I am Pro-Choice and Pro-Life [View all]

[louis c]

What? How can that be?

First off, I put that statement in that order purposely. I am Pro-choice. Unequivocally. When, whether, with whom, and under which circumstances a woman decides to give birth is her choice. Period.

Some women choose to give birth, even under the most difficult of circumstances. I also honor that choice. By honoring that choice, I have always favored cradle to grave government health insurance, for the Mother and the child. Publicly funded day care. Affordable housing. State sponsored college tuition. As a union rep, I fight for paid family leave in every contract. In short, I advocate for whatever assistance it takes to assure a healthy, loving home for every family, under any circumstances.

My wife and I have no children, yet we both hold this position. We happily paid $66,000 last year in federal, state and local taxes. We fund a local scholarship for our local High School, in my family's name. I serve, unpaid, on a local non-profit board that assists low income individuals, which also provides pre-school services for working moms.

Too many of my Conservative friends, who claim to be "pro-life" are not that at all. They are not "pro-life". They are pro-birth. After the child is born, they want to reduce government assistance and play no role as a member of society to make life easier for single mothers to care for a child.

Being pro-life is way different than being pro-birth.

That's why, I can safely say, that I am both pro-choice and pro-life.