Just when you thought Donald Trump could not get more reprehensible, he does. He is always upping the ante, but this most recent declaration of his intentions on abortion may be the most far right, tea party esque stance yet. In all honesty, I hate writing about Donald Trump. I am tired of his hateful messages and unsubstantiated, divisive, policy ideas. I am driven to write about him from a place of fear. I am truly fearful for the state of our nation and the fact that despite his ever-increasing extremist positions, Trump is rising in the pools and has been favored in many of the most important swing states.
This past week Donald Trump has made his personal position on abortion very clear. Here is the official letter from the Trump-Pence campaign regarding their goals for abortion policy. Campaign letterhead and all. In the past, he has been accused of flip-flopping on abortion and taking relatively moderate stances on the issue. In March, he argued that women who undergo abortion procedures should be punished in some way but then recounted his remarks after great public outcry.
Trump not only affirmed his anti abortion stance in this letter but also stated his intention to ensure that no government funding is ever used for abortions, including funding for Planned Parenthood. He plans to make the Hyde Amendment permanent law. This amendment prevents the use of Medicaid for abortions. Possibly worst of all, Trump pledges to nominate pro-life justices to the Supreme Court. The repercussions of this are almost incomprehensible. A conservative Court will undermine the social progress made in recent years for national healthcare, marriage equality, gender equality, and reproductive rights.
My only hope is that there are enough people out there similarity motivated by the fear I have for our nation that they will go to the polls and vote to reject hate, intolerance, and bigotry.
