I listened to your podcast with David Corn and he made a great point about how we never talk about sex in the abortion debate. I think along those same lines is the fact that Republicans, and the pro-life coalition in general, never talk about men at all. I hear a lot of pro-lifers - from this organization even - say things like, 'well where do women get this notion that it's all about controlling women and not what it's really about which is saving babies?' I'm a pro-life person in my own choices and the mother of 3 kids, and even I can see that the actions and arguments that have been put forth by the pro-life coalition are squarely focused on solely blaming, punishing, controlling and holding women responsible...meanwhile the men who cause these unwanted pregnancies' walk away completely unscathed and absent from recrimination or responsibility. Where are all the laws criminalizing men for impregnating women, and all the government mandated intrusion into their sperm count? Well, if pro-lifers and Republicans wanted to actually save babies as they claim, they would do what most Americans would probably say is the most viable, ethical and logical solution which is focus on preventing unwanted pregnancies. They won't do that though because they've been holding hands with religious zealots who have actively worked to prevent easy access to contraceptives. Remember all the Obamacare fights over religious organizations not wanted to pay for contraceptives, or even worse, not even allow them to be covered in their employer based healthcare plans? What is this the Puritan States of America? Not to mention this effort would require having to actually speak to men about being more responsible and maybe even making some efforts on the contraceptive side themselves. God forbid men be held responsible amirite?! This entire debate is so rife with sexism and medieval views of women it's nauseating. I don't know if Republicans or men who are avidly pro-life will ever recognize their lack of self reflection on this issue since the reaction to the midterm losses for Republicans has led them to, as you point out - blame women - AGAIN. Read the room dudes.
Quote From: "It turns out that American Greatness hates… Americans.": "... The GOP’s dejection is understandable. If the party can’t score a “red wave” under these conditions, then when will they ever? Those dispirited by the outcome should take another dose of reality and consider what elections will look like after another 10 or 15 years of mass immigration have taken their toll..." And, there's your trouble dear dejected GOP'ers - that last sentance - The Party has not had a very forward thinking platform of late. It's all about us and now. 10-15 years seems to be the distant, and not concerning, future. No wonder GenZ, who look to their immediate future, at least, are going to buy-in to existential policies, if they can even be called that.
The loss of Michael Gerson is a great blow to me. I so much looked forward to his columns during these last years of madness in our nation. His voice was so clarifying in seeing thru the murkiness and ugliness of the GOP politics. I identified with him strongly and will miss his writing so much. I hope there are others that will take up his torch. Thank you. Dave.
The insecurity that oozes from that human lawn gnome Ben Shapiro is hilarious. I will never understand how a "conservative" who believes in restricting the role the government plays in individuals' lives, believes the government should select who gets to participate in a civil institution. And let's be clear: that's what marriage is and has been for a very, very long time. If some churches/congregations choose not to recognize it or allow it, so be it. But the argument that same-sex secular marriages can't exist alongside hetero secular marriages is absurd on its face. Hell, despite being raised Catholic, my wedding was non-religious and licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Why should the sex of my partner have anything to do with it?
For those concerned about immigration, I came upon a factoid:
<<<
Between 1880 and 1930, more than 27 million immigrants arrived, mainly from Europe and Canada. This peak immigration period—the last major wave >>>
A lot of the current GOP anti immigration proponents are probably the children and grand children of these folks.
Which brings me to the Hispanics moving to Republicans. They do have a lot in common with the party. They are anti illegal immigrants even though they or their parents were illegal immigrants. (I got mine, screw you.) Polish immigrants are also strongly Republican because they are better than illegal brown skin immigrants due to our favoring immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
As far as young women preferring Democrats and also being in favor of reproductive choice, I have one question, If they hate young single women so much, why do they want them to breed? And on the same note, why aren't they more in favor of gay rights. Same sex partners have no unplanned pregnancies so they don't need abortions.
