(no subject)

So. . .C-Span Radio today had on an official from Feminists for Life, because the current vice-presidential candidate is a member. They are, needless to say, a pro-life group. She spoke with some eloquence of the need to change society to make it easier to support a woman's choice to keep an unplanned child. The premise there is that women choose abortion because they are forced to by lack of resources, among many other causes. The main thrust of the interview, though, was their pride in the success of a prominent member.

I rather liked Mr. Obama's comment on the subject, that all sides to this particular debate find common ground in a desire to reduce the number of abortions performed. (Not the same thing as making it illegal).
My main complaint with the pro-life/anti-abortion movement is their lack of follow-through. Life is sacred, supposedly, but only until the moment of birth. The hungry baby, once born, is somebody else's problem. God Bless the child. Right. If life is sacred, adopt and raise a crack baby. If life is sacred, support the mother's choice by funding nationwide free childcare--operated by professionals with Civil Service status and pension rights. Yes, make it a government program funded by--wait for it--taxes! Which is to say, put your wallet where your mouth is. That way, the job will get done. And, I expect, abortion rates will plummet.

The demonstrated response of individual people of faith and goodwill is, while noble, inadequate to the task. While a few enlightened businesses provide child care, few if any cover all the costs. And most are far more interested in reducing overhead than providing child care or family leave.

So, to reiterate: try positive approaches for a change. Step up and pay for the care, feeding, and education of children in poverty. And maybe something useful will be accomplished.