ABORTION IS A LOSING
ISSUE FOR THE GOP
In 1994, the
Contract with America concentrated on issues which unite all
Republicans (note that abortion and other contentious social issues
like it were intentionally excluded) and we were able to win control
of the House and the Senate.
This was a stark
contrast to 1992. The Republican Party was divided over the issue in
1992 and lost the presidency and a large number of GOP voters. 69% of
Republicans who defected to Ross Perot and Bill Clinton were
pro-choice GOP voters.
Now the Party wants to
return to its 1992 agenda. We can’t allow that. That’s why we need
your support today.
WE HAVE
THREE MAJOR GOALS:
1.
We will continue to rebuild the
pro-choice movement in the Republican Party by locating and mobilizing
our majority, those who agree with the long-established beliefs of the
GOP.
2. We
will fight at our Party’s National Convention to remove the
anti-choice plank and nominate a pro-choice Vice-Presidential
candidate. We must be viewed as a Party of inclusion and not one of
exclusion. Continuing to maintain the anti-choice plank in our
Party’s platform and ignoring GOP pro-choicers will continue to
drive away many Americans who would normally support us.
3. We
will continue to raise money to support and elect more pro-choice
Republican candidates at the state and federal levels. We can’t
allow our pro-choice candidates to continue to be outspent by their
opponents. Too often, good candidates lose because they are outspent
by the extreme right and their allies.
WE
OPPOSE GOVERNMENTAL INTERFERENCE.
As Republicans, we
oppose governmental interference in our private lives. We believe the
decision to choose an abortion must be made by the individual, not the
state.
WE ARE NOT PRO-ABORTION
Too often, pro-choice is mistaken for pro-abortion. Republicans For
Choice believes that in accordance with the basic fundamental
principles of the Republican Party, we must protect individual rights,
including a woman’s right to choose.
Unfortunately, a vocal
minority within our Party led by Pat Buchanan and Phyllis Schlafly
wants us to remain strictly anti-choice. This not only contradicts our
basic belief as Republicans that big government should not dictate to
the individual, it endangers the Party in local, statewide, and
national elections. 71% of Republicans nationwide are pro-choice. That
pro-choice majority wants to replace the plank with one which
recognizes Republicans can differ on this issue, and that abortion
should not be a litmus test for candidates or Party members.
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