Soooo...MAGA * Fox Prime Time wants America to be Anti-Cat Owning Unmarried Skank, Anti-Spanish/Brazilian Portuguese/Hindi speaking Brown, and Anti-Elton John/RuPaul...maybe I am wrong, but, I really don't see that happening on this plane of existence. Maybe MAGA should spend less time using near-infrared red light therapy on their testicles and spend a bit more time looking around the world as it is and realize everyday existence in America is not the hellshow/sh*t casserole they make it out to be.
Free, plentiful porn has convinced some segment of the male population that they don’t need women. They don’t want to have children because that would require them to compete with them for attention. And they likely believe that if women can’t get abortions, they will stop having children.
After reading the language used to describe single women by this all male cast of incels, it makes me wonder what blinds them to their own elitist attitudes. Perhaps they are lonely, addicted to drugs and alcohol, and have cried too many tears into the coats of their cats.
The GOP is becoming the Party of Incels. Just like in Canada, where Conservative Party videos were blind-tagged to a misogynist movement ("Men Going Their Own Way"). Guess the right wing's efforts at political division and culture warfare haven't been enough, and they are now trying to incite gender division and hostilities?
If you look at the election results, election denialism and Trump's influence was toxic to the Republican Party consistently across the country. The negative impact of Dobbs on GOP candidates was much more inconsistent. For example, post-Dobbs, the Indiana legislature adopted the most strict anti-abortion bill in the country (only allowing abortion for the three exceptions). I thought sure they'd lose seats but instead the Indiana GOP picked up seats in the House and Senate (adding to supermajorities) and their statewide candidates expanded their typical margin by several points. Likewise in other states such as Florida, New York, Arkansas, Georgia and Ohio, the abortion issue didn't help Democrats.
That's not to say the Republican Party hasn't been hurt by the abortion issue. GOP candidates clearly weren't prepared to deal with the issue in the political arena, post-Dobbs. (That's obvious when you have GOP yahoos running around making the issue about 10 year old rape victims.) But I don't buy the narrative that the GOP will be perpetually hurt by the abortion issue. The Ds are perfectly capable of overreaching on the issue, going well beyond public opinion by advocating no gestational limits on abortion and public funding for abortion. You want an example of that, only look at Stacey Abrams in Georgia. She got boxed in on the abortion issue because she didn't want to cross the extreme pro-choice people in her party who didn't want any limits on abortion.
Republicans need a better and more moderate approach to the abortion issue. First, they need to concede the three exceptions. They'll never win that issue at the polls, even in the reddest state. (Plus those exceptions only cover about 1% of the abortions). Second, Republicans have to realize that they are not going to be able to legally ban abortion during the first trimester during which 90% of the abortions take place. During that period they can argue the pro-life position of respecting life, but legally banning abortion during the first trimester...that's not going to fly except in a handful of states Finally, the Republicans need to make the Democrats debate reasonable gestational limits. 15 weeks is a reasonable period. Most industrialized countries have adopted restrictions at 12-15 weeks. Probably 95% of abortions happen during the first 15 weeks.
This approach puts Democrats on the defensive. The public only supports first trimester abortion. Once you get into the second and third trimester, abortion is not popular. The Ds will insist on pushing the narrative that abortion is just about what a woman does with her own body, a position which, by definition, means they support absolutely no limits on abortion for nine months. The public strongly opposes that position.
I've long said that the abortion issue isn't about when life begins but when the law is going to intercede to protect that life. Like I said, most industrialized countries have decided to draw that line at 12-15 weeks. They have not gone for no gestational limits which is the position of many, if not most Democrats, or the late gestational limits (24 weeks) imposed by Roe.
I think it cut off the rest of my comment. If so, here it is:
This approach puts Democrats on the defensive. The public only supports first trimester abortion. Once you get into the second and third trimester, abortion is not popular. The Ds will insist on pushing the narrative that abortion is just about what a woman does with her own body, a position which, by definition, means they support absolutely no limits on abortion for nine months. The public strongly opposes that position.
