Abortion

by Edward Grabianowski
October 2004

The Issue
Abortion is one of the most divisive issues in American politics, not to mention American society. Opponents of abortion (who generally refer to themselves as "pro-life") usually base their beliefs on religious grounds and the "sanctity of life." Abortion opponents tend to be Republican. The "pro-choice" movement believes it is a woman's right to choose whether or not to carry a pregnancy to full term, and that the government has no business making such decisions for them. Pro-choice supporters tend to be Democrats.

The abortion debate has been crystallized by two controversies in recent years: RU-486, the so-called "abortion pill," and stem-cell research. RU-486, which causes a chemical abortion when taken with certain hormones in the first nine weeks of a pregnancy, was approved by the FDA in 2000, despite objections by many Republicans. It was not considered an outright victory for the pro-choice side, however, as many felt the FDA saddled the drug with limitations and unreasonable restrictions.

Stem cells are cells that have not yet differentiated into the specific kinds of cells that make up a human being. They can be found in bone marrow as well as human embryos, and could be crucial in discovering cures to several diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. The Republican "party line" is that an embryo is just as sacred a life as any other, even if it was developed in a lab dish -- therefore, experimenting on embryonic stem cells is immoral. The possibility of curing certain debilitating diseases has caused some Republicans to cross party lines and plead for increased stem-cell research. Nancy Reagan (whose husband, President Ronald Reagan, suffered from Alzheimer's disease) and pro-life Republican Senator Orrin Hatch (a Mormon) have come out in favor of embryonic stem-cell research.

Badnarik: Position and Record
As the Libertarian candidate, Badnarik conforms to the Libertarian view that the government should not intrude on the lives and decisions of its citizens. Badnarik has declared that abortions should always be legal, and that he would veto any legislation that restricts a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. He concedes that it is a states' rights issue, and that each state should probably be able to decide for itself.

"I hope that there will come a time when technology will solve the problem," Badnarik told the League of Women Voters. "But until that happens, I believe abortion must remain safe and legal."

One solution Badnarik has proposed is to make the process of adopting a child easier. He feels this would provide another option for mothers who weren't sure if they wanted to carry out a pregnancy.

However, Badnarik isn't 100 percent in favor of abortion -- he simply feels the government shouldn't be involved in it in any way. He opposes government-funded abortions, as well as laws that require health-care plans to cover abortions.

Record:
Since Badnarik has never held a public office, he has no voting record on this issue.

Bush: Position and Record
Bush generally follows the Republican Party platform by opposing abortion, working to reduce abortions, and pushing for laws that restrict or ban abortions. He supports parental notification whenever a minor tries to get an abortion, as well as a waiting period before an abortion can be performed. When Bush began his run for president in 2000, he adopted a more moderate tone. At the 2000 Republican National Convention, Bush said, "I will lead our nation toward a culture that values life -- the life of the elderly and the sick, the life of the young, and the life of the unborn."

When asked about RU-486, Bush said he accepted the FDA's ruling that the drug should be approved, but he expressed concern that it would lead to more abortions, and wondered if it was truly safe for American women to use. However, during the 2000 campaign, he said, "The FDA's decision to approve the abortion pill RU-486 is wrong."

Regarding stem-cell research, Bush has supported research on adult cells (taken from bone marrow), but strongly opposes embryonic stem-cell research.

Record:

  • As governor of Texas, Bush worked to cut abortions by streamlining the adoption process and encouraging abstinence education. Once he moved into the White House, he cut funding to international aid groups that performed abortions.

  • Bush signed a partial birth abortion ban -- a ban that was recently overturned in the courts. The ban made performing the procedure punishable by up to two years in jail.

  • Bush set guidelines that only allow federal funding of stem-cell research on certain lines of embryonic cells that were harvested before the guidelines went into effect.

Kerry: Position and Record
Kerry opposes restrictions on abortion rights. While he has spoken out against the partial birth abortion ban, he has indicated possible support for such a ban if it included exceptions for women who were victims of rape or incest, or if the abortion would protect the health of the mother.

On his campaign Web site, Kerry has outlined his plan to keep pro-choice judges on the bench: "John Kerry will only nominate individuals to the federal bench whose records demonstrate a respect for the full range of constitutional rights, including the right to privacy and the right to choose."

In June 2004, Kerry and 57 other senators signed a letter to President Bush urging an expansion of embryonic stem-cell research. The letter expressed fears that current limitations on embryonic stem-cell research are diverting scientists from a crucial area of research.

Record:

  • 2004 - Voted no on a bill that would make it a crime to harm an unborn baby during a violent crime.
  • 2003 - Voted no on the partial birth abortion ban.
  • 2000 - Voted in favor of repealing a ban on privately funded abortions conducted on U.S. military bases overseas.
  • 1999 - Voted yes for congressional support of Roe vs. Wade.
  • 1999 - Voted no on late-term abortion ban.
  • 1998 - Voted no to override the president's veto of a late-term abortion ban.
  • 1997 - Voted no to ban research on stem cells taken from an embryo that came from an aborted fetus.
  • 1997 - Voted yes for an amendment that would provide federal funding in a child and teen health insurance bill that would cover the cost of abortions.
  • 1996 - Voted no to override the president's veto of a ban on late-term abortions.
  • 1996 - Voted yes to allow the District of Columbia to use non-federal funds to pay for abortions for poor women.
  • 1995 - Voted no to a partial birth abortion ban.
  • 1993 - Voted yes to allow the use of federal funds for abortions.
  • 1992 - Voted no to restrict research on fetal tissue.
  • 1991 - Voted yes to require parental consent when a minor gets an abortion at a federally funded clinic.

Nader: Position and Record
Nader has always come down firmly on the pro-choice side of the debate, supporting the approval of RU-486 and opposing any abortion bans.

However, in his efforts to paint himself as a viable alternative to what he perceives as a monolithic "Republicrat" party, he has downplayed fears that a Republican president could appoint enough pro-life judges to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that originally gave women the right to have an abortion. According to Nader, threats to overturn that decision by the Republicans are just for show, to appease the most conservative and religious wing of the Republican Party. Nader goes on to say that if it were overturned, then the decision "just reverts to the states."

Record:
Because Nader has never held a political office, he has no voting record on abortion.

Sources: