Pro-Life Democrats Working to Change Their Party

NEWS & ANALYSIS

Pro-Life Democrats Working to Change Their Party

By Dennis Durband, Editor
September 18, 2005

Yes, Virginia, there is a “Democrats for Life” organization. And it’s changing hearts and minds in the pro-abortion party.

A lot of people don’t think there is such a thing as pro-life Democrats. However, Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life of America, came to this year’s annual Arizona Right to Life (ARTL) state conference to set the record straight.

“Democrats for Life is a group a lot of people didn’t think exists,” Day said. “I’m a proud Democrat, and if there are any pro-life Democrats in the audience today there is a place for you.”

There was at least one such person in the audience – Peggy Oursland, who is starting an Arizona chapter of Democrats for Life.

Pro-life Democrats have been struggling to make inroads in their party in recent years. That’s a tough task in a political party that has a pro-choice position written into its official platform. At the 1996 national convention, Bob Casey, a pro-life governor, was denied a request to speak because he wasn’t politically correct. Those were dark times for pro-life Democrats who favored a big tent with room for members who respect the sanctity of human life, Day recalled.

Democrats for Life of America opened a Washington, D.C., office in 2002 and now have 41 state chapters. Until recently, the party’s leadership did not pay them proper respect.

“We are working with the DNC chair (Howard Dean) to hold him to his promise to us,” Day said. “Howard Dean and Congressman Nancy Pelosi met with us. Previously, they would not return our calls. Pro-life Democrats are making progress. In fighting for the unborn, we will be victorious. A few Democrats changed their position on parental consent because they felt they should support their church position.”

Day said that Senator Ted Kennedy, former Congressman Dick Gephart and Bill Clinton all were pro-life at one time. Current Republican congressmen Norm Coleman and Chris Smith left the Democratic Party, she said.

“Our party is turning good people away and we need to change it,” Day said. “I am often asked why do you stay in the party? We must protect the moral truth that life is to be defended. We Democrats must lead the charge on life, against the destruction of human embryos and the death penalty. We are trying to move our party.”

“We get several invitations a year to join the Republican Party, but we believe pro-life Democrats are vital to this cause,” Day said. “There are some seats that can’t be won by Republicans, and the pro-life cause cannot be won without Democrats. We need people of all parties to pass pro-life laws.”

Day referred to the disastrous election results the Democrats had in 2004, and she said her office received a lot of calls from people struggling with their choice of voting. Some pro-life Democrats voted Republican.

“We are working in the party to move people back to their original position,” Day said. “New congressmen coming in receive so much pressure from Planned Parenthood. There is a new generation of Democrats that we can bring back. The pro-abortion strategy is a complete failure.”

Democrats for Life of America are promoting the “95-10 Initiative” -- a comprehensive package of federal legislation and policy proposals aimed at reducing the number of abortions by 95 percent in the next 10 years. Supporting it are Democratic congressmen Tim Ryan and Marcy Kaptur (Ohio), Bart Stupak (Michigan), Lincoln Davis (Tennessee), Collin Peterson and Jim Oberstar (Minnesota) and Senator Ben Nelson (Nebraska). The initiative includes a lengthy list of pro-life objectives.

Lane Franks, the brother of Arizona pro-life Republican Congressman Trent Franks, attended the annual Arizona Right to Life conference and spoke in support of the 95-10 initiative. “We may have to win the battle incrementally; that’s not compromise,” he said.

ARTL President John Jakubczyk said, “The reason ARTL brought Kristen in is because ARTL is a non-partisan organization. Our goal is that both parties espouse a 100-percent pro-life position. We need two parties to change this country to a culture of life. Republicans must be vigilant and keep their pro-life plank and stop Christie Whitman (the pro-abortion former governor of New Jersey) and the RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) from changing it. Democrats must reclaim their party from the ground up. There were 127 more pro-life Democrats in Congress at one time than there are today. The truth is that pro-life politics wins. If you believe in the sanctity of life, people will appreciate your candor. To everyone who is a Democrat, you take over your party.”