In 1992, President Bill Clinton introduced a revealing phrase which described his stance on abortion. “Abortion should be safe, legal and rare.” This position was intended to appeal to the large number of Democrats who supported the legal right to abortion but nonetheless had strong reservations about the procedure. Clinton recognized the powerful sentiment that most human beings share: even when a woman exercises her legal right to an abortion, it is hardly an optimal outcome when an abortion provider scrapes the growing baby from mother’s womb and discards the “products of conception” in the trash. For Clinton and most Democrats of that time, the legal right to an abortion was a regrettable but necessary option of last resort. Far better to encourage strong, stable families where children are welcomed and celebrated. At minimum, adoption is an excellent option for those couples unable or unwilling to support their child. Clinton declared, “We have to remind the American people once again that being pro-choice is very different from being pro-abortion.”
When it comes to the Democratic Party and abortion, the days of Bill Clinton are long gone.
The Democratic Party no longer tolerates any reservations about abortion. They have truly become not just the pro-choice party but the pro-abortion party. This change did not occur overnight. Hard core proponents of abortion had always rejected Bill Clinton’s assertion that abortion ought to be rare. They argued: why should there be any stigma about terminating an unwanted pregnancy? Yet even as recently as the 2008 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton continued to advocate her husband’s formulation of “safe, legal and rare” and even emphasized “by rare, I mean rare.” But by 2016, Hillary had changed her tune, now proclaiming that abortion should be “safe and legal.” During the 2016 Democratic primaries, every single candidate supported the repeal of the Hyde Amendment which prohibits federal funding of abortions.
The Democratic Party of today does not just favor legal abortion, they have embraced it. Abortion as a suboptimal but necessary expedient? – that’s ancient history. Today’s Democratic Party wholeheartedly celebrates abortion. Abortion is simply another form of health care, as if the patient has just had a dreadful malignancy removed. Planned Parenthood is our nation’s leading abortion provider and has been staunchly supported and richly funded by Democratic politicians. Planned Parenthood doesn’t just provide abortions, they actively encourage and promote abortions. They strongly discourage women from even considering adoption, or (God forbid) keeping the baby themselves.
The Democratic Party has recently managed to reach a new low point. Just days ago, the Senate considered the Woman’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), a radical witch’s brew of pro-abortion legislation. Pushed forward by Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D,N.Y.) and his fellow Democrats, this bill demands that every American woman has the right to an abortion for any reason, at any time during her pregnancy. Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, observes that this legislation lays bare for all to see the Democrat’s desire to establish “an extreme abortion regime, stripped of all moderation and restraint, beyond what any country has previously decreed.”
It would be no exaggeration to say that this legislation is Satanic. The Woman’s Health Protection Act would prohibit any state from placing any restriction on abortion whatsoever. States could not limit abortion on the basis of pregnancy duration, nor on the basis of fetal pain or viability. Abortions could not be prohibited even if performed solely based upon the baby’s sex – an horrifying practice usually applied to unwanted girls. Waiting periods would be voided and abortion providers would no longer be required to be licensed physicians.
The Democratic Party’s eager promotion of abortion should be particularly alarming for Christian doctors, nurses, and medial support staff. Astonishingly, the WHPA would require all medical staff to participate in abortions. Healthcare professionals who refuse based upon their moral objections would be subjected to fines, suspension, or termination. There are many thousands of faith-based hospitals across the country who provide outstanding health care to millions of Americans. Yet according to the WHPA, if these organizations refused to provide abortions, they would be forced to close.
The casual political observer could be forgiven for thinking that the extreme embrace of abortion is still limited the far-left wing of the Democratic Party. Alarmingly, that is not at all the case. The House of Representatives voted 218-211 in favor of the WHPA. Every single Democratic Representative in the House voted “aye,” with the single exception of Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas. Likewise, the WHPA was supported by every Democratic Senator except Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Let that sink in a moment. Can it be any more obvious that there is no longer any moderate wing of the Democratic Party? Unfettered, unrestricted abortion is now the party litmus test.
