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Abortion Largely Missing from Second Round of Debates While NRA Ruthlessly Attacked
Townhall.com ^ | August 2, 2019 | Rebecca Downs

Posted on 08/02/2019 4:39:37 AM PDT by Kaslin

Beyond a few comments, talk of abortion was mostly absent from both nights of the second round of Democratic debates. This went noticed by pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood, which decried how “voters missed an opportunity to hear how Democratic candidates will approach a fundamental issue that impacts their lives,” lumping, as they’re prone to do, abortion with healthcare. The omission was also noticed by National Review’s Alexandra DeSanctis, who pointed out that Democratic candidates and their media allies usually refer to abortion in euphemastic language.

On both nights, the issue was raised by the candidates rather than the moderators, who ignored the issue completely. On night one, Mayor Pete Buttigieg stoked fear in his opening statement by mentioning how “by 2030…  a woman’s right to choose may not even exist.” The next night, Senator Kamala Harris went after front-runner Joe Biden for his previous support for the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer dollars from funding most abortions, which he quickly flip-flopped on. Harris even got the Hyde Amendment wrong, claiming that Biden’s support for it amounted to him “withhold[ing] resources to poor women to have access to reproductive healthcare and including women who were the victims of rape and incest.” The Hyde Amendment makes exceptions for rape and incest. 

What did come up was talk about gun control and the National Rifle Association. Here is a sampling from night one:

In a sense, Senator Klobuchar is right, that it is about the NRA. The NRA has been tirelessly looking out for the Constitutional right to bear arms, clearly stated in the Second Amendment, as well as those who exercise that right. 

Gone, however, was any talk not only of abortion, but of the largest abortion business in the nation, Planned Parenthood. And yet one could very well apply the criticisms Democrats have for the NRA to Planned Parenthood. 

Planned Parenthood, unlike the NRA, is taxpayer funded, to the tune of $563.8 million, an increase from the previous year. There was also $630.8 million in private donations, which means Planned Parenthood was able to earn $244.8 in excess revenue over spending, or profit.

Americans may disagree with the NRA, on its aims, on its tactics, on its gun-rights agenda, just as Americans may disagree with Planned Parenthood’s focus on abortion. Yet the stark difference with the former is Americans aren’t forced to send their hard-earned dollars to an organization they disagree so strongly with. Planned Parenthood has also been accused of Medicaid fraud. And, there is video evidence Planned Parenthood has circumvented state and federal laws.

Planned Parenthood likes to tout how taxpayer dollars are not permitted to fund most abortions, all while still speaking out against the Hyde Amendment. What taxpayer funding they do receive, however, frees up money that much more for abortions, because money is fungible. 

Despite the funding, not only have abortions increased, but services such as contraception and cancer screenings have continued to decrease.

We’re all too used to hearing about how the NRA is responsible for the death of children lost to gun violence. Yet those same people and organizations won’t call out Planned Parenthood for the 332,757 abortions listed in Planned Parenthood’s own 2017-2018 annual report, the most recent available. The number is an increase from the previous annual report. Planned Parenthood hasn’t met an abortion it didn’t like, no matter for what reason, or when it was performed. It’s no surprise that Planned Parenthood fights for abortion for any reason, throughout all 9 months of pregnancy, and opposes virtually any and all abortion regulations or restrictions. This view is largely out of step with the American people, who want to see abortion limited to within the first three months of pregnancy. But again, such is not a popular point for Democratic candidates to acknowledge, nevermind debate.

Planned Parenthood isn’t about healthcare, it’s about abortion. Those skeptical need look no further than to how last month the organization ousted its president, Dr. Leana Wen, for not being committed enough to the politics of opposing abortion. 

If our current society where Planned Parenthood is funded with over half a billion dollars in taxpayer funding isn’t a “broken system” with “big money” involved, there’s no telling what is.

Unsurprisingly, the debate moderators did not take issue with the candidates attacking the NRA, or Senator Harris’ falsehoods about the Hyde Amendment. It’s unlikely to expect future debate moderators to bring up these points about either organization. It does not mean we should stand idly by when falsehoods are repeated and spread. Hopefully the American people educate themselves not only on the NRA, but on abortion and Planned Parenthood, even if these debates won’t help them do so.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: 2ndamendment; abortion; banglist; debates; demonrats; demonrats2020; gunlegislation; guns; infanticide; medicareforall; nra; obamacare; secondamendment

1 posted on 08/02/2019 4:39:37 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

If this were a Republican debate, every question would be something like, “If your 13 year old daughter was raped by your MAGA-hat-wearing inbred cousin, and this caused the girl to get type 1 diabetes and would die if she gave birth, would you be in favor of choice?”