I've long said that the abortion issue isn't about when life begins but when the law is going to intercede to protect that life. Like I said, most industrialized countries have decided to draw that line at 12-15 weeks. They have not gone for no gestational limits which is the position of many, if not most Democrats, or the late gestational limits (24 weeks) imposed by Roe.
Republicans gerrymandered themselves into majorities where the maps weren’t drawn by independent commissions — like New York. States with independent commissions drawing election maps have a more realistic representation. The notion that NY was only blue existed only in the minds of those around NYC. Ascribing weight to the abortion issue is states where it wasn’t on the ballot is a bit of mischief.
I also have to wonder how much a give up factor applies in a state like Indiana. Like you say, it wasn't a direct issue on the ballot, and Indiana's state government seems pretty unlikely to flip, so I can't really blame anyone there for not working themselves to death in what would seem to be a lost cause.
@JoelWBerry: "Unmarried women in America are lost, miserable, addicted to SSRIs and alcohol, wracked with guilt from abortion, and wandering from partner to partner."
Ten bucks says he copy/pasted that from his Christian dating profile.
On immigration - I’ve always believed that Reagan was correct when he quipped that Hispanics were natural Republicans and that they just didn’t know it yet. Well, ;40 years later - they know it in increasing numbers. Dem obliviousness around the goals and desires of immigrants rather than immigration activists is at the heart of their hypocrisy. I could care less that Dems lose Latino votes except did the fact that it endangers our democracy.
In praise of Mike Gerson - a breath of logical fresh air from a dedicated conservative writer and player. I noticed some kind of I’ll esa when I last saw him on P S Newshour and hoped he’s recover. Am truly sorry to have a lost a young man who contributed so much to keeping us grounded in true conservative príncipes
I listened to your podcast with David Corn and he made a great point about how we never talk about sex in the abortion debate. I think along those same lines is the fact that Republicans, and the pro-life coalition in general, never talk about men at all. I hear a lot of pro-lifers - from this organization even - say things like, 'well where do women get this notion that it's all about controlling women and not what it's really about which is saving babies?' I'm a pro-life person in my own choices and the mother of 3 kids, and even I can see that the actions and arguments that have been put forth by the pro-life coalition are squarely focused on solely blaming, punishing, controlling and holding women responsible...meanwhile the men who cause these unwanted pregnancies' walk away completely unscathed and absent from recrimination or responsibility. Where are all the laws criminalizing men for impregnating women, and all the government mandated intrusion into their sperm count? Well, if pro-lifers and Republicans wanted to actually save babies as they claim, they would do what most Americans would probably say is the most viable, ethical and logical solution which is focus on preventing unwanted pregnancies. They won't do that though because they've been holding hands with religious zealots who have actively worked to prevent easy access to contraceptives. Remember all the Obamacare fights over religious organizations not wanted to pay for contraceptives, or even worse, not even allow them to be covered in their employer based healthcare plans? What is this the Puritan States of America? Not to mention this effort would require having to actually speak to men about being more responsible and maybe even making some efforts on the contraceptive side themselves. God forbid men be held responsible amirite?! This entire debate is so rife with sexism and medieval views of women it's nauseating. I don't know if Republicans or men who are avidly pro-life will ever recognize their lack of self reflection on this issue since the reaction to the midterm losses for Republicans has led them to, as you point out - blame women - AGAIN. Read the room dudes.
People actually voted for Hershel Walker for Senator, one of only 100 in the country, after hearing his speeches? Incredible!
Quote From: "It turns out that American Greatness hates… Americans.": "... The GOP’s dejection is understandable. If the party can’t score a “red wave” under these conditions, then when will they ever? Those dispirited by the outcome should take another dose of reality and consider what elections will look like after another 10 or 15 years of mass immigration have taken their toll..." And, there's your trouble dear dejected GOP'ers - that last sentance - The Party has not had a very forward thinking platform of late. It's all about us and now. 10-15 years seems to be the distant, and not concerning, future. No wonder GenZ, who look to their immediate future, at least, are going to buy-in to existential policies, if they can even be called that.
