Posted on 01/31/2002 11:27:58 PM PST by nickcarraway
RIORDAN ON ABORTION. In his bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan has called for more taxpayer funding for abortion. In a November 8 interview, Los Angeles Times columnist, George Skelton asked Riordan "whether he had core political beliefs." "My basic conviction," said Riordan, "is what is in the best interest of the poor. We need to have successful businesses so there will be quality jobs.... We should fire bureaucrats in school districts who fail poor children." And, said the Republican contender, "the poor should have the same option on abortion that the rich have. Government should supply the resources so poor people have a choice." "I just lost the Republican nomination," said Riordan after his revelation, though his stance on abortion is no secret. The official "Riordan for Governor" website quotes the candidate as saying that he is "in favor of the right for women to make their own moral choice. I believe economically disadvantaged women should have access to medical funds, so they have the same right to make the choice as any other woman. You're not really giving the choice to somebody unless they have the wherewithal (to pay for an abortion). I'm against third-trimester -- or late-term -- abortions," Riordan continued. "Underage females should get permission from their parents. I don't like abortion. but a woman has the right to make her own choice."
His slip is showing, Badly.
January 20, 2002
Dear Friend of Life:
Americans today are united like never before. Today, more than any time in fifty years, people of all faiths, all income levels and backgrounds have joined together under the banner of proud and principled Americans.
Yet there is still one issue that divides our nation. As we ponder the passing of this day that marks twenty-nine years since abortion-on-demand was legalized in this country, we know that the topic continues to cause a great deal of pain and division.
We Americans have come together for our common good and mutual support. The question remains whether we can now come together once again - to find some common ground on this terrible issue that divides us.
No one is willing to give up his or her deeply held beliefs - I know I am not. But there must be reasonable things that reasonable people can agree upon.
About 1.5 million abortions take place in this country every year. Can we agree that this is certainly too many? Can we agree to work together to reduce the number of abortions? Can we agree to spend funds on life-affirming activities such as abstinence education for teenagers and tax relief for families that adopt?
Labels on storefronts, packages and gas pumps warn us every day about the health hazards we face from various products and services. Can we not agree that women seeking abortions should understand the present and future health risks that they too face?
Can we agree that abortion clinics and the doctors who work in them should be subject to the same health, safety and reporting requirements that all other medical doctors and clinics must abide by? Can we not agree that the health and safety of those women is one of our highest priorities?
If we are ever to come together on the serious issues that divide us we must find common ground to begin a dialogue. America is too great a nation and our people are too strong a people to let our differences overcome our strengths.
This January 22nd many of us will shed tears for the millions of children who never saw the light of day. It doesn't have to be that way. Can we not agree that now is the time to begin the process of coming together, with the goal of some day putting this divisive debate behind us? There are issues we can agree on. Let's work together to find them.
Sincerely,
We need to be inclusive, but we also need to stick with our principles and there’s no question about that. We need to be straightforward about what those principles are.
I would not be in favor of removing that issue from the platform.
I am prolife. I believe abortion is wrong, but I understand the law. I believe what we should do is try to see fewer abortions and I believe that will take a number of years to change the hearts and minds of the voters – to sponsor a culture of life.
Bill Simon, January 22, 2002
Never heard that. Davis is trying to portray him as pro-life in commercials.
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