Trump on abortion: leave it to the states
Trump has taken an official position on abortion policy, which is that it should be left to the states to decide without any national policy. This is basically Dobbs, and it is in my opinion the correct legal stance. It won’t make most people on the more extreme ends of either side happy, but nothing he would have said would have done that either. I think his statement is the best thing he could have done politically, as well.
Here’s the gist of it:
Trump explicitly affirmed his support for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and he emphasized his support for states determining their own laws for abortion so long as there are exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.
“The states will determine by vote, or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land – in this case, the law of the state,” Trump said. Many states will be different. Many states will have a different number of weeks…at the end of the day it is all about the will of the people.”
General police power belongs with the states. That has been the law in this country since 1781. In any country which surpasses certain dimensions, general police power is properly devolved upon provincial authorities. In some countries with certain customs (e.g. Switzerland) it is properly devolved on local government. A great many regulatory measures enacted in this country after 1932 should be erased from the books, because they amount to the federal legislature and its minions appropriating general police power.
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Every child protected in law and welcome in life. This can be achieved one state legislature at a time.
I’m not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. That said, I thought the whole point of Dobbs was that the constitution does not give the Feds the power to make law about abortion. If I’m right, wouldn’t any Federal law addressing the subject be invalid?
Mongo:
That’s my position. But there are legal “experts” on both sides who disagree. I think the only way to have a national policy is through a constitutional amendment.
Mongo –
That was basically the gist of Kavanaugh’s concurrence, but I don’t know if it was spelled out in the decision proper.
I would think the practical side for pro life at the federal level would be to oppose federal dollars being spent on abortion,and to protect health care workers from being forced to participate in abortion, otherwise, as “Art Deco” seems to mention, one state at a time on the abortion fight.
Mongo,
The feds have no authority over abortion, or most of the things they currently regulate, for that matter.
neo,
The left wouldn’t care more about any new amendments than they do about existing ones.
Trump’s position seems reasonable to me. I detest abortion on demand without restrictions; but, I do recognize that there are sometimes very difficult trade offs.
Life is messy. Sometimes the better alternative is a bit compromised.
The problem, of course, is who decides when and what trade offs are in play.
My knee jerk reaction is to keep the Feds out of everything except border defense, and they have demonstrated their lack of competence, or I might say moral failings, on that score..
Don:
Of course the left would care, if it was the left passing an amendment legalizing abortion in all states of the union.
So Dobbs takes the contentious issue of abortion away from nine people in black robes and gives it back to the voters.
‘Here, YOU decide what your state will allow.’
Looks like ‘democracy’ to me. The people voting on policy. And here the Left keeps caterwauling about ‘threats to OUR democracy’ and objects to democracy.
If I tried to hold two mutually contradictory ideas in my head at the same time I think my head would explode. I am in awe of this super power possessed by our Left-Progs.
Not if they basically blackmailed states by changing certain funding based on abortion law. I mean similar how the feds withhold highway funds if states don’t set the drinking age to 21. The same idea would be legal, although who knows what funding they could tie to state abortion law.
Trump gave the right answer for anyone (prez, congresscritter) running for federal office.
That said, state and local GOP campaigns had better have a robust position and media support ready to go, or they’re going to get killed in the 20-50 female demographic, which will bleed over into federal races. If the state has a 12-15 week limit, or hasn’t defined one yet, a positive campaign should work, because this is where the vast majority of voters seem to have landed. States with shorter limits (6 week Florida, I’m looking at you) have to hit a negative campaign, hard. Flood the media with description and whatever pictures they can get away with of partial birth abortions. This is what the Ds are advocating, not “reasonable limits”. Make them own it.
Even with the ever increasing of mobility of our population and the explosion in communication technology, our country remains amazingly diverse such that the majority view on the issue in Utah versus that in New York yields dramatically different results. Irrespective of the legal issues, I believe that Trump’s solution is the practical one.
I’m 100% pro-life, no exceptions for rape or incest. Life of mother in danger? It’s double effect and not really abortion.
I agree with Trump’s position because it’s consistent with our approach to the law. I respect the rule of law even when I disagree with it.
Making this a state’s choice I would remind folks that your local legislator from whatever small town may be willing to “compromise”(collaborate) with radicals. That may look something like this: “14 week rule in exchange for you bringing in 50 buses of illegal immigrants”
The abortion issue is the key issue that clearly demonstrates how broadly incompetent and narrowly focused the R party has become over the past 48 years!
I wanted a child. He died. I can’t understand killing a baby. If you don’t want the child I’ll love it
It isn’t my Catholic religion talking. I really can’t understand how you camos bekill a child you made after what is the most beautiful act a man and woman can make with each other
You made that child together
What is the policy on posting pictures? I haven measure d myself lately drop from my vtom my heao is sst. last time I did I haf over foiyrwist
Oydro
As predicted by Ginsberg … overall the USA will settle at the European abortion rights and dates. It is a compromise that suits the majority. The GOP is somewhat captured by the pro Life lobby and vice versa for the Dems. As an outsider to your country but a strong supporter of the USA I do not think polarising around this issue serves your country.
Anne:
Principles and morality are inconvenient at times,
Once again, despite his flamboyant persona, Trump promotes a common sense, pro-American policy which most of the country should be able to support!