Antiabortion Groups Debate Strategy For Incoming Democratic Administration

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 12 Nov 2008 - 12:00 PST

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In the wake of the defeat of three state ballot initiatives that would have restricted abortion, the antiabortion movement is faced with the decision of whether to move forward "based on confrontation or cooperation with the incoming Democratic administration," the Wall Street Journal reports. According to the Journal, antiabortion advocates are divided over ideas for their future strategy, with some "[h]ard-liners" arguing that they cannot compromise in the fight to criminalize abortion and others fearing that the cause has lost urgency as more religious voters focus on opposition to same-sex marriage. The Journal reports, "With state courts continually resetting the rules, gay marriage feels more fresh and urgent to voters than abortion, which has settled into a status quo that polls show a large number of Americans can accept." The abortion issue also might have faded in the minds of voters as the abortion rate has declined steadily since the early 1980s.

The Journal reports that President-elect Barack Obama and other Democrats have pledged to work to reduce the number of abortion procedures while preserving abortion rights. The Rev. Joel Hunter, an influential Florida pastor, said there is increased willingness among antiabortion advocates to find a middle ground with abortion-rights supporters. Hunter attributed the change in part to the increase in crisis pregnancy centers, which have helped volunteers "begin to view abortion less as an absolute evil and more as a practical challenge" that overlaps with issues such as child care or job access for women who choose not to abort, according to the Journal. Hunter and others advocating for an end to the abortion debate are calling for federal programs that promote adoption, increased counseling for women with unwanted pregnancies, day-care subsidies, health care coverage and other aid to women, according to the Journal.

However, that approach has attracted criticism from "hard-core activists" on both sides of the debate, the Journal reports. Abortion-rights advocates fear the result could be coercion or stigmatization of women who seek abortions, and they would prefer a focus on sex education and contraception. Meanwhile, staunch abortion-rights opponents say seeking common ground "misses the point," according to the Journal. The Rev. Mark Dever of Washington, D.C., said, "It's like saying, 'Let's work to make sure they kill fewer Jews in the concentration camps this year." In addition, Obama's pledge to sign the Freedom of Choice Act -- which would codify abortion rights -- could delay efforts for both sides to cooperate, the Journal reports. Antiabortion advocates say the act would give abortion-rights advocates the ability to challenge every restriction put in place by states, from parental consent to mandatory waiting periods. However, some abortion-rights supporters do not see the act as taking priority over finding common ground on the issue. Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said, "Folks want to get back to solving problems, not creating divisions" (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 11/11).

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