When Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden caved to pressure from the abortion lobby and said that he thought the Hyde Amendment should be repealed, he may have made a “fatal move” for his campaign for president, a prominent pro-life group has said.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, slammed Biden for the flip-flop and said it is bound to hurt his chances with the Democratic Party as a whole, Breitbart reported. Biden’s move, intended to reach out to the far-left fringe of the party, may backfire as he moves out of the primaries and broadens his focus to a much larger and less radical group of voters.
“While Joe Biden may be taking a politically expedient position in the Democratic primary as candidates race to the left on abortion, he will pay the price in the general election,” Dannenfelser said. “Joe Biden is supposed to be the one candidate who can win back working class Democrats who backed Trump – this will prove to be a fatal move should he be the nominee.”
Democrat Pro-Life Shift
Dannenfelser pointed to a Marist poll taken in February, which showed a major shift among Democrats toward a pro-life position. In January, only 20% of Democrats said they were pro-life.
After New York State passed an extreme law in February allowing abortion right up until a baby’s birth, however, 34% of Democrats said they were pro-life. Furthermore, 60% of Democrats thought abortion should be limited to the first three months of pregnancy.
“Current proposals that promote late-term abortion have reset the landscape and language on abortion in a pronounced – and very measurable – way,” Marist Poll director Barbara Carvalho said in a press release.
Campaign Issue
Biden’s rejection of the Hyde Amendment is sure to become a campaign issue for the general election if he becomes the Democratic nominee. March for Life Action has already tweeted about Biden’s “evolution.”
March for Life Action on Twitter
Evolution of @JoeBiden 1980’s Joe Biden: I’m pro-life. 1988-2000’s: Abortion is ok taxpayers shouldn’t pay for it. June 3, 2019: taxpayers should pay June 5, 2019: taxpayers shouldn’t pay June 7, 2019: oh wait, I meant taxpayers SHOULD pay for abortions https://t.co/nunl6vNnC6
“It is sad to watch Joe Biden, who dared express a scintilla of conscience on the issue, utterly cave in to this demand,” Maureen Malloy Ferguson, senior fellow for The Catholic Association said, adding that Democrats who are advocating abortion without limits are committing “political malpractice.”
Abortion in the Spotlight
Although abortion is typically not such a major issue in presidential elections, the Democrat push toward a more radical stance has created a backlash in the general public’s views. Because of the media attention given to new abortion laws both allowing and restricting it, abortion may be a bigger issue during this election season.
In addition, the recent Supreme Court appointments by President Trump are sure to bring about challenges to Roe vs. Wade that will keep abortion in the spotlight for some time to come.
It seems to be time for the American public and government to wrestle with the issue of abortion afresh, considering scientific advancements that show earlier viability and throw earlier contentions about fetal life into question.
It’s about time.
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