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1/YOUR VOTE FOR PRESIDENT WILL NEITHER SAVE NOR SACRIFICE THE LIVES OF UNBORN BABIES. Now that I have your attention let’s look at the facts. For 50 yrs, Christians have been told that the Supreme Court is the key to ending abortion & that overturning Roe v Wade is a holy cause.
2/The logic looks something like this:
My Vote —> President —> Justices —> SCOTUS —> Overturn Roe —> Save Babies
This argument has been used by both parties to motivate their voters in every election since 1980, & for many Christians this single issue trumps all others.
My Vote —> President —> Justices —> SCOTUS —> Overturn Roe —> Save Babies
This argument has been used by both parties to motivate their voters in every election since 1980, & for many Christians this single issue trumps all others.
3/Many forget that Roe v Wade (1973) did NOT legalize abortion. Before Roe scholars say 20-25% of all pregnancies were aborted; today it’s 18%. Before 1821, abortion was LEGAL everywhere in the US, & in 1972 (before Roe) it was legal in 20 states.
4/Reversing Roe would simply revert the country back to the 1972 system of a state-by-state patchwork of laws. It’s not the silver bullet solution many Christians think it is. But here’s the really crazy part—the abortion rate today is LOWER than before Roe was decided.
5/According to the Guttmacher Institute, in 1973 the rate was 16.3 per 1000 women; in 2017 it was 13.5. Returning to a pre-Roe America would mean INCREASING the abortion rate. (These stats include drug-induced abortions which are more common today.)
6/And scholars say overturning Roe would likely have no impact on the number of abortions in the US. So why does this one case get so much attention? Because it’s an easy way for both parties to frighten both pro-choice & pro-life voters into the voting booth.
7/Since 73, Republican presidents have appointed 11 justices. Democratic presidents have appointed only 4. In that time, SCOTUS has only upheld abortion & not restricted it, & only 1 justice (Thomas) has gone on the record opposing Roe.
8/In other words, the Supreme Court has been largely irrelevant on this issue for 50 yrs & there’s no evidence that will change no matter how many GOP Presidents are elected & no matter how many justices they appoint. In election season, abortion is about POWER not policy.
9/Also, abortions have declined under every administration, both Rep and Dem, for the last 40 years & actually fell the most under Obama! (Although not because of him.) There’s no data saying a Democrat in the White House kills more babies, or a Republican saves more. None.
10/So why have abortions declined for 40yrs? There are many factors including healthcare access, poverty assistance, contraception, & local/state laws. I recommend @DavidFrench’s editorial on the topic for more details: https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/do-pro-lifers-who-reject-trump-have
11/I DO NOT agree with the Democratic Party platform on abortion. I remain pro-life. That’s why I believe we ought to be strategic about supporting policies & programs that actually help women & reduce abortions & not be manipulated by politicians.
12/We must decide what’s more important—overturning a largely irrelevant law to make us FEEL better about abortion in America, or ACTUALLY enacting local policies that help women, support families, and save unborn children.
13/The facts don’t support the wide & powerful view that the presidency is the key to ending abortion. And if you think which lever you pull in the voting booth every 4 years is what makes you truly pro-life—think again. *END*
