Pete Ashdown's Response to My Post

We all agree abortion is not a desired outcome in any case, no matter the origination of the pregnancy.

There are Republicans and Democrats alike who believe abortion and other personal decisions should not be made by the state. Only by working together instead of fighting for the polarizing extreme will we ever make a difference in reducing the number of elective abortions nationwide.

Nobody of any political stripe, who supports abortion only in the case of rape, incest, and health of the mother has been able to tell me how they expect the government to divine what is rape and what is not.

33 years of politicization of abortion and all some can do is continue to hope for the Supreme Court to overturn what they say goes against the will of the people. Did anyone watch what happened in South Dakota this election? Why has it been 17 years since Senator Hatch proposed banning abortion through amendment? Could it be because the will of the people is not for the outright banning of abortion? We might as well ban sex.

I spoke of quantitatively reducing abortions if elected. It can be done without banning because I've talked to the local leaders who are doing it through contraception and education in addition to preaching abstinence. Its happening right here in Utah and it could happen nationwide if we had leaders who didn't want to lose their political whipping post.

I ran with honor and integrity and being frank and honest about social issues was an essential part of that. I refuse to politicize abortion, but instead seek solutions that will work to address the problem. Do you think Senator Hatch has done the same during his 30 year tenure which has encompassed the entire abortion debate? I see very little evidence that he has.

(Originally posted to www.slcspin.com on NOV 2006)