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May 19, 2012 |
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Democrats for Life of America (DFLA) is an advocacy group in the United States attempting to reshape the political left, primarily the Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party, into taking a pro-life position opposing the unrestricted legality of abortion and, to a lesser extent, capital punishment and euthanasia. The group usually supports traditional Democratic principles on socio-economic issues and foreign policy.
The political combination of pro-life positions and Democratic ideals is attractive to Americans who adhere to the Consistent Life Ethic. The Consistent Life Ethic, a term coined by the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago, advocates the defense of all life from the "womb to the tomb". Proponents of the CLE not only oppose abortion and capital punishment, but also advocate policies which address social and economic issues that are considered to unjustly violate the sanctity of life. For example, many who advocate a CLE would see the question of universal access to affordable health care as a "pro-life" issue. In addition to the Consistent Life Ethic, Democrats for Life of America presents a more pragmatic political argument for promoting pro-life Democrats. According to the DFLA, the Democratic Party has suffered in elections from its absolutist pro-choice stance. DFLA points to polls which suggest that the apparent "pro-abortion" policies of the Democratic Party at the national level has cost Democratic candidates votes among religious Americans, especially Catholicism|Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Orthodox, and Pentecostals, Baptists and other Evangelical Christians. All pro-life Democrats feel that abortion should be illegal under most conditions. However, many of them favor positions that would allow legal abortion under very select circumstances, such as instances in which the mother's life is in danger. The Democrats For Life organization stresses that pro-life and pro-choice Democrats should be able to unite in a common cause to make abortion rare through social programs, despite their differences of opinion on the legality of abortion. In the 1970s, pro-life Democrats formed a substantial portion of the party's membership in the United States Congress and Senate. In the 1980s, however, the influence of pro-lifers in the Democratic Party declined considerably. At the 1992 Democratic National Convention, pro-life Governor Robert Casey of Pennsylvania was not allowed to address the delegates. Some later claimed it was because of his decision not to endorse the pro-choice Clinton-Gore ticket but at the time it was understood to be becasue of his pro-life views. Others, including several Republicans, were allowed to address the convention even though they had not endorsed Clinton. This notable event marked a low-point of the status of pro-lifers in the Democratic Party. In 1999, Democrats for Life of America was founded to coordinate at a national level the efforts of pro-life Democrats. In 2003, the group was denied permission to put a link on the Democratic National Committee|DNC's website. However, following John Kerry's defeat in the 2004 election, DFLA states that the election losses prove that the party must become more flexible on the issues. After the defeat of Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in the 2004 elections, Senate Democrats selected Harry Reid of Nevada, the party whip, to become to the new leader. Reid, a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Mormon, is generally considered to be moderately pro-life. Along with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Reid is now one of the prominent figures in the party. Pro-life Democrats have been encouraged by his elevation. In January 2005, former Democratic Representative Tim Roemer announced his candidacy to replace outgoing Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe. Roemer, a member of the 9-11 Commission, is pro-life. Pro-choice groups lashed out at Roemer, asserting that his opposition to abortion placed him at odds with a majority of Democrats. Roemer was ultimately defeated by Howard Dean in the campaign for the chairmanship, but his candidacy has been seen as a positive sign for pro-life Democrats. Democrats for Life of America strongly supported Roemer, although the organization also acknowledged Howard Dean's attempts to reach out to pro-life Democrats. Recently, some pro-choice Democrats such as Senator Hillary Clinton have softened their positions on abortion in an attempt to reach out to pro-life voters. Clinton's change of tone might also be a sign of President of the United States|Presidential ambitions. Some pro-life Republicans criticize pro-life Democrats, including the Democrats For Life of America. These conservatives claim that sincere pro-lifers should not support a "pro-abortion" party. They also criticize the Consistent Life Ethic, arguing that the evils of abortion far outweigh any evils associated with capital punishment or with other issues of concern to pro-life Democrats. However, most leaders in the pro-life movement support any pro-life groups, including Democrats For Life. Some pro-choice Democrats are critical of Democrats For Life and pro-life figures in the party. They feel that protecting a woman's right to have a legal abortion without restriction is a central element of the Democratic Party, and reject any Democrats who hold varying viewpoints on the abortion issue. EMILY's List is especially critical of pro-life Democrats.
Category:Political organizations Category:Activism Category:Abortion Category:U.S. Democratic Party Category:Pro-life Organizations This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Democrats for Life".
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