The GOP’s Insufficient Abortion Platform

Nikki Haley had the right idea about how Republicans should handle abortion policy. I did not agree with everything she said about the issue, but she was right to frame it in terms of building a consensus in favor of life.

A Republican platform that took that approach to heart could have said something like this: “We aspire to live in an America where every unborn child is protected in law and welcomed in life. Now that the Supreme Court has rightly returned this issue to the legislative process, we recognize that states will reach different conclusions about abortion while hoping that all will find ways to protect unborn children and support families in need. We urge public officials in all states to make it clear that doctors may take action to protect pregnant women from grave risks of serious physical injury, even if the danger is not imminent and even if that action ends the child’s life. While Americans engage in a peaceful and democratic debate over this issue, we urge Congress to set a national baseline of prohibiting abortions late in pregnancy, to reaffirm that taxpayer dollars shall not be used for abortion, and to provide meaningful conscience protections for health-care providers who do not wish to perform abortions.”

Nikki Haley had the right idea about how Republicans should handle abortion policy. I did not agree with everything she said about the issue, but she was right to frame it in terms of building a consensus in favor of life.

A Republican platform that took that approach to heart could have said something like this: “We aspire to live in an America where every unborn child is protected in law and welcomed in life. Now that the Supreme Court has rightly returned this issue to the legislative process, we recognize that states will reach different conclusions about abortion while hoping that all will find ways to protect unborn children and support families in need. We urge public officials in all states to make it clear that doctors may take action to protect pregnant women from grave risks of serious physical injury, even if the danger is not imminent and even if that action ends the child’s life. While Americans engage in a peaceful and democratic debate over this issue, we urge Congress to set a national baseline of prohibiting abortions late in pregnancy, to reaffirm that taxpayer dollars shall not be used for abortion, and to provide meaningful conscience protections for health-care providers who do not wish to perform abortions.”