Democratic Party Platform is More than Just Words

The Democratic Party Platform was written and adopted by the delegates to the party’s national convention.  The party puts forth its platform so voters can learn what the organization, and its candidates, believe.  The platform is the Democrats’ direction book — telling everyone what programs, policies, and initiatives the Democrats will be advancing if they are elected.

Among the priorities being set by the Democrats is abortion.  Previous platforms stated that abortion should be “safe, legal and rare”, which seemed to indicate that the party and its candidates believed that while abortion should be available, it was not a desirable option, and should be avoided whenever possible.

Democrat policies did not follow through on that appearance, since Democrat leadership in the U.S. House and Senate consistently opposed any effort to make abortion “rare”.  But even though their actions did not follow their statements, the party’s previous platform reflected an unease with its abortion rights advocacy.  It was as if they were simultaneously stating their belief and apologizing for it.

This year’s platform changes that.  The word “rare” has been eliminated.  The party has embraced the abortion culture without hesitation or apology.  In this year’s Democrat platform, abortion should be safe, legal and fully available to all — period. 

And although there are many Democrats who oppose abortion, there does not seem to be any protest over this continued radicalization of the abortion-rights position of their party.  No Robert Casey has emerged to stand against this change, or to urge the party to re-examine and redefine its position on abortion.

There are those who say that the platform “doesn’t matter”, that it is just words.  They are correct when they say that it is words.  They are wrong when they say it doesn’t matter.

In the final analysis, words matter the most.  It is with words that we convey our deepest thoughts and feelings to another.  It is with words that we pass knowledge and wisdom to our children.  It is with words that we can build, or destroy, the reputation and self-esteem of another.  It is with words that we start revolutions or negotiate peace.  It is with words that we enlighten the mind and lift the soul.

We don’t remember every battle or general of the American Revolution, but we do know the words of the document that declared our independence.  We don’t recognize the war plans of the generals at Gettysburg, but we do know the words that Lincoln spoke to honor those who died there. 

In this case, the words of the Democrat Party Platform reflect the beliefs of the party’s nominees for the highest offices in our land.  Every one of the final candidates who ran for the Presidency in the Democratic Party openly and fully embraced abortion.  The fact is that the platform now openly acknowledges that full acceptance of abortion as a positive outcome of pregnancy.  That acknowledgement is a problem for any Democratic candidate or voter who does not embrace that position.  It’s not a problem because anyone will be told that they cannot run for office or join the party, but it is a problem when those candidates want party support or attempt to seek leadership roles within the party. 

The leadership of today’s Democrat party has used the words of their platform to make its position clear.  This is now a party that not only tolerates abortion, but sees it as a “good”.  The actions that will flow from their words are predictable — abortion will be not just defended, but promoted, in their public policy initiatives.

The real question is how we, as citizens and voters, will respond to the words the Democrat leadership has spoken.  The lives of our smallest children literally depend on our response.

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