Deep divide over abortion in America

Even in our era of politics without precedent, few things are as inexplicable as the Democratic Party’s decision to take increasingly extreme positions on abortion while so much of the country moves in a different direction.

The March for Life, held annually in Washington, D.C., around the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, is one visible example of the country’s mood on the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. The number of participants in the march continues to grow each year.

Commentators have observed that fully half of the marchers are college-aged or younger. (“We are the pro-life generation” is a popular sign seen at the march.) This may well suggest a generational shift in perspective, which poses interesting electoral consequences for the future.

The number of abortions has dropped dramatically over the past 30 years. The Guttmacher Institute released a report in September of last year stating that the number of abortions had dropped 19% between 2011 (1,058,000 abortions) and 2017 (862,000 abortions), and the abortion rate (number of abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44) dropped by 20% during the same time period. This is part of a steady downward trend from the all-time high of over 1,420,000 abortions in 1990.

Perhaps it is the advent of modern medical technology, which has pushed fetal viability back to 22 weeks. (A handful of children born at 21 weeks have survived.) Fetal surgery has become a growing specialty, and surgeons can now repair heart defects and hernias, correct spina bifida and remove tumors while the child is still growing and developing in the womb. Even those whose babies are not dealing with medical emergencies in utero or born prematurely can see the humanity of the unborn child in traditional ultrasound (which did not exist when Roe v. Wade was decided) or the more advanced 4D ultrasound.

Much better scientific knowledge about fetal development, therefore, might well be driving down the abortion rate.

A majority of Americans favor reasonable regulations on abortions, such as mandatory medical disclosures and ultrasounds, brief waiting periods, hospital admitting privileges for physicians performing abortions and parental notification laws for minor girls seeking abortions.

So where is the Democratic

Party on abortion?

Last year, the Democratic-controlled New York legislature passed the Reproductive Health Act, which permits abortion at any time until birth. The law removed the restriction requiring abortions to be performed by a physician. It also removes any requirement to provide medical care for a baby that survives abortion.

California and Illinois — both states controlled by Democrats — have also passed laws expanding abortion.

At a town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, last Sunday, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked by voter Kristen Day if the Democratic Party still has room for pro-life Democrats. Day, the executive director of Democrats for Life of America, stated that this amounts to 21 million voters.

Buttigieg punted. In later interviews, Day concluded that there is no longer any place for pro-life Democrats in her party.

If leading Democrats aren’t interested in the views of a majority of Americans, or millions of their own voters, just who are they trying to please?