04 Jun The Abortion “Issue”
In past elections, the left’s primary argument for voting against Republicans, including Donald Trump, was that they would deprive women of their “choice” about their “health care” and “control over their own bodies.” Mr. Trump in particular was singled out as a threat to women, and Democratic candidates, including Kamala Harris, went to great length to drum up fear and loathing of him on the basis of Mr. Trump’s (alleged) abortion opposition.
In past elections, the right’s primary argument for voting against Democrats, including Kamala Harris, was that they would “kill babies” up to the point of birth – if not thereafter – through “pro-death” positions. Ms. Harris in particular was singled out as a threat to human life, and Republican candidates, including Donald Trump, went to great length to drum up fear and loathing of her on the basis of Ms. Harris’s (alleged) abortion desires.
Despite all of this pre-election consternation, we have heard almost nothing at all about abortion since November. I have some thoughts about what ever happened to the abortion issue.
Abortion Was a Useful Wedge Issue
Issues aren’t on the ballot; people are. That truth has never been more clearly proved than by how little impact the outcome of the 2024 elections has had on abortion in America.
Let’s use Donald Trump and Kamala Harris as our example. From July until November last year, we were told that Donald Trump’s election would be a disaster for women, for choice, for women’s health, and for the right to control one’s own body. A great deal of people cared deeply about those things, and many ovals no doubt were filled in accordingly. Nevertheless, Mr. Trump won.
Did President Trump prevail because an equally large number of voters thought he would stop the killing of unborn babies? Perhaps that was part of the basis for the election result. The many voters with strong pro-life views certainly believed he would allow less abortion than would Kamala Harris.
In reality, however, both groups were misled. Democrats misled voters and donors to support Ms. Harris out of fear that her opponent would eliminate choice entirely. Religious conservatives and others were misled into believing that their support for Mr. Trump would help eliminate abortion entirely.
He was never going to do any such thing. For any politician to bring significant policy change on an issue like abortion, the politician has to have both (1) the power and, more importantly, (2) the desire to enact such change. Donald Trump had neither.
Regarding the power to control abortion law, the Supreme Court long has had that authority, and it now has delegated the issue to the legislative processes of the 50 states. Moreover, it is doubtful that Donald Trump could push through a federal ban on abortion (at conception, six weeks, 15 weeks, or any other stage of pregnancy), or that such a law would be upheld in court.
Regarding desire, I personally do not think Donald Trump cares about any life other than his own. I believe he wanted the conservative vote on the abortion issue – along with campaign donations, of course – but that is all. The proof is found in the pudding of his campaign steering away from the issue after his nomination was secure, and his administration ignoring it after he was elected.
Abortion Became a Useless Political Issue
Yes, the abortion issue remains parked exactly where it was a year ago. If anything, the number of abortions has increased in America in the years since “the constitutional right to abortion” was undercut in 2022, when the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade.
My personal political views on the issue have been spelled out in several prior posts, including Protecting Life / A Woman’s Right to Choose Abortion (April 25, 2023); Abortion: A Solution (June 24, 2022); and Abortion: Weighing the Principles (July 20, 2021).
From the standpoint of an elected official, a candidate, or a voter going forward, the best result might be for attention to the issue to be minimized. After all, the issue really is more likely to harm than to help a future campaign, given that no politician wants to be “the one who allowed babies to be killed” or “the one who deprived women of their rights.” Voters will vote against either of those records before they vote for them.
Perhaps that is where the abortion issue has gone – it is behind us now, never to be heard from in politics again. I would be okay with that. At this point, isn’t abortion better left as a matter of the heart, rather than an wedge to be manipulated by candidates and then ignored after the election?
Written by Quentin R. Wittrock, founder of Principle Based Politics.
Please share this with anyone who might be interested, and look for my periodic principled political posts, as this blog will explore and promote the idea of principle in politics, both as to individual elected leaders and our federal government as an institution.
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Gary Russell
Posted at 17:44h, 04 JuneAnother good observation, Quentin. Social issues like abortion rarely turn an election although they make for great rallies and speeches. I don’t quite see it as “…never to be heard from in politics again”. I think we will if (a) anything cosmic happens, or (b) things settle down a bit on the crazy swings we have now where it becomes an emotional talking point. I would agree with a “never to be settled” statement, however.
DKnight
Posted at 20:08h, 05 JuneMr. Whitrock, you are an accomplished and successful person. Your posts are interesting and help folks take part in important analysis of government affairs and current events. Still, you have a laser focus on one topic–and it is not abortion. Today’s post is presented as a review of the abortion issue. Yes, abortion is a wedge issue that has long been used to sway large parts of the electorate. Abortion is not often dealt with directly, as the sides devolve into demonizing each other. I don’t often look to Europe for policy leadership. Yet, some of the leftist governments over there are more rational and mature on abortion than we are. Now, back to your real focus and obsession–Trump. Today’s post, although stated as a departure from Trump–has a lot of Orange Man Syndrome in it. “Trump doesn’t care about any life other than his own”. Really….? The prez has kids and wife, grandkids, etc.—who all seem fairly tight as a family. Good grief, everything is not about Trump–and the endless hatred of him. Yes–it appears to be actual hatred. As noted many times in response to your posts—we have had many presidents–that were objectively worse in their presidential actions and behaviors than Trump. I know others will respond and state Trump is the worst thing ever. But, and as of this date (as this administration has a long way to go–and most people have no sense of historical precedent) the assertions that he is the devil are beyond irrational. This hatred is wacky and unhealthy. I don’t think much of Biden–but I don’t hate the man.
Quentin
Posted at 20:38h, 05 JuneI can’t wait until you and I can discuss politics on one of my first podcasts, Darren. Maybe I’ll ask if you agree that choosing Harris in order to secure to right to abortion was a mistake, and whether a vote for Trump to stop abortion was ineffective, as well.