Pro-Life Democrats Ask Their Pro-Abortion Party to “Open the Big Tent” to Them
A national group for pro-life Democrats is asking leaders of the Democratic National Committee to “Open the Big Tent” to including pro-life Democrats in the party’s staunchly pro-abortion platform.
The pro-life group Democrats for Life of America launched their “Open the Big Tent” campaign Wednesday, and its director Kristen Day says the party is potentially losing voters because it has shut out pro-life Democrats.
“In 2016, how will the Democratic Party bring in independent voters when they shut out their own members?” she asked. “Over 23 million Democrats in the United States are pro-life. Nonetheless, their voices are not being heard inside our own party. Those voices are being shut out of party discussions and inadequately represented in our party.”
The group is pushing a new petition asking the DNC to at least acknowledge dissent on abortion within the party.
Democrats for Life of America is requesting that the following language be included in the 2016 Democratic Platform:
We respect the conscience of each American and recognize that members of our party have deeply held and sometimes differing positions on issues of personal conscience, such as abortion and the death penalty. We recognize the diversity of views as a source of strength, and we welcome into our ranks all Americans who may hold differing positions on these and other issues.
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However, we can find common ground. We believe that we can reduce the number of abortions because we are united in our support for policies that assist families who find themselves in crisis or unplanned pregnancies. We believe that women deserve to have a breadth of options available during pregnancy, including the support and resources needed for a successful pregnancy and subsequent adoption or parenthood; access to education, healthcare, and childcare; and appropriate child support. We envision a new day without financial or societal barriers to bringing a planned or unplanned pregnancy to term.
In an interview with The Blaze, Day talked about how Democrats have shut out their pro-life members:
“People who hold pro-life views have been told to leave,” Day said. “We talk about diversity and inclusion, but where is that diversity and inclusion for pro-life members?”
Day said that the party’s 1996 platform included language that called for “respect” for those with differing views on abortion, but that language is absent today. She called the party’s new abortion platform “horrible” and said it will alienate voters who agree with the party on other issues, such as paid maternity leave, Medicaid expansion and a higher minimum wage.
Day noted that the party’s new abortion platform calls for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment — a move that would permit taxpayer funding for abortion procedures — and calls for support for Planned Parenthood by name. “What other corporation do we do that for?” Day asked.
She argued that winning over pro-life voters is essential if the party hopes to gain majorities in state legislatures and in Congress, but national party leaders continue to favor pro-abortion candidates at their own detriment.
“I don’t think they’re really thinking this through,” Day said, noting that, since 2008, Democrats have lost more than 1,000 state and national races — losses she said can be traced to the Democratic Party’s “hostility” towards pro-life candidates and voters.