The loss of Michael Gerson is a great blow to me. I so much looked forward to his columns during these last years of madness in our nation. His voice was so clarifying in seeing thru the murkiness and ugliness of the GOP politics. I identified with him strongly and will miss his writing so much. I hope there are others that will take up his torch. Thank you. Dave.
Charlie you nearly got the name right, you left out the most important name…
The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latterday Saints..
The insecurity that oozes from that human lawn gnome Ben Shapiro is hilarious. I will never understand how a "conservative" who believes in restricting the role the government plays in individuals' lives, believes the government should select who gets to participate in a civil institution. And let's be clear: that's what marriage is and has been for a very, very long time. If some churches/congregations choose not to recognize it or allow it, so be it. But the argument that same-sex secular marriages can't exist alongside hetero secular marriages is absurd on its face. Hell, despite being raised Catholic, my wedding was non-religious and licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Why should the sex of my partner have anything to do with it?
No, Grumpy, they can't offer fries. Then it becomes solicitation.
For those concerned about immigration, I came upon a factoid:
<<<
Between 1880 and 1930, more than 27 million immigrants arrived, mainly from Europe and Canada. This peak immigration period—the last major wave >>>
A lot of the current GOP anti immigration proponents are probably the children and grand children of these folks.
Which brings me to the Hispanics moving to Republicans. They do have a lot in common with the party. They are anti illegal immigrants even though they or their parents were illegal immigrants. (I got mine, screw you.) Polish immigrants are also strongly Republican because they are better than illegal brown skin immigrants due to our favoring immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
As far as young women preferring Democrats and also being in favor of reproductive choice, I have one question, If they hate young single women so much, why do they want them to breed? And on the same note, why aren't they more in favor of gay rights. Same sex partners have no unplanned pregnancies so they don't need abortions.
Sorry for my long random comments.
Soooo...MAGA * Fox Prime Time wants America to be Anti-Cat Owning Unmarried Skank, Anti-Spanish/Brazilian Portuguese/Hindi speaking Brown, and Anti-Elton John/RuPaul...maybe I am wrong, but, I really don't see that happening on this plane of existence. Maybe MAGA should spend less time using near-infrared red light therapy on their testicles and spend a bit more time looking around the world as it is and realize everyday existence in America is not the hellshow/sh*t casserole they make it out to be.
Free, plentiful porn has convinced some segment of the male population that they don’t need women. They don’t want to have children because that would require them to compete with them for attention. And they likely believe that if women can’t get abortions, they will stop having children.
After reading the language used to describe single women by this all male cast of incels, it makes me wonder what blinds them to their own elitist attitudes. Perhaps they are lonely, addicted to drugs and alcohol, and have cried too many tears into the coats of their cats.
The GOP is becoming the Party of Incels. Just like in Canada, where Conservative Party videos were blind-tagged to a misogynist movement ("Men Going Their Own Way"). Guess the right wing's efforts at political division and culture warfare haven't been enough, and they are now trying to incite gender division and hostilities?
If you look at the election results, election denialism and Trump's influence was toxic to the Republican Party consistently across the country. The negative impact of Dobbs on GOP candidates was much more inconsistent. For example, post-Dobbs, the Indiana legislature adopted the most strict anti-abortion bill in the country (only allowing abortion for the three exceptions). I thought sure they'd lose seats but instead the Indiana GOP picked up seats in the House and Senate (adding to supermajorities) and their statewide candidates expanded their typical margin by several points. Likewise in other states such as Florida, New York, Arkansas, Georgia and Ohio, the abortion issue didn't help Democrats.
