Abortion is a local hot button issue here in Missouri, so as a Missouri
voter, I decided to do some research to understand where each 2008
presidential candidate stands on the issue. Personally, while I could
never have an abortion myself (unless it meant saving my life-I do have
three living children), I would not take that choice away from others,
for two reasons.First, I believe that if one is the victim of incest,
rape, or molestation in any form that results in a pregnancy, the woman
should have the right to decide not to carry that child. Second, I
believe that abortions will continue to happen even if it becomes
illegal, so I would prefer that a safe and legal procedure is available.
You never know, one of your own loved ones may resort to an illegal
abortion if the legal procedures aren't available-and wouldn't you rather
"not know" about a safe legal abortion than find out your loved one had
an illegal abortion and was seriously injured or even killed?Now, let's
discuss the candidate's views on abortion.Barack Obama on AbortionFirst,
let's start with Obama's voting record on this issue. In 1998, Obama
supported Roe v Wade. He later also voted against prohibiting minors from
crossing state lines in order to obtain an abortion. He also voted no on
requiring abortion centers to notifying parents when minors receive out
of state abortions. He supported a bill to increase funding for embryonic
stem cell research, which some say is a vote to support abortion.In 2005,
Obama voted yes to a one hundred million dollar plan to reduce teen
pregnancy through education and providing contraceptives. In 2006, he
supported a bill to provide contraceptives to low-income women for free
to help them take control of their bodies and avoid unwanted pregnancy.
He also voted in 2007 to ensure access for low income families to free
contraception.Now, let's discuss Obama's personal views on the subject.
First, Obama feels that there is a middle ground between the pro-life and
the pro-choice camps. He also feels that it's important to continue to
educate our children on abstinence as well as contraception. He has said
that he has no problem with law-makers restricting partial birth
abortions at the state level, but that he thinks the mother should have
the ability to make that decision ultimately. I disagree with this last
statement-I think that a partial birth abortion should never occur unless
the mother's life is at risk.Obama points out that stem cell research
promises to cure more than 70 currently incurable diseases, and this
point is one with which I cannot legitimately argue. And most recently,
Obama stated that he personally could not determine the point at which a
fetus becomes a baby, alluding to the fact that he believes that's a
choice only God could make.Bottom line on Obama, he is officially "Pro-
Choice", according to the NRLC votes.John McCain on AbortionAgain, we'll
start with McCain's voting record on abortion.McCain voted to repeal Roe
v Wade in May of 2007. He voted yes to denying grant money to facilities
which perform abortions, and yes to requiring parental notification for
minors receiving out of state abortions, as well as yes to making it
illegal to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion. He also
voted no to the one hundred million dollar plan to reduce teen pregnancy
by education and providing contraceptives. He would ban all partial birth
abortions, except those which would save the mother's life. Here is an
area in which McCain and I agree.He voted yes to banning military base
abortions. He also supported banning human cloning, but he voted yes on
expanding embryonic stem cell research.As far as his personal views go,
he does worry that if abortion is made illegal, women would continue to
get illegal abortions, and he agrees that victims of rape and incest
should have the right to choose an abortion. These are points on which I
agree with McCain.He feels that if abortions become illegal, we should
prosecute the abortion doctors, not the women getting the abortions. He
says that if his own daughter wanted an abortion, he would have a "family
conference" to discuss her options.Bottom line: While he is voted "Pro-
Life" by NARAL, he is voted "mixed record on abortion" by the NRLC.