With the exception of the former NYC mayor all the Republican Presidental canidates are againsts abortion.
But where do they stand on family planning, birth control and sex ed.
If you look at Rommeny he won the Govenor's office saying he's pro-choice but now he's saying he's pro-life. Another thing about him he invested in company that does embyonic stem cell research but he said he didn't know they did that. He veto a bill that would allow pharmaists to give information on -and grant access to- emergency contraceptives for rape victims.

John McCain voted against family planning programs that provide birth control for low-income women.

And even though he's not offically in the race Fred Thomson lobbied for a pro-choice group. Another thing he cut $75 million from grants for maternal and child- health so he could put up an abstinance only program.

When you get into you the particulars noone looks good.

Shouldn't you do your planning before you start making your family? It seems backwards to screw until you create a baby, then kill the baby, because it doesn't fit into your "family plan". If your family planning is screwing until you get pregnant and then kill the baby, rinse, repeat...it's not so much a plan as it is reactionary response to an easily predictable event. A plan would be to use birth control in the first place.

True, Spidey(and welcome back), but I think what Fitness is referring to is the flip-flop attitudes of the Republican candidates on the abortion issue. Of course, flip-flopping isn't a Republican exclusive. What this forum basically reminds me of is this: Throughout history politicians on BOTH sides of the fence will say ANYTHING that benefits themselves at that particular moment.

Personally, it sickens me to see so many think of abortion as another accepted form of birth control.

Thanks Knoxman.

I don't see any flip-flops, per se. Most conservatives hold the position that Roe v Wade is bad law and should be over-turned. Each state should decide to legalize abortion in a statewide ballot or some other similar measure. Romney says that as a Governor he will protect a woman's right to an abortion, but he personally opposes abortion. His stance is based on the fact that the Governor enforces the existing laws, so he has no right to oppose an existing law.

Personally, I hate abortion, but I would rather see my views win in the arena of public ideas, rather than being dictated by an oligarchy. I think that most Republicans feel the same way, which leads to us being mischaracterized as "flip-floppers".

This isn't going to be seen as a popular opinion, I know, but I'm against abortion except in special cases(rape, incest, possibly life-threatning to the mother). Too many young people look at abortion as an acceptable form of birth-control.

When I say flip-flop, I'm referring to basically all issues, not just abortion. Remember, what's the three most important duties in a politician's mind(regardless of political affiliation)?

1-To get elected
2-To get re-elected
3-To not get caught(unless you can lie your way out of it).

Sadly, some of our all-time best politicians have doubled as our all-time biggest liars.

OH **** KNOX!!!

Me thinks you just opened a big can of worms!!

everyone is fooling themselves if you think any president regardless of
party will make a real effort to ban abortion rights...the women in this country
would burn the capital and they know it...
so now we're entering another election season and this debate has to begin
again...to distract us from issues that need to be fixed like right now....
make a list of things that need to be done by the next administration and
if abortion law is in the top 20 of those things then I am shocked...

Thats too right to be left devinci!!!

Hmmm a bunch of men talking about whether women should make their own medical decisions... why does that seem wrong to me??

I personally am opposed to abortion except in cases where the mothers health (including mental health- rape, incest, etc.) is compromised by the pregnancy.

And I wish no one ever felt that abortion was their only option. But I have seen women and young girls who felt for them the options were abortion or suicide. Those were literally the only choices that they felt they had...

No one "likes" abortion. No one gets pregnant on purpose so that they can "get" to have one. It is a desperate action.

Regardless, the more involvement that the government has in determining medical decisions for others the more unhappy I am... medical decisions should be private.

You cannot harvest a pregnant lobster, because you need the baby lobsters for next year.

You cannot test drugs on a pregnant animal, because the drugs might effect the unborn babys.

You can kill a human baby, because it's just a zygote.

That kind of reasoning is completely seperated from logic and reality.

Ronald Reagan said "I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born."

I am not "for abortion" and I have never seen or met anyone who is...