That's not to say the Republican Party hasn't been hurt by the abortion issue. GOP candidates clearly weren't prepared to deal with the issue in the political arena, post-Dobbs. (That's obvious when you have GOP yahoos running around making the issue about 10 year old rape victims.) But I don't buy the narrative that the GOP will be perpetually hurt by the abortion issue. The Ds are perfectly capable of overreaching on the issue, going well beyond public opinion by advocating no gestational limits on abortion and public funding for abortion. You want an example of that, only look at Stacey Abrams in Georgia. She got boxed in on the abortion issue because she didn't want to cross the extreme pro-choice people in her party who didn't want any limits on abortion.
Republicans need a better and more moderate approach to the abortion issue. First, they need to concede the three exceptions. They'll never win that issue at the polls, even in the reddest state. (Plus those exceptions only cover about 1% of the abortions). Second, Republicans have to realize that they are not going to be able to legally ban abortion during the first trimester during which 90% of the abortions take place. During that period they can argue the pro-life position of respecting life, but legally banning abortion during the first trimester...that's not going to fly except in a handful of states Finally, the Republicans need to make the Democrats debate reasonable gestational limits. 15 weeks is a reasonable period. Most industrialized countries have adopted restrictions at 12-15 weeks. Probably 95% of abortions happen during the first 15 weeks.
This approach puts Democrats on the defensive. The public only supports first trimester abortion. Once you get into the second and third trimester, abortion is not popular. The Ds will insist on pushing the narrative that abortion is just about what a woman does with her own body, a position which, by definition, means they support absolutely no limits on abortion for nine months. The public strongly opposes that position.
I've long said that the abortion issue isn't about when life begins but when the law is going to intercede to protect that life. Like I said, most industrialized countries have decided to draw that line at 12-15 weeks. They have not gone for no gestational limits which is the position of many, if not most Democrats, or the late gestational limits (24 weeks) imposed by Roe.
I think it cut off the rest of my comment. If so, here it is:
This approach puts Democrats on the defensive. The public only supports first trimester abortion. Once you get into the second and third trimester, abortion is not popular. The Ds will insist on pushing the narrative that abortion is just about what a woman does with her own body, a position which, by definition, means they support absolutely no limits on abortion for nine months. The public strongly opposes that position.
I've long said that the abortion issue isn't about when life begins but when the law is going to intercede to protect that life. Like I said, most industrialized countries have decided to draw that line at 12-15 weeks. They have not gone for no gestational limits which is the position of many, if not most Democrats, or the late gestational limits (24 weeks) imposed by Roe.
Republicans gerrymandered themselves into majorities where the maps weren’t drawn by independent commissions — like New York. States with independent commissions drawing election maps have a more realistic representation. The notion that NY was only blue existed only in the minds of those around NYC. Ascribing weight to the abortion issue is states where it wasn’t on the ballot is a bit of mischief.
I also have to wonder how much a give up factor applies in a state like Indiana. Like you say, it wasn't a direct issue on the ballot, and Indiana's state government seems pretty unlikely to flip, so I can't really blame anyone there for not working themselves to death in what would seem to be a lost cause.
@JoelWBerry: "Unmarried women in America are lost, miserable, addicted to SSRIs and alcohol, wracked with guilt from abortion, and wandering from partner to partner."
Ten bucks says he copy/pasted that from his Christian dating profile.
On immigration - I’ve always believed that Reagan was correct when he quipped that Hispanics were natural Republicans and that they just didn’t know it yet. Well, ;40 years later - they know it in increasing numbers. Dem obliviousness around the goals and desires of immigrants rather than immigration activists is at the heart of their hypocrisy. I could care less that Dems lose Latino votes except did the fact that it endangers our democracy.
In praise of Mike Gerson - a breath of logical fresh air from a dedicated conservative writer and player. I noticed some kind of I’ll esa when I last saw him on P S Newshour and hoped he’s recover. Am truly sorry to have a lost a young man who contributed so much to keeping us grounded in true conservative príncipes