Abortion
A way to limit abortions that most of us can support. Why not work together when we can?
Almost all of us support both a women’s right to choose and want to protect the life of the pre-born. We are bitterly divided, however, when these two principles collide, and we feel that we must choose one over the other.
That dilemma is real, and it appears that we have no choice but to fight each other on this issue.
While this is true in one sense, it seems to me that we can still work together in a vital way.
We have clear evidence that economic conditions are a central factor in the incidence of abortion. Lack of income, jobs, medical care, and community support contribute to abortions. Stable income, quality education, strong community resources all limit abortions.
Simply put reducing economic inequality will reduce abortions.
(Unless you really doubt that joblessness has anything to do with people making such desperate personal choices.)
A healthy economy. Full employment at living wages. Full access to health care. Supportive community service. Less splitting families through aggressive sentencing laws and practices. I see it as a fact that progressive reforms do reduce the incidence of abortion in society.
I am not being naive. Yes, there are other reasons why people have abortions. This is not the only way we can reduce the number of abortions in our society. And yes, there will be unintended consequences. Making changes in our financial, legal and economic systems all involve risks. Who shouldn’t recommend caution? But the fact remains; policies that result in a fairer economy do affect the abortion rate.
Here’s why this is not an easy choice. When the Federal Reserve raises interest rates past a point to lower inflation, it likely will increase unemployment—and therefore increase the rate of abortions. There are good reasons for lowering inflation, but there are tradeoffs. This is one. Maybe we can risk living with 3% inflation, if it means providing better lives for millions of people—as well as saving unborn lives. Or perhaps the economy will suffer such a shock from high inflation that all the good will be undone. This is the risk of all progressive reform.
If we can find those who are willing to take the risk, we can work with them across the aisle, across our partisan divide, to achieve such a common goal. We will still disagree on abortion bans. That battle will remain central to many of us. But why should that keep us from working together to achieve a partial victory?
And there are many of us that believe that such economic reforms, wisely enacted, will improve lives in many other ways.