Up for Grabs

Up for Grabs
by Robert Yoho

Before the Republicans' convention, you heard the network commentators routinely speculating about the divisions in the Republican Party over the subject of abortion. Moreover, as you listened to them, you quickly discovered that they were gleefully expecting those differences of opinion to create another rift in the party.

The reason that there are competing factions in the Republican Party is that, unlike the Democrats, there is not a single accepted manner of thought in the GOP. The soul of the party is continually up for grabs. The Republicans' final position on abortion is yet to be decided. The two competing factions were trying to win the ultimate battle in the arena of ideas.

The network commentators and other liberal Democrats were saying that Bush needed to appeal to the Left in order to win. Sharing that point of view were many misguided members of the GOP.

These were the moderates, the Rockefeller Republicans--the perpetual losers in the Republican Party--men like Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, and Bob Michael. These are men who never won a national election. These are men who, before 1994, never controlled the gavel in a Senate or House committee meeting. These are men who were used to being in the minority party. These were men who were used to licking the legislative crumbs from the boots of Liberal Democrats such as Tip O'Neill, George Mitchell, and Jim Wright.

All of these things changed with the emergence of Republican firebrands like Newt Gingrich. For despite his many shortcomings, the former House Speaker was not satisfied with being in the minority.

Gingrich wanted to push an agenda. He wanted to deliver the things he promised the voters in the Contract with America; he wanted to change the way things were done in Congress. In short, Gingrich wanted to be in the majority.

What many people refer to as political squabbling is simply the normal exercise of the democratic process. The meek may inherit the earth, but they will not inherit anything inside the Washington Beltway.

Unfortunately, this same bunch of go-along-to-get-along Republicans were willing to concede the debate to the Pro-Death crowd. And in the process, they would alienate the religious and social conservatives and once again throw the presidential election to the Democrats.

Fortunately, George W. Bush was not one of them.

Unwilling to repeat the mistakes of 1996, George W. Bush would display some real leadership and settle the dispute for this election cycle. Rather than choosing a running mate who was pro-abortion, the Texas governor selected Dick Cheney, a pro-life Republican, to join him on the ticket.

Unlike the Democrats, the Republicans have not already sold their soul to the pro-death community. There is no longer an abortion debate in the Democratic Party. The Democrats are the party of all abortions--all the time. Pro-life Democrats need not apply. They are not even permitted to speak at the convention.

In her writings, Margaret Sanger, the patron saint of Planned Parenthood, stated that abortion was a good method to limit the number of blacks and Asians in the population. Yet despite the fact that abortion has its roots planted firmly in the dirty soil of racism, the Democratic Party continues to be overwhelmingly supported by a majority of black Americans

Liberal Democrats love abortion. It matters not how grisly the procedure might be. It matters not the number. It matters not that many liberal Democrats are appalled by the practice known as partial birth abortion. It matters not that abortion has its roots in racism. The liberal Democrat leadership still clings to the notion that our country is somehow better off for the fact that one more abortion just took place.

The Pro-Death forces tell us what a gut-wrenching struggle it is for a woman to choose to have an abortion. However, that is not the sort of reaction I saw from the delegates in Los Angeles. When Gore said that he would uphold any and all forms of infanticide, the Democrats vigorously cheered and applauded. That is certainly not a normal response to thoughtful and heartfelt decisions of life or death.

The soul of the Democratic Party is no longer up for grabs. Clinton and Gore have already sold it.