Reproductive Rights Section of the 2016 Democratic Party Platform
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/papers_pdf/117717.pdfThis is the statement of the Democratic Party, as of July 21, 2016. All candidates and party delegates pledge to support the Democratic Party Platform. This represents the Party's position on reproductive rights. This is why we vote for Democrats. I highly recommend reading the entire Party Platform at the link above. It's in pdf format and is easily printed for reading at any time if you have questions about the positions of the party in any area. This Platform was adopted at the 2016 Democratic National Convention and remains in force until a new Platform is adopted in the Summer of 2020. Remember, all Democratic candidates and convention delegates pledge their support for the platform. If you find one who is not doing that, call them out on it and send them the appropriate section of the platform document and insist that they follow it.
Incidentally, as a congressional district convention delegate, I have pledged my support for this platform, and fully support it.
Democrats are committed to protecting and advancing reproductive health, rights, and justice.
We believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should have access
to quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion—regardless of
where she lives, how much money she makes, or how she is insured. We believe that
reproductive health is core to women’s, men’s, and young people’s health and wellbeing. We
will continue to stand up to Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood health centers,
which provide critical health services to millions of people. We will continue to oppose—and
seek to overturn—federal and state laws and policies that impede a woman’s access to abortion,
including by repealing the Hyde Amendment. We condemn and will combat any acts of
violence, harassment, and intimidation of reproductive health providers, patients, and staff. We
will defend the ACA, which extends affordable preventive health care to women, including nocost
contraception, and prohibits discrimination in health care based on gender.
We will address the discrimination and barriers that inhibit meaningful access to reproductive
health care services, including those based on gender, sexuality, race, income, disability, and
other factors. We recognize that quality, affordable comprehensive health care, evidence-based
sex education and a full range of family planning services help reduce the number of unintended
pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions.
And we strongly and unequivocally support a woman’s decision to have a child, including by
ensuring a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth, and by providing services during
pregnancy and after the birth of a child, including adoption and social support services, as well as
protections for women against pregnancy discrimination. We are committed to creating a society
where children are safe and can thrive physically, emotionally, educationally, and spiritually. We
recognize and support the importance of civil structures that are essential to creating this for
every child.
= new reply since forum marked as read
If he has a 100% rating from NARAL, then he's pro-choice, whether he wants to admit it or not. I mentioned this in another post, but part of our problem here is that during the opening salvos of this battle after Roe v. Wade was decided, our side of the aisle let the other side set parameters of the discussion. We let ourselves be called "pro-abortion", which sounded like we WANTED women to have abortions, while calling themselves "pro-life", when they were nothing of the sort. And it worked. I teach high school...girls today are aghast at the thought of terminating a pregnancy. A few years back, I had 2 girls who STARTED high school pregnant., (because we all know that discussing birth control will encourage them to have sex
) They both gave birth before their 15th birthday. One has a pretty good support system, but the other one was a little slow on the uptake on most things. No doubt in my mind that baby has been damaged...it's at least been a "shaken" baby.
Pro-choice is just that...empowering (and trusting) women to make the best decision for THEMSELVES, and their family. My closest and dearest friend wouldn't have an abortion no matter what. She'd crawl over cut glass every day if that's what it took to bring a healthy child into the world. She's a dedicated and fabulous mom...her "kids" are adults today, and awesome in their own right. I, on the other hand, chose another path when faced with the decision. I'm still not sure if all these years later she truly understands my decision, but she has always supported me. THAT'S pro-choice. How he thinks is one thing...as long as Casey VOTES to support our rights, he's OK.
DURec
when this argument was just starting to heat up.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029403714
Not many people responded, and there was some poo pooing. What has changed in five days? 
Poo pooing, I've noticed, tend to be evasions of "too soon" questions.
And posting credit isn't the main thing.
The main thing is that everyone gets exposure and frames that might affect future voters.
For some here, the more difficult or complicated the issue, the longer it takes to get traction.
I'm glad more DU males (at least, I think they're males) address this issue, since, for too long, men outside the nets have conveniently decided this to be a "women's problem" when it's really not.
I know you're not directly addressing me, but after waiting awhile, I just thought I'd 'weigh in.'
