Sure, no government inteference would be great if this was like health care or something, but since abortion is murder, it is the government's responsibility to punish evil doers.
Arthur
Tom and Arthur,
All three of us agree on what abortion is. I fund a newsletter for a pro-life crisis pregnancy center, and my wife worked as a counselor for another group that was 100% anti-abortion. My pro-life credentials are impeccable, and probably better than yours, if you count doing something besides having strong sentiment. (maybe not, maybe you guys are actively involved, I don't really know)
Anyhow, what's the goal here? Is the goal to limit the number of abortions that occur, or is the goal to have really strong anti-abortion, pro-life rhetoric? I submit that the republicans are in first place when it comes to strong rhetoric, unless you count the pro-choice republicans.
However, have republicans limited abortion in any way, shape or form? Have they passed a bill that decreased the federal puchase of murder/abortion? Have they even taken a stand on it, other than to pander to Christian/mormon/Catholic voters? The answer is NO. They have not. The last presidential republican convention is a prime example of what I'm talking about. They showcased the pro-choicers, who according to you are murderers.
If you read the article about Condi, you would see that she talks about decreasing federal funding, and giving people who are morally opposed an alternative to being forced to pay for abortions through their taxes. She also favors State's rights for the same. That means that it is possible that Red states could actually make the procedure illegal, which would limit abortions, and save lives.
The republicans talk tough every four years, or not, depending on who they need to pander to, and then go on to do absolutely nothing to limit abortion.
On the other hand, a libertarian would cut funding, which would decrease the number of murders. I totally understand your straw man, and how you knock it down....been there, done that, hang out with people who have those views.
I am results oriented. I can condemn abortion as good as the next guy. However, condemnation doesn't save a baby.
Pro-life groups get zero federal funding, while murder clinics get billions. If murder clinics were forced to hold fundraisers, like pro-life groups, they couldn't buy all the abortions they can now. A libertarian approach would save far more lives than the traditional republican rhetorical approach.
Of course, if the tough talk is the real goal, then the republicans (other than the pro-choice ones) win. I would rather make it harder to get an abortion, and keep it legal, then talk tough and have to buy a few every year.
On another note, Tom, if you think that Libertarians believe there should be no federal laws you are either stupid, ignorant, or biased. I know you aren't stupid, so I conclude that you are biased, due to ignorance. You can't base your views on the fact that you talked to a hippe once, who was nutty. People do that to Christians, don't they? I know more nutty republicans, do I conclude that all of them are hypocrits?
Libertarians believe in federal laws. They just don't believe in the hundreds of thousands of federal laws, or the tens of thousands of federal laws that will be written this year. The constitution is supposed to limit government, not the other way round. If you think we need more federal laws, you have a screw loose.
Arthur, evildoers should be punished, I agree. That's why people go out and shoot abortion doctors, who perform a legal service. Did you know that murder is not a federal crime? It's up to the states to punish most crimes, unless they are a federal offense, like counterfeiting, or calling racial minorities names, or hurting homosexuals.
Conceivably, in a Libertarian system, a state like Utah could make it illegal to be gay, and illegal to get an abortion. That won't happen with republicans, because they need to pander too much.
Both of you guys are firmly rooted in your opinions, and I don't fault you for it. However, if you examine the facts, and the success of the republicans, you can't tell me they've taken even a small step towards stopping abortion.
In fact, can you name a single federal program they have cut spending on, or eliminated? I can't, and the abortion industry is one of the ones that got more money last year.
I don't like a guy who says one thing and does another.
Brent
