OK. Nobody really likes abortion. Most liberals want to make it rare by ensuring that women do not get trapped into inconvenient births that can wreck their lives. Abortion is a traumatic choice even if the cause is medical necessity. This is far more effective in stopping abortion than any ban on abortion.
If I had a daughter, I would want her to be as knowledgeable as a whore about sex and pregnancy -- so that she could make rational choices to avoid an unwelcome pregnancy that could disrupt her plans for education and career -- or a desirable husband (not that those realities are incompatible). I would make clear to a son that he must not inflict an unwelcome, distuptive pregnancy upon a girl.
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The DNC doesn't want to make abortion rare anymore. Compare the difference in platforms:
2004: Because we believe in the privacy and equality of women, we stand proudly for a woman’s right to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, and regardless of her ability to pay. We stand firmly against Republican efforts to undermine that right. At the same time, we strongly support family planning and adoption incentives.
Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.2008: The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v Wade and a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right.The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to affordable family planning services and comprehensive age-appropriate sex education which empower people to make informed choices and live healthy lives. We also recognize that such health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. The Democratic Party also strongly supports a woman’s decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre and post natal health care, parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs.
(Notice the word "rare" does not appear in the '08 platform)
2012: The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. Abortion is an intensely personal decision between a woman, her family, her doctor, and her clergy; there is no place for politicians or government to get in the way. We also recognize that health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. We strongly and unequivocally support a woman's decision to have a child by providing affordable health care and ensuring the availability of and access to programs that help women during pregnancy and after the birth of a child, including caring adoption programs.
(Again, no mention of the word "rare")
2016: Democrats are committed to protecting and advancing reproductive health, rights, and justice.
We believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should have access
to quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion—regardless of
where she lives, how much money she makes, or how she is insured. We believe that
reproductive health is core to women’s, men’s, and young people’s health and wellbeing. We
will continue to stand up to Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood health centers,
which provide critical health services to millions of people. We will continue to oppose—and
seek to overturn—federal and state laws and policies that impede a woman’s access to abortion,
including by repealing the Hyde Amendment. We condemn and will combat any acts of
violence, harassment, and intimidation of reproductive health providers, patients, and staff. We
will defend the ACA, which extends affordable preventive health care to women, including nocost
contraception, and prohibits discrimination in health care based on gender.
We will address the discrimination and barriers that inhibit meaningful access to reproductive
health care services, including those based on gender, sexuality, race, income, disability, and
other factors. We recognize that quality, affordable comprehensive health care, evidence-based
sex education and a full range of family planning services help reduce the number of unintended
pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions.
And we strongly and unequivocally support a woman’s decision to have a child, including by
ensuring a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth, and by providing services during
pregnancy and after the birth of a child, including adoption and social support services, as well as
protections for women against pregnancy discrimination. We are committed to creating a society
where children are safe and can thrive physically, emotionally, educationally, and spiritually. We
recognize and support the importance of civil structures that are essential to creating this for
every child.
(Again, no mention of the word rare. Sure, they say that some things reduce the need for abortions - but this is merely phrased as a statement of fact - it does not clearly say that it is good to reduce the need for abortions.)
Also notice how each platform is more left than the previous, culminating in the 2016 platform which calls for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, an Amendment that is supported by a strong majority of Americans. It seems pretty clear to me that the DNC likes abortion and if anything, wants more of it, not less of it.