Thanks to Manchin and every Republican Senator, the WHPA died in the Senate. But how sobering is it to consider that this horrendous bill nearly became the law of the land?
From a purely political perspective, the Democratic Party’s position is darkly fascinating. Consider the results of a recent Marist poll shown below. When asked which position most closely represents their own, 71% of all Americans would limit abortion either to the 1st trimester or favor even more strict limitations. Only 17% of Americans support unrestricted abortion at any time. Even more stunning are the views of self identified Democrats. Nearly half (49%) of Democrats favor – at minimum – limiting abortion to the first trimester. So the Democratic Party has positioned itself far to the left of its own voters!
It’s highly unusual for a political party to position itself so far out of step – not only with the nation as a whole – but with it’s own core voters. If you were a smart political strategist, wouldn’t you be desperately advising the Democrats to at least limit their support for abortion rights until say, fetal viability was reached? This strange alignment can only be explained by acknowledging that the Democratic Party has been wholly captured by the most extreme apostles of abortion. Every Democratic politician today knows full well that if they do not bow down before the alter of on-demand abortion, they will be quickly expelled from the party.
Below is a virtual invitation posted on Twitter recently for an “abortion shower.” The participants can apparently join this young woman in celebrating the destruction of her unborn baby. It’s a dark and disturbing parody of the time-honored tradition of baby showers, whereby family and friends help young mothers rejoice and prepare for the baby’s arrival. I certainly hope that such invitations are rare. Nonetheless, this grotesque event serves as an excellent symbol of the modern Democratic Party, a party which rejoices in the practice of abortion, without reservations, without remorse.
Meanwhile, the church of Jesus continues to faithfully oppose the barbaric practice of abortion at every level. The political left constantly slanders the church in this regard, often claiming that Christians are merely “pro-birth” rather than “pro-life.” The church is frequently accused of not caring for babies once they’re born. This is a spectacular lie. According to Barna Research, practicing Christians adopt children at more than twice the rate (5% versus 2%) of all US households!
Christians have also been the driving force behind the establishment of an estimated 4,000 crisis pregnancy centers nationwide. The folks who organize, finance and operate these centers are almost always motivated by the selfless determination to show the love of Jesus to young mothers. They offer wise counsel, encouragement, and support to women in trying circumstances. Churches contribute small mountains of diapers, formula, newborn clothes and cribs. Donated ultrasound machines allow parents to glimpse their baby for the first time, and are often a key factor in helping them choose life. Crisis pregnancy centers are a vibrant testimony to the fact that the pro-life position is not merely some abstract concept, but rather a powerful and transformative movement, deeply engaged in the world around us.
My own mother recently began volunteering at one such pregnancy center. After substantial training, she recently began her counseling role. Her first client arrived seemingly determined to end her pregnancy. Mom was delighted to later learn that this young woman and her partner had instead chosen to give their baby life.
Thankfully, the church hasn’t fallen into the trap of fighting against abortion on just an individual or personal level. Jesus has called us to oppose the forces of darkness at every level of society. Many Christians have poured great energy into confronting the evil which so clearly resides in our political institutions. Thanks to the votes of millions of Christians, President Donald Trump had the opportunity to appoint three justices to the Supreme Court – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. All three are believed to be willing to overturn the execrable Roe v. Wade decision which has permitted an estimated 62 million abortions over the past 50 years.
On December 1st, 2021, the court heard arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. This case has given the court the opportunity to finally strike down Roe v. Wade. The decision is expected to be announced this summer. No doubt all Christians are hoping and praying for the demise of Roe. Of course, that will mean that more moms and kids will need our support. Thankfully, the church has shown that it will be up to the task.
I appreciate your thoughtful analysis, Joel.
For better or worse, I am less analytical and nuanced. The most important sacrement in the Satanic religion of the Democrat party: child sacrifice.