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May 17, 2022

Years ago, I visited a privately-funded facility in Marin County that counseled pregnant women about their choices and offered emotional and financial support as well as prenatal and postpartum care to those who chose life over abortion. The individuals working at this facility understood that winning the legal and political game around abortion was unlikely, so they set out to win the hearts and minds of the ultimate stakeholders—moms and their unborn kin. Theirs was a labor of love.

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Overruling Roe, which I wholeheartedly celebrate and is the best and only pro-democracy solution to our abortion pangs, rightfully moves the abortion debate to the states. But it doesn’t end there. Once overturned, some states will ban all abortions; some will encourage them to the point of infanticide; most will enact moderate positions with reasonable limitations; and sanctuary states like New York or California will accommodate out-of-state abortions facilitated and funded by abortion enthusiasts.

The sobering reality is that the debate will rage on as abortion remains a viable option for unwanted pregnancies. It will not go gentle into that good night.

Because emotions are so high about this issue, while toiling with this article, I was reassured when pro-lifer Sean Hannity (at about 4:50) echoed the same sentiments. As upsetting as it might be, conservatives must be clear-eyed to move forward.

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The recently fire-bombed Wisconsin Family Action office is similar to the facility in Marin. Republicans would be wise to follow the lead of these pregnancy advocacy pioneers. They saw an untapped opportunity to win more hearts with honey than vinegar and realized that having the choice to abort did not ordain it but, rather, provided an opportunity to educate pregnant women in the hopes of persuading them to choose life.

Anti-abortion counselors implicitly understood that ours is a pluralistic society with diverse opinions and religious beliefs and that abortion would always appeal to some. While Roe-era society cannot physically force women to carry, savvy pregnancy advocates decided to compete with abortion enthusiasts on the outreach, services, and education playing fields.

Thinking outside of traditional political boxes, they opted for the soft persuasion of compassion, support, and information over the hard coercion of criminalization, punishment, and judgment. While they hope, but don’t expect, that 100% of those whom they counsel will choose life, they are grateful for each unique life saved.

This shows that conservatives can advocate for the unborn and lobby for restrictions while coexisting with “the choice” that will continue post-Roe.

In the meantime, radical leftists have gone so berserk since Alito’s draft opinion was leaked that they are making even pro-choice Americans squirm, revealing how chronically out of touch with the mainstream they are—as happened with race, gender, schools, Covid, the border, Afghanistan, Ukraine, energy, inflation, etc.

If they keep this up—and they will because it is all they know—they will push common-sense Americans, who are moderately pro-choice and already on the ledge because of Democrat failures, into Republican arms. This is a pivotal moment we can commandeer to re-orient this country back to being center-right and end what feels like an interminable 50/50 political deadlock.