Yup. 40 million votes. They're laying on the table. Who wants them? And who are these 40 million votes?
Women who've had abortions, that's who.
These numbers could mean victory for Obama-Biden in the upcoming Presidential election. And these 40 million women already voted pro-choice. They voted with their feet by walking into a clinic.
40 million votes.
The estimates of the Evangelical Christians that supposedly won the 2004 election for George Bush are only 20 million.
Women who've had abortions. Now, just to get the picky picky numbers game out of the way, let's discuss the reality. Actually over 45 million women have had abortions since 1973. OK, so there are some duplications. Yes, some women have had 2, or maybe 3 abortions. But then, there are the 40 million men that also participated in the abortion situation. So, give a few, take a few. I'm using 40 million as a baseline, as a qualifier, as a benchmark. Why would the Democrats ignore a constituency twice as large as the Evangelical Christian voting block on the crucial social issue of abortion?For 33 years, inside-the-beltway pro-choice groups have avoided discussing the shear numbers of abortion patients for what reason we don't know. If you do the math, you're talking 40 million women, 40 million partners, 40 million family members...or 120 million Americans who've been affected directly by the abortion decision.So, politicians don't be afraid. Recognize this constituency. Deal with this consituency. Respect this constituency. Why can the Republicans respect 20 million Evangelicals and why are the Democrats hesitant to respect 40 million women who've had abortions?40 million votes.Candidates for office...you don't have to be afraid of abortion any more. 40 million women weren't afraid of it.
40 million votes.An easy cop-out is "safe, legal and rare". That seems to make everyone comfortable, but it's a dodge.Abortion is safe. Abortion is legal.Abortion is not rare.Abortion is still the most frequently performed surgery in the United States.40 million votes.Abortion is a difficult decision, like 400 other difficult decisions in a woman's life. But, other decisions are harder to deal with, like:Why am I still living with an abusive husband?Why am I not being paid the same as a man?Why am I supporting 4 children because my good-for-nothing ex-husband won't pay child support?Why do I have to work 2 jobs just to get by?Why can't I get into college?Why am I being discriminated against in buying a house?Why can't I get affordable healthcare?All of these are important daily decisions, yet women survive.And, why, in a second generation of legalized abortion, are women still being harassed and attacked by these right-wing Evangelical Christians who won't mind their own business?40 million votes.So, here's what I'd like to hear candidates say:"The beauty of Roe v. Wade and the reason that it's lasted for 33 years is because it gave respect to women to be the masters of their own destiny. Whether I agree or disagree with abortion is not the issue. It goes back to the caveat that if you don't believe in abortion, don't have one. Nobody is forced to have an abortion, and nobody is forced to not have an abortion. In that equation is the inherent respect for the intelligence of American women."
First, Obama-Biden need to strengthen their pro-choice position by validating the women and families who've had abortions. Then they need to speak directly to them in a respectful manner. That will motivate them to get registered to vote and to vote for pro-choice candidates.
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