Abortion

   A paper for my Political Science class.                                                      

                                                                    Abortion

      The issue of abortion can be a large part of a political party’s platform during election years. Since women make up more than half of the population of the United States, where a politician stands on this issue can make or break an election. In this paper I will review the official stance of the republican and democratic parties on abortion. Then give the authors personal views on the country’s current laws and whether or not they should be changed.

            The Democratic Party’s official stance is that a woman has the right to make decisions about her own body.  These decisions include the right to choose an abortion, the right to choose to keep the baby, and the availability of safe legal adoption. The Democratic Party upholds the ruling of Roe vs. Wade. They also feel that allowing a woman the option of affordable birth control will help to reduce the need for abortions. (www.democrats.org)

            The Republican Party believes that life starts at conception. Therefore a fetus should be protected under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Basically, this amendment states than no state in the nation has the right to deny someone the privilege of life, liberty, or property. That all humans, including fetuses, should be treated equally with the same rights. They believe that Roe vs. Wade should be overturned. They are also against stem cell research when the stem cells are taken from an aborted fetus. (www.gop.com)

            I firmly believe in a woman’s right to choose. I believe that the ruling of Roe vs. Wade should be upheld. The United States government does not have the right to make this decision for any American woman. I do not believe that there should be any amendments or qualifications set on a woman’s right to get an abortion.

            I believe that the United States government should continue to uphold the Roe vs. Wade ruling. I also believe that the states that have changed local laws to make it more difficult to obtain an abortion should overturn those laws. There is not an instance when it would be allowable or right for the government to determine when it is proper for a woman to have an abortion. The government having a say in whether a woman can or cannot have an abortion, and in what instances it is allowed, is the medical equivalent of the government having a say on whether a person can have their gangrenous foot amputated.

            I also believe that making birth control available and affordable or even free will cut down on the instances of abortion. Sex education, including abstinence and contraceptive education, should be standard practice in all schools will also help with not only unplanned pregnancy but will cut down on the instances of STDs. Preventative medicine is cheaper and safer than dealing with the problem once it becomes a problem.

            In summary, the Democratic Party believes that Roe vs. Wade should be upheld. The Republican Party believes that abortion should be illegal. I believe that the government should not have any say in women’s reproductive choices.