Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Muddled Mess

We hate to keep bringing up the subject of abortion and a woman’s right to choose; but each day seems to bring with it a new story where these issues take center stage.  Yesterday the issue of abortion served as the cornerstone for the muddled mess that calls itself the Republican Party.
Here is what we learned.
We learned that Mitt Romney finally joined a host of prominent Republicans in urging Todd Akin, the controversial and toxic candidate for the Missouri senate seat to resign from the race.  Unless you have been living under a rock you know that Akin said that according to doctor’s he has spoken with, women are unlikely to get pregnant as a result of rape because when a “legitimate” rape occurs a women’s body has a way of “shutting that whole thing down” to prevent pregnancy from occurring. 
We learned that Akin has ignored all demands for his resignation and has remained resolute in his intention to stay in the race.
We learned that the doctor that informed Akin that a women’s body would ward off pregnancy in the event of rape is Dr. John C. Wilkie.  In an article for ChristianLifeResources.com Wilkie wrote that the trauma and emotional stress of rape can influence a woman’s menstrual cycle and therefore prevent pregnancy from occurring.
We learned that the same Dr. Wilkie served as a surrogate for Romney’s failed 2008 presidential campaign and that Romney publically embraced Wilkie as leader in the right to life movement.
We learned that the American Journal of Obstetricians and Gynecologists disagree with Governor Romney, Congressman Ryan and Dr. Wilkie having found that “rape related pregnancy occurs with significant frequency…and is the cause of many unwanted pregnancies…an estimated 32,101 per year.”
We learned that while Republican Party leaders were publically condemning Congressman Akin’s comments and distancing themselves from his views the Republican Platform Committee quietly approved a plank in the party’s platform supporting a constitutional amendment that makes abortion unconstitutional with NO exceptions…even in the case of rape and incest.  The platform will be presented at next weeks’ Republican National Convention.
And finally we learned that the Romney/Ryan ticket opposes abortion EXCEPT in those cases of rape, incest and pregnancy which endangers the life of the mother.  This position is not only at odds with the before mentioned Republican Party Platform it also contradicts Paul Ryan’s sponsorship with the vilified Todd Akin of legislation which mirrors Akin’s views.
Confused?  Who wouldn’t be!  So allow us to summarize.
While Republican’s are publically opposing Todd Akin they are quietly crafting platform positions that are in lockstep with his views.  And Mitt Romney is staying the course of supporting whatever view will lead him to election in November.
This is what happens when a candidate tries to capitulate to every facet of his party.  Romney already had the most conservative members of his party in his pocket.  No matter how much they doubted his true conservatism they were never going to vote for Obama.  He should have courted independents and the more conservative leaning Democrats.  But as usual Romney would not take a stand trying instead to have it both ways.
The result is a disorganized muddled mess.
This is probably not what the Republican Party or the Romney Campaign wanted to be talking about the week before their national convention.               

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