What should be the basis of Abortion laws?

Question

Should the government make laws that give them the most ethical stance? (i.e. outlawing abortion) Or should they make laws that actually save the most lives? (i.e. sex education, improved foster care, morning after pill/condom availability.)

My question is not "is abortion right or wrong" but rather what should inform our laws most directly ethics or practicality

Answer 1

I think that unlike the rest of life, the law should be black and white. What I mean by that is that the law should not be used to govern ethics - it should be used to have a civilized society.

With that said, abortion needs to remain legal for the reason of saving the most lives. Making it illegal is not going to stop it. If it did, we would not have the issues with illegal drugs, underaged drinking or driving too fast on the roads. These are all things that are illegal, but continue to be done. Abortion will be the same. What WILL happen if it is made illegal is that all of the regulation will be gone. The government and AMA can't pass regulation and monitor standards and licenses if the procedure is illegal. So we will be back to the dirty room in the back alley, and the rusty coat hanger. And in the end, the baby will be dead - along with the mother that tried to get an illegal abortion. Is that what "pro-life" means? Two dead instead of one is not being pro-life - it is being "my way or the highway". . .

Answer 2

,My personal opinion -everyone has one- is that laws, such as abortion and many more, should not be made by the Federal Supreme Court or the Federal government. It should be a States decision based on the wishes of the residents of each state.
On the subject of abortion -again, my personal opinion. It should be a decision between the patient and her doctor, but late term abortion is murder.
The 'law' should not be addressing sex education, condoms and such, neither should schools or other government institutions. But I do not know a single foster care program that does not need improvement.

Answer 3

government, as an institution, is too unethical to enact truly ethical laws.

Abortion laws are based on several amendments including equal justice and the first amendment. I have to dust off my law books but I believe those were the determining factors in the Roe vs. Wade case. Whether abortion is legal or illegal doesn't matter - abortion will occur. We can either make it a clean procedure or go to the back alley abortionists who killed about 1/5ths of their patients.

Answer 4

sex education is independent of abortion law ethics.

sex education, regardless of how you feel about abortion, reduces the number of abortions performed every year.

the most liberal stance on abortion cannot rationally claim that this is a bad thing.

you could do both. you can outlaw abortion and promote sexual education, condom use, etc., and still be consistent.

you could also do the opposite--as odd and impractical as it may be.

so because sex education has shown that people lead healthier lives and use condoms more than abstinence only education programs, i'd say that's the most important one. it's non-partisan for abortion people, but it's a huge impact on public health.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8470845/
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T80-4HXBN0Y-J&_user=10&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2006&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=4a6879a9b014215c8f0eb9f8891cbf5e

Answer 5

As a woman I feel it should be up to the person. After all it is their body. But at the same time,with so many FREE ways to prevent unwanted pregnancies, you need to take steps NOT to get pregnant if you don't want a baby. Now rape is beyond your control. That I can see as having an abortion.

Answer 6

Abortion is a medical procedure.

I don't understand why this issue has become such a hot political topic. I certainly don't let my opinions about abortion influence who I'm going to vote for. That is really stupid, shallow and naive!

I'm certainly not PRO-ABORTION as many pro-lifers seem to think. (I would rather walk over hot coals barefoot than ever have to have an abortion.) However, I do believe that having an abortion is a very personal and painful decision that is made by the family or couple that is affected.

IT'S NOT UNCLE SAM'S BUSINESS... NOR ANYONE ELSE'S FOR THAT MATTER!!!!

Answer 7

It ultimately comes down to your ideas about human life. People who believe abortion to be ethical, in 99% of cases, dont think they are committing murder. What you have to realize is that those who dont believe in it, believe that a human being is killed. The most reliable evidence suggests that 1st trimester (feti) dont have the components to classify them as being a person. Say what you will, but if you can understand the viewpoint of both sides, it helps to see why there really is no correct answer.
1 point : A majority of supreme court decisions have made it legal to muder unborn children
2nd point: they are not children yet, and you are killing cells, nothing more then staying out in the sun too long and killing skin cells. The fetus is just a slightly more organized collection of cells.

Answer 8

I think abortion is wrong but it is not my place to judge another person. I think if someone wants an abortion they should have to plead their case. There should be more education out there but we cant stop people getting themselves in this situation. I think before they get an abortion they should see what having a baby is like. How adorable they are. How amazing it would feel to be a mother.

Answer 9

The government didn't make those laws, it was a mistake by the Supreme Court which defined the precident of abortion in one case as being acceptable for all. The lady involved in the decision claimed back then that she was raped.

Answer 10

The law should reflect the opinion of the majority of citizens if its one that is feasible, as all laws should.