Abortion: politically important, but materially?

jakurus · 07-19-05, 01:42 AM

I've come to the conclusion that there is only one option for any country that respects the rights of its people with respect to abortion.

In fact, there is only one moral option to choose.

Abortions must be "safe, legal, and rare."

*assumptions: virtually all abortions performed are either medically necessary or necessary to the future of the family. *

The only difference between a society where abortions are illegal and legal is that in a society in which they are legal, the abortions kill less women in the process, and in a society where they are illegal, more women die at the hands of less reputable doctors in shabbier conditions.

The same numbers of babies die, and it's a tragedy, but the only material difference between the societies is that more innocent mothers die if abortion is illegal.

jakurus · 07-19-05, 01:46 AM

As for why the abortion issue seems so important:

Because it is such a hugely important issue to individual and involves killing a human it gets a dissproportionate amount of attention.

Here's how I think the attention is proportioned:

1. During elections: It is a huge issue, one of less then 10 or so issues that can determine a person's vote on it's own.

2. During actual governance: It gets no attention, because it affects very few people's actual lives. Politicians actual governance of the country is focused on things that affect our lives materially, for our country's resources are finite.

jakurus · 07-19-05, 01:49 AM

I think this might belong in the abortion forum, although it's really just trying to explain how abortion dominates the headlines but really does not affect very many people's lives, and how that affects it's treatment by the press, voters, politicians, and in the actual material policy that creates.

vauge · 07-19-05, 09:03 AM

Excellent topic, I think your right - moved to the abortion forum.

Quote:

1. During elections: It is a huge issue, one of less then 10 or so issues that can determine a person's vote on it's own.

2. During actual governance: It gets no attention, because it affects very few people's actual lives. Politicians actual governance of the country is focused on things that affect our lives materially, for our country's resources are finite.

I haven't really thought about it like this, but I think you are spot on. It is ashame.

jakurus · 07-20-05, 02:04 AM

I'm ashamed I said "then" instead of "than." Whoopsie. And now I can't edit my post.

Anyways,

that's how it is.

Abortion is a political tool, nothing more.

Navy Pride · 07-20-05, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakurus

I've come to the conclusion that there is only one option for any country that respects the rights of its people with respect to abortion.

In fact, there is only one moral option to choose.

Abortions must be "safe, legal, and rare."

*assumptions: virtually all abortions performed are either medically necessary or necessary to the future of the family. *

The only difference between a society where abortions are illegal and legal is that in a society in which they are legal, the abortions kill less women in the process, and in a society where they are illegal, more women die at the hands of less reputable doctors in shabbier conditions.

The same numbers of babies die, and it's a tragedy, but the only material difference between the societies is that more innocent mothers die if abortion is illegal.

The problem is abortions are not rare in fact there have been 40,000,000 abortions performed since Roe V wade was enacted in 1972.........

blogger31 · 07-20-05, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakurus

The same numbers of babies die, and it's a tragedy, but the only material difference between the societies is that more innocent mothers die if abortion is illegal.

Interesting statement I would like to see the source for that statement. I am sure you have statistics showing that just as many children are aborted in illegal countries as in legal countries.

jakurus · 07-20-05, 07:04 PM

Nope, but I suppose you think that people are just having abortions without insanely good reasons?

Personally, I'd like to see as many pregnancies carried to term and then the babies adopted, but people need abortions.

jakurus · 07-20-05, 07:05 PM

Here we go:

Abortion Statistics - World

In 54 countries (61% of the world population) abortions are legal.
In 97 countries (39% of the world population) abortions are illegal.
There are approximately 46 million abortions conducted eacy year, 20 million of them obtained illegally.
There are approximately 126,000 abortions conducted each day.
Abortion Statistics - U.S.

Approximately 1,370,000 abortions occur annually in the U.S. according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. Click here to see the approximate number of abortions in the U.S. per year from 1973-1996. In 2001, 1.31 million abortions took place.
88% of abortions occur during the first 6 to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
60% of abortions are performed on women who already have one or more children.
47% of abortions are performed on women who have already had one or more abortions.
43% of women will have had at least one abortion by the time they are 45 years old (this statistic includes miscarriages in the term "abortion").

jakurus · 07-20-05, 07:06 PM

Abortions are going down in the US, unfathomable!

Approximate number of abortions in the U.S. per year (based on assumptions by the Alan Guttmacher Institute).

1996 - 1,365,700
1995 - 1,363,700
1994 - 1,431,000
1993 - 1,500,000
1992 - 1,528,900
1991 - 1,556,500
1990 - 1,608,600
1989 - 1,566,900
1988 - 1,590,800
1987 - 1,559,100
1986 - 1,574,000
1985 - 1,588,600
1984 - 1,577,200
1983 - 1,575,000
1982 - 1,573,900
1981 - 1,577,300
1980 - 1,553,900
1979 - 1,497,700
1978 - 1,409,600
1977 - 1,316,700
1976 - 1,179,300
1975 - 1,034,200
1974 - 898,600
1973 - 774,600