which—no matter which party wins—unborn children always win.

 

 

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About the Author
Mary Meehan

—Mary Meehan is a senior editor of the Human Life Review.

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