Comments on: Judge Casey’s ruling in Partial-Birth Abortion Case is now online

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

This is all getting very confusing. It doesn’t do any good to prove that abortion procedures aren’t necessary? Merely claiming that such procedures were necessary sure went a long way for pro-choicers. Although I would fear that a health clause would result in doctors labeling this or that as medically necessary, I do think that a ban (on PBA and possibly all abortions bar matters of rape or incest) with a health clause for the mother’s protection is quite a bit closer to public sentiment than an anything-goes policy.

By: Ampersand

Ampersand — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

They didn’t prove that it wasn’t necessary.

Although I would fear that a health clause would result in doctors labeling this or that as medically necessary…

Who do you think is better qualified than doctors to judge what’s medically necessary?

As for “public sentiment,” I think there’s a strong public sentiment in favor of letting women make their own choices in most circumstances, even when that choice isn’t one everyone agrees with.

More importantly, I don’t think that basic civil rights should be subject to public sentiment.

By: Jake Squid

Jake Squid — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks, Amp, for saying everything in response to Jen that I tried to (but didn’t post for lack of a nice way to put it)>

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Sorry, it seemed to me that it was saying that even trying to prove it was not an option. I said it was confusing.

Also, I agree that doctors would best qualified to make such decisions; however, I’m not sure that they couldn’t be bought. That’s not to say that they could be either. Saying things like “I would fear” and “I do think” tend to be me letting you know that I’m not speaking for everyone; therefore, knickers can dewad. Also, also, my comment on public sentiment was an observation. Your observation is different. I can respect that without resorting to “even when that choice isn’t one everyone agrees with” finger-pointing.

By: Ampersand

Ampersand — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I’m sorry you read finger-pointing into the staement, Jen, but you’re mistaken; I wasn’t pointing any fingers. My point is that I think most of the American public would agree that people should have the right to make decisions even when those decisions would not necessarily meet with public approval.

More broadly speaking, though, I actually doubt the majority of the American public has a really coherant position on abortion (either pro-choice or pro-life). I think most people see some good points on both sides, and will respond to surveys differently depending on how the questions are phrased.

So I think most Americans would probably agree with a statement like “abortion should be outlawed except when necessary due to reasons of extreme poverty, rape, incest, or health.” But at the same time, most Americans would probably also agree that “the abortion decision is best made by an individual woman in consultation with her doctor and her conscience, rather than made by the government.” That the two positions are totally contrary doesn’t prevent people from favoring them both.

By: NancyP

NancyP — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

A very typical American “position” on this issue:
No abortion, with these three exceptions: Rape, Incest, and Me.

By: Don P

Don P — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I think this is basically right, but also that it’s not so much a matter of actual incoherence as that most people just haven’t really thought their position through sufficiently to be able to articulate it clearly or respond to polling questions in a way that is completely consistent.

We wonkish people tend to forget that most Americans really don’t spend much time thinking about abortion as a policy issue, or thinking much about anything as a policy issue, except perhaps in the run up to an election or when they’re about to enter the voting booth, and even then not too much. Most people are too preoccupied with work and family and their home and whatever else to really worry about these things.