Abortion

The abortion issue is important to many voters and the subject is best approached using facts. First off the extreme positions are used to cloud the issue. Those who want abortion at any time for any reason and those who want all abortions stopped must come to understand that their positions are unattainable. When deciding on a compromise position where things currently stand must be considered. Today 63% of all abortions use medication and 93% of all abortions happen before the 13th week. A good compromise position might be abortions only in the first 13 weeks and only for rape, incest and the life of the mother after that. Since 85% of abortions are because of the mothers emotional or financial situation they can be asked to decide before the 13th week rather than use the claw like instrument that is needed to rip out the fetus in pieces for second and third trimesters. This is far from perfect but it is doable. As far as each state determining its rules, that is up for discussion but currently the courts have ruled that is the law. Former President Clinton said abortions should be safe, legal and rare and that is what has been happening. Abortions peaked in 1981 at the rate of 29.3 per 1,000 women between ages 15 and 44. By 2019 that number had declined to 11.4 per 1,000. In recent years there has been a slight uptick in abortions because of telehealth where abortion pills can be prescribed and sent through the mail. In time more and more abortions will be private and the issue will fade from public scrutiny.