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Draft Democratic Platform Rejects Anti-Abortion "Reduction" Plank
There was a controversy recently, when Jim Wallis and allied evangelicals proposed "abortion reduction" as a central feature of the Democratic Party Platform. This has been concerning as religious right ideas have been percolating in the party of late as part of efforts to appeal to conservative religious voters.
The just published draft platform clearly rejects such a view, even while shoehorning in the word "reduction" in a way that will probably not alarm the vast majority of Democrats who are prochoice. |
Abortion is specifically mentioned in two places in the platform:
Under Affordable Health Care:
We oppose the current Administration's consistent attempts to undermine a woman's
31 ability to make her own life choices and obtain reproductive health care, including birth
32 control. We will end health insurance discrimination against contraception and provide
33 compassionate care to rape victims. We will never put ideology above women's health.
And...
Choice
19 The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's
20 right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any
21 and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right.
22
23 The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to affordable family planning
24 services and comprehensive age-appropriate sex education which empowers people to
25 make informed choices and live healthy lives. We also recognize that such health care
26 and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce
27 the need for abortions.
28
29 The Democratic Party also strongly supports a woman's decision to have a child by
30 ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre- and post-natal health care,
31 parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs. |
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