This is an issue on which McCain has changed his mind. In the past McCain was supportive of Roe vs. Wade, which upholds a woman’s right to abortion. "I'd love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations." — San Francisco Chronicle and CNN, August 1999 Nytimes.com
However, now McCain want to overturn that Supreme Court decision.
"I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned." — South Carolina, February 18, 2007 Nytimes.com
McCain also supports the Supreme Court decision to ban partial-birth abortion and is now firmly on the side of life. On his website McCain posts:
While our nation struggles with the issue of abortion and the division it has wrought on our society and culture, Americans on both sides of this debate should agree that the proper solution for this debate to be settled is through the democratic process, not through judicial dictate. Seven judges in 1973 took the issue of abortion on themselves to settle this issue for every American, in all fifty states. They assured us that by sheer judicial will and power, the question of a so-called right to abortion was settled' and that our society would now arrive at a shared consensus by virtue of their ruling.
If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement. The pro-life movement appeals to the best instincts within each and every one of us. In that regard, our pro-life cause will ultimately be successful.
Before looking into this issue, I actually believed that McCain was pro-choice and I found that this was a common misconception among voters, many of whom voted for McCain without knowing his true position on the issue. I do think that a person has a right to change his mind, but I hope that McCain did not change his position just in time for the presidential race.
Wednesday, April 30
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1 comments:
yeah - he did change his mind.
it's interesting because a politician is supposed to listen to his constituency and change his or her mind when it is clear that the consitutency wants something. After all, they are supposed to represent us and what we want.
Yet, when we hear them changing their minds about something as personal and so connected to religion and morality for some that it bothers us to hear them justify it. It makes them seem to be untrustworthy. What if someone came right out and just said, "OK, I'm pro life now because I see how important that is for some of you. I was pro women's right to do something pretty private before, but now that I see how the public thinks about it I am going to change my mind out of respect for you."
what would that be like?
What would it be like if a candidate said, "I was for the war at the time of the 2002 vote, because it seemed the whole country and the whole world was. But now that I see the cowboy diplomacy that got us into it and also how we have suffered at home because of it, I am against it." Or what if someone said, "I was against the war and said so back in 2002, and then when I got into Congress I found myself voting the same way that people who had voted for it in 2002 did. I learned not only that things are more complicated than I wish, but also that now we are in this occupation, the situation about aggression, occupation and support of the troops has changed. We cannot take a 2002 position to explain our current position. Everything has changed."
What would it be like if politicians actually spoke the truth?
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