2 posted on 08/02/2019 4:43:41 AM PDT by MuttTheHoople
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To: Kaslin

Virtue signaling to violence signaling (adult abortion). It’s just a shot away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbmS3tQJ7Os


3 posted on 08/02/2019 4:45:06 AM PDT by PGalt
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To: Kaslin

What also seems to be missing is that (for the obvious reasons) is mention that the last thing that the NRA (or any other organization representing law abiding firearms owners for that matter) would ever be against is stopping the criminal and tragic misuse of firearms. The question is why the Democrats do not seem to be at all interested in working with the NRA and others toward that goal? Such initiatives can and should always respect the rights of the law abiding and be cost effective and efficient and exclusively focus on the criminal.


4 posted on 08/02/2019 4:45:44 AM PDT by OttawaFreeper ("The Gardens was founded by men-sportsmen-who fought for their country" Conn Smythe, 1966)
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To: MuttTheHoople

lol

They might throw in “and if you knew the fetus (their word) has so and so illness, would you....”


5 posted on 08/02/2019 4:46:33 AM PDT by dp0622 (Bad, bad company Till the day I die.)
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To: dp0622

Now that I made that comment in post 5 it really makes me angry.

What do you do when humans outside of the womb get sick?

Is there a serious discussion and difficult decision whether to kill them or not?

A very ill child of 2 or 3?? What are they going to defend themselves with keen verbal responses?

Keep treating humans like litter and things can go downhill a lot over time.


6 posted on 08/02/2019 4:54:14 AM PDT by dp0622 (Bad, bad company Till the day I die.)
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To: Kaslin

The most dangerous place in America is inside a Democrat womb.


7 posted on 08/02/2019 5:02:24 AM PDT by bray (Pray for President Trump)
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To: Kaslin
"In a sense, Senator Klobuchar is right, that it is about the NRA. The NRA has been tirelessly looking out for the Constitutional right to bear arms, clearly stated in the Second Amendment, as well as those who exercise that right. "

While feathering the nest of upper management and their friends.

The NRA really need to clean up its act. It's embarrassing.

8 posted on 08/02/2019 5:03:27 AM PDT by MV=PY (The Magic Question: Who's paying for it?)
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To: Kaslin

Saddens me how the left has minimized the word abortion to the point where lots of Americans view it the same as tonsils. Trivial, harmless and unimportant.


9 posted on 08/02/2019 5:09:29 AM PDT by albie
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To: Kaslin

“Mueller” and “Russia” were equally lonely topics in the Socialist Toastmasters Club aka the leftist runoff of the National Socialist Democrat Workers Party.


10 posted on 08/02/2019 5:16:48 AM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.......)
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To: Kaslin

Libs moderate Republican debates in primaries, when do Rush Limbaugh, Larry Elder, or Dennis Praeger get to moderate and select the framing of questions for a Democrat debate?

Recall in 2008 that Barack Hussein Obama refused to even appear at a debate to be hosted by Fox News.


11 posted on 08/02/2019 5:21:32 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: dp0622
>>They might throw in “and if you knew the fetus (their word) would be a homosexual, would you....”
12 posted on 08/02/2019 5:22:40 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: Kaslin
The obsession with guns and the NRA tells me what is foremost in the minds of these clowns--they want the citizens disarmed. And it's not for beneficent purposes.
13 posted on 08/02/2019 5:39:57 AM PDT by Tench_Coxe
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To: Kaslin

The NRA and it’s members save lives and support the Constitution. Abortionists murder tens of millions of babies, chop them up and sell their body parts. What does this tell you about the DIMs/LIBs?


14 posted on 08/02/2019 7:12:57 AM PDT by hal ogen (not funny<font)
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To: Kaslin
It will be interesting to see how the public responds to the Democratic support of Planned Parenthood and their abortion mills. I for one think that the new head of PP is going to drive a wedge between moderate and thoughtful Democrats and rabid feminists. Considering that Joe Biden will likely be the Democratic candidate and he is not a huge fan of abortion (although he has “evolved”) the rabid baby butchers will have a hard time stomaching the Party.

Now as to the NRA. There are some real problems in the NRA leadership and have been for some time. I feel that the NRA has lost a lot of its effectiveness. Its strength use to be its ability to rally grass roots firearms owners on political issues. In the past few years, I have seen its influence falling incredibly.

WA State had two anti-firearms initiatives and both passed overwhelmingly. I worked to try to support opposition of both of them, but the NRA did not play ball in coordinating with NRA-affiliated gun ranges and the Washington Arms Collectors Association. This resulted in a real ineffective PR campaign that was underfunded and badly coordinated.

My personal belief is that it is time for another organization to take up the mantle of protecting firearms rights and the 2nd Amendment, if we are to prevail against Billionaire funded gun control political campaigns.

15 posted on 08/02/2019 10:03:26 AM PDT by Robert357
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To: Kaslin
The Democrat position on abortion isn't just that they are "pro choice", it's that the issue has been settled once and for all.

The days of "nuanced" positions are over.

16 posted on 08/02/2019 10:56:33 AM PDT by Salman (The Democrat agenda in one word -- revenge.)
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