I've been involved with a lot of discussion about Donald Trump's position on abortion/pro-life issues. I'm going to begin with a few statements:
1. I'm an absolutist on the subject of abortion. It should absolutely be outlawed, as there is no legitimate reason to abort any child. None. I'm not going to provide the supporting evidence for this fact again in this post. I've done it often enough and it's not specifically what this post is going to be discussing.
2. No absolutist on the subject of abortion is truly "pro-life" if they withhold their vote for Trump due to less than perfect alignment with the pro-life position.
3. It is absurd to say that Trump's comments on abortion law make him responsible for an election loss due to moronic pro-life absolutists choosing not to vote for Trump because of his less than perfect alignment with the absolutist's position.
Initially, I was unaware of the source of those insisting that Trump is no longer worthy of support due to his less than perfect alignment with the pro-life absolutists. When I first heard of it, I was aghast at the clear incongruent nature of such a position. Who in their right mind would presume to suggest that allowing Kamala Harris and the Dem party to rule would move the needle toward the elimination of abortion in this country?
I was told that it was wrong to refer to these people as "stupid" and other negative terms...that doing so isn't the best way to change hearts and minds. But I intend to shame such absolutists...proud of their inflexibility and firmness in their defense of the innocent unborn...because time's growing short between now and November 5th, and "stupid" is absolutely the appropriate response to stupidity.
As an absolutist myself, I defend against the unjust taking of innocent life, and none are so innocent...as well as defenseless...as the conceived, yet unborn. But they aren't the only victims in need of protection in this world. We've already seen an alarming rise in murder since Jan 20, 2021, with abortion accounting for only 6-800,000 murders per year. Add to that, 70,000- 100,000 fentanyl deaths per year. I don't know how many other forms of deadly drugs are smuggled in to add to that number. Then of course we have the murders from assholes released from incarceration due to "progressive" District Attorneys and Prosecutors, murders from cartel members allowed into our country under the lie of asylum seeking and "self-determination" migration. Add to that those killed as a result of funding Iran, such as the Oct 7 massacre of Israeli citizens by members of the "Religion of Peace", Ukranian and Russian soldiers and citizens since western leaders like Biden and Boris Johnson talked Zalinsky out of the treaty he and Putin were on the cusp of cementing. That's a lot of dead, mostly murdered, folk since Donald Trump was cheated out of a second term in 2020.
I wonder how those single issue absolutists can defend rejecting Trump with those numbers staring them in the face. Will it improve under Harris? Can they make that argument? Will they try? Or will they feel good about themselves about "standing on principle" when doing so results in so many dead people? It's not voting for Trump which compromises their principles. It's denying him the win in November and leaving their cause to the abortion loving Kamala Harris and the Democrat Party which does.
So many have told me in rejecting or criticizing Trump that they're not concerned with perfection in candidates. Yet, this kind of bullshit belies that claim.
So what of Trump? While some speak of what he says, I look to what he's done. Putting more conservative (even if not conservative enough) justices on the Supreme Court resulted in what most pro-lifers have been demanding since 1973. Now, that Roe has been overturned and the issue has been returned to the states, the absolutists are pissed that Trump holds to that...that the 2024 GOP platform is not as hard-core pro-life as it had been. Well, I also would have preferred that the party not so greatly altered their platform regarding this issue. But having done so, it doesn't mean that any attempt by Dems to push a national policy protecting the "right" for people to murder their kids in utero won't be opposed when such comes to pass. That platform change doesn't mean they've changed their position on this issue, but merely that they've changed their focus now that it's a state issue instead of a federal one.
And for anyone who would suggest that this platform change, and recent comments by Trump indicate he and the party are in any way "abortion friendly", I have more appropriate words than "stupid" for such people. I won't use those words now, but the motherfuckers can probably guess. Shame on them for the mere suggestion. We have an election to win, the result of which impacts far more than just abortion in the lives of the American people who aren't total lefty asshats. When the single issue absolutists forget that, "stupid" is the baseline.
So in doing some research, I found that Lila Rose of LiveAction was encouraging pro-lifers to withhold their votes from Trump...which as I said would go a long way toward ensuring more people die. I sent her a note when I became aware of her public call for this ultimatum and gave her one of my own:
"
I recently made aware of pro-life response to Trump's comments on abortion, such that his comments have resulted in an ultimatum which would see pro-lifers withhold their votes from Trump because of them. I just now found that you are among those encouraging this response. I cannot express just what an incredibly self-defeating position this. It belies your claim of being pro-life by choosing to risk a Trump loss in November because he doesn't rise to a level of pro-lifer which suits you. I have absolutely no doubt you realize how much worse the nation will be with a pro-death party candidate...Kamala Harris...in the White House. As such, to reject "the best one can get" (and he's better than that) over comments likely intended to diminish the effect of pro-abort rhetoric and accusations only serves the pro-abort cause.