I *am* for freedom, I am for privacy, I am for personal responsibility and I am for the government keeping freedom, privaacy and medical choice with the individuals involved.

Another thing that always amazes me is that so many people who are opposed to freedom of choice are also against sex education and the provision of birth control devices to minors and the poor, etc.

How does this make sense? If you want to PREVENT something great- then PREVENT it. But you will still have to deal with rape, incest and issues where the mothers life is in dangered by the fetus. And what about selective abortion in multiple births?

These are complex, PERSONAL, private decisions that should be between the women, their doctors and whoever else the women decide to consult. And no one else...

I get the feeling some people liked the stone age.

Abortion is only one part in the issue of family planning. There's still the sex ed, birth control, maternal/child healthcare, and fertility treatment care that most, if not all, the Republican canidates rather not discuss because then you divide the ecomonic conservates (wallstreet, corporation professionals), which have no problem with those issues from the social conservatives (religious right) who are against them.

"Another thing that always amazes me is that so many people who are opposed to freedom of choice are also against sex education and the provision of birth control devices to minors and the poor, etc.

How does this make sense? If you want to PREVENT something great- then PREVENT it. But you will still have to deal with rape, incest and issues where the mothers life is in dangered by the fetus. And what about selective abortion in multiple births?

These are complex, PERSONAL, private decisions that should be between the women, their doctors and whoever else the women decide to consult. And no one else... "

All of that is predicated on the assumption that an unborn human isn't a human. Many people, not just stone age, religious fanatics, believe that an unborn human is a human. The wonderful thing about living in a democracy, is that we can vote on if we want to allow abortions and to what degree we will allow abortions. Currently, abortion is legal by Judicial fiat, which is simply bad law and a terrible practice. The Federal Government has no right to dictate the legality of Abortion, without a Constitutional Admendment. That particular power belongs to the states.

Personally, I can't imagine who would be against sex education for a teenager, if you are teaching about STDs, how the human body works, etc. It's the fact that many proponents of Sex Ed also have an agenda (Like suggesting Sex Ed for kindergardeners or teaching fisting) that gives people the heebee geebees.

About 1% of sexual assualts result in pregnancy. Out of those, the mothers choose to NOT abort 75 - 85% of the time. Keeping mass abortions legal for that small percentage is rediculous. I haven't met anyone who would oppose abortion if the mother's life was in danger, she had been sexually assualted or similar circumstances. But does the extreme minority of cases justify legality for people who use Abortion as a form of birth control? Abortion could still be an issue between the Doctor and his patient, but with oversite by JCAHO, like other medical procedures.

Condoms are cheap and should be affordable to anyone with a job. If you plan to have sex, then you should be able to afford a .50 condom (Buy in bulk and save!), the alternative being an abortion for $300+ or raising a child for $165,630 over 17 years. Personal irresponsiblity shouldn't be a license to end a life (even if the life is dependant on another's).

my brother-in-law stood toe to toe with me and informed me that every pregnant person that made less than 45K should be forced to have an abortion, period.

i was eight months gone with his niece at the time.

i am personally against abortion in ANY case, but i don't think that's what this thread is about. it's about how a candidate can come off as pro-life, and then later state he's pro-choice.

bill clinton came off as pro-life in arkansas...but then switched to "women's rights" for his second term in the white house.

several candidates claim to feel a certain way about an issue, ANY issue...but their VOTING record doesn't back up their speech.

You're right Lori, that's what makes it so hard to trust ANY politician. It also makes them prime candidates for satire!

Hey, Lulu ,

In my earlier post, I basically said what you just did in your last line. Politicians will say whatever's the most beneficial to them at any given moment. If the opposite helps them more an hour later, they'll switch gears without a moment's hesitation.
Makes no diference what the issue is.

that's why i tend to not listen...so much. i check their voting record and COMPARE that to what they DO speak...as honesty is very important to me.

if they're saying they are for funding education, for example...but have voted every single time AGAINST such...that's not a person i could trust.