USA – Democrats Discuss Abortion Rights in Depth at Debate

Democrats Discuss Abortion Rights in Depth at Debate
The candidates had their most significant discussion about abortion in any debate yet, tackling an issue whose absence from previous debates has angered advocates.

By Stephanie Saul
Feb. 7, 2020

In their most substantive debate statements to date on abortion, several of the leading Democratic presidential candidates reaffirmed on Friday night that if elected, they would put forward only Supreme Court nominees who supported Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing a woman’s right to abortion.

Historically, many presidential candidates have shied away from an outright litmus test on abortion or any other issue, arguing that Supreme Court justices should not be selected based on their political positions but on their experience and jurisprudence. But that has changed this campaign cycle.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/us/politics/abortion-litmus-test-debate.html

USA – Why Democrats who oppose abortion rights are finding it harder to remain in the party

Why Democrats who oppose abortion rights are finding it harder to remain in the party

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey
Jan. 31, 2020

President Bill Clinton famously wanted to make abortion “safe, legal and rare.” Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton used that same phrase and added, “and by rare, I mean rare.” And President Barack Obama invited voters across the aisle to work to reduce the number of abortions.

But those kinds of rhetorical olive branches to voters who oppose abortion rights have been mostly absent from the 2020 Democratic campaign.

Continued: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/01/31/why-democrats-who-oppose-abortion-rights-are-finding-it-harder-remain-party/

USA – 2020 Dems Say They’ll Protect Abortion Access. We Asked Them About Pills

2020 Dems Say They'll Protect Abortion Access. We Asked Them About Pills
We asked every Democrat who qualified for the debate about expanding access to medication abortion.

by Marie Solis; illustrated by Hunter French
Dec 16 2019

The October and November debates finally saw Democratic presidential candidates answer questions about abortion from moderators, months after reproductive health organizations and pro-choice advocates launched a pressure campaign to get 2020 contenders to talk about the issue on primetime television.

So far, candidates' plans for protecting abortion rights have consisted primarily of pledges to codify Roe v. Wade, which would require pro-choice majorities in the House and Senate to pass federal legislation upholding the principles of Roe in the event that the Supreme Court overturns or guts the 1973 decision.

Continued: https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/d3aaja/2020-democratic-candidates-pledge-to-codify-roe-v-wade-what-about-abortion-pills

On Abortion Rights, 2020 Democrats Move Past ‘Safe, Legal and Rare’

On Abortion Rights, 2020 Democrats Move Past ‘Safe, Legal and Rare’
The Democratic presidential candidates don’t want to simply defend abortion rights. They want to go on offense.

New York Times
By Maggie Astor
Nov. 25, 2019

The Democratic presidential field has coalesced around an abortion rights agenda more far-reaching than anything past nominees have proposed, according to a New York Times survey of the campaigns. The positions reflect a hugely consequential shift on one of the country’s most politically divisive issues.

Every candidate The Times surveyed supports codifying Roe v. Wade in federal law, allowing Medicaid coverage of abortion by repealing the Hyde Amendment, and removing funding restrictions for organizations that provide abortion referrals. Almost all of them say they would nominate only judges who support abortion rights, an explicit pledge Democrats have long avoided.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/25/us/politics/abortion-laws-2020-democrats.html