I don't know the true position of Trump on the issue of abortion. I can't read his heart. I can only go by what he's said..that he's pro-life. Some have doubted that, saying it's just a political posturing. But such people can't read his heart, either. I prefer to believe he's sincere, but still trying to sort out in his mind just how "pro-life" he truly is, given he's more of a recent convert to the pro-life side of the issue. More than that, however, is that I believe he's trying to find the right balance politically so as not to incite the lazier of the pro-abort proponents to get to the polls. As I believe he was absolutely robbed in 2020 by nefarious means, this means he has to act in a manner which takes into account the fact that the left will cheat again, and likely harder than before. I think this may be the case with his admonishing governors whose policy proposals we find pleasing because they move their states closer to a total ban, but push pro-aborts to step up their efforts on every level.
It's also imperative to keep in mind all the others ways life is made worthless by the Democrat Party. Leftist DAs and prosecutors not prosecuting violent criminals, open borders which admit even more violent criminals and terrorists and deadly drugs like fentanyl, just to name the most obvious. Are the lives of fellow citizens worth less than the lives of the conceived yet unborn? THAT question cuts both ways.
So, while I'd love to see Trump either clarify or reverse his comments (it would be enough for me if he said nothing more), I'm still voting for him because he's the better choice even given his comments, and far fewer lives of all people will be lost.
But
even more, I insist YOU reverse YOUR threats to withhold your vote for
him as if voting for him would be a compromise on your principles.
Clearly withholding it would be, as I explained above. And I hope to
see that reversal because as a man of few financial means, my charitable
dollars (another form of voting) must be reserved for those who further
the cause of life, not compromise it on "principle".
Thanks for your great work. Don't screw it up by not thinking about your position any more deeply than Trump has about his.
God Bless you.
Sincerely,
Art"
It was only right that I did so since I sought an answer to the question, "What are YOU doing when you hear of absolutists insisting they won't vote for Trump?" But then, there should never have been any question I wouldn't confront this absurd counter-intuitive position when the opportunity presented itself.
Finally, as the wine and late hour now makes their demands on me, I'll finish with this:
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/aug/30/donald-trump-declares-he-will-vote-no-on floridas-/?bt_ee=sZPmaNiJQQkDK7MJ6Rb85%2BaScxhh%2B5njFqEIcgP8PasaFcyAJnQKIfLWFp9glYG2&bt_ts=1725061530914
Wow. I hope that link will be easy to access!
In it, Trump asserts that he'll be voting against a leftist infanticide amendment in Florida, which is nice. What's not is that he opposes the DeSantis legislation which cut off abortions after six-weeks gestation. I can't find anything which explains why he thinks so, and the video in the links doesn't show the reporter asking. This is something about which I've had concerns with regard to Trump's abortion comments, as well as other things unrelated. He says something and no follow up occurs to procure clarification...and then some will say it's all on him if things go south. No. It doesn't work that way. He is what he is and has been for some time. To pretend that doesn't put some obligation on journalists to do more than stand pat on every utterance emanating from him is not journalism. For everyone else to insist they're going to go by what he says when oratory isn't his strong suit is..."stupid".
Anyway, he also says he wants to see insurance companies or the federal government cover the cost of IVF. I totally oppose this on the grounds alone that IVF is more of an elective procedure. It's unfortunate that some have difficulty conceiving. That's just too bad and doesn't justify demanding money from others to pay for it, either through increased insurance premiums for all or by the use of our tax dollars. It seems clear he's not up on the truth regarding IVF, such as the fact that there are better, safer and more effective ways to treat whatever it is obstructing a couple's ability to conceive.
So the bottom line remains: for those who oppose abortion, Trump is still the guy needed in the White House. The fight for life goes on regardless, but it won't lose ground by voting for Trump.
ATTN:
Another great argument which rebukes the notion single-issue pro-lifers must withhold their votes from Trump...if they're truly pro-life:
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/09/if_you_are_pro_life_or_pro_constitution_you_must_vote_for_trump.html
And another:
https://www.operationrescue.org/archives/its-time-to-stop-blaming-president-trump-for-his-evolving-public-position-on-abortion/
Operation Rescue is one of the original Christian anti-abortion absolutist organizations in the nation. They realize their principles are not compromised by continued support for Trump in the next election. That's because the principle is working toward the abolition of abortion, not voting for candidates who aren't anti-abortion purists.