First let me promise that this will be my last thread on this topic for the foreseeable future; I don't intend to make this the all-consuming topic of this sub-forum. However, some of the responses in my previous thread made it clear that the choices were unnecessarily restrictive. This thread is meant to rectify that.

Rather than proposing a specific hypothetical measure related to abortion in the US for people to simply say yay or nay on, I've come up with four categories which (I think) more-or-less cover the positions of people in the other thread. They are:

1) Abortion should be legal, without any specific restrictions. Meaning that abortion should be/remain legal in all forms, without any restrictions based on fetal-development, method of abortion, nature of pregnancy...etc.

2) Abortion should be legal, but subject to some restriction(s). Meaning that abortion should be/remain legal, but be restricted in some way. This could include restrictions on term of pregnancy (e.g. ban on late-term abortions), on stage-of-fetal development, on method used in abortion (e.g. ban on "partial-birth" abortion)...etc. If you select this catagory, please specify what restrictions you have in mind, as well as any exceptions to those restrictions (e.g. restriction of late-term abortions except to save the mother's life).

3) Abortion should be banned, but subject to exceptions. Similar to option (2), but somewhat inverted. This would include general bans on abortion that made exceptions for the health of the mother, for rape/incest, for the age of the mother, for fetal deformity...etc. Again, please specify which exceptions you have in mind.

4) Abortion should be banned, with the sole exception of when the life of the mother is in jeopardy. I think Steve's poll has conclusively demonstrated that this one exception is almost universally recognized as valid.

I'm not sure why my interest in people's take on this issue has suddenly peaked, but I do appreciate the level of participation and the lack of open hostility in the earlier thread and hope that any discussion here will be similarly respectful. And, again, sorry to create such clutter over one issue.

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To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. -Theodore Roosevelt

I can see the reasonableness of some restrictions on abortion, but I suspect that's where the sticking point really is for most Americans - where those lines can and should be drawn.

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

I would have voted for the health only exception but i have to think what i would do/how i would feel if anyone close to me was ever raped. (And it then led to pregnancy).

In a stunning, bold move, I voted for no restrictions at all.

(Which will likely confuse the libertarians I argue with all the time....)

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"My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I am right." - Ashleigh Brilliant(?)
(Voting for None Of The Above, so far...)

Perhaps that might give you pause to think (I would hope anyway) of just how personal this kind of decision is to those who find themselves in a position to have to make it. And you and me can't even get pregnant! I submit that while there may indeed be some that do it without a second thought, it's a very small fraction.

For the vast majority of women that have an abortion , it's a one time thing and can be the result of any number problematic situations. The silly notion that it "being used as primary contraception" by large numbers of women, just doesn't hold water.

Without knowing what specific "restrictions" are to be applied, I can't in good conscience vote in this poll. The heart of the matter isn't that there are restrictions, it's exactly what those restrictions will be and who they will apply to.

And you follow with:

So you do acknowledge there are real pieces of work out there who have whimsical urges to get an abortion?

Problematic situations...like what?

Health problems? Sure..(physical ones anyway)

Rape? Sure that's another valid problem?

Didn't want a baby but for pregnant (consentually)? That's an unaccptable reason for an abortion. Totally inexcusable.

In intended idea here is that the restrictions are whatever you think they should be. If there is a specific restriction (or set thereof) you'd support, then please feel free to vote accordingly and then specify in a post what restriction(s) you were thinking of and to whom they would apply.

This will, I hope, encourage people to specifically define their own positions rather than merely point out the flaws in someone else's specific idea.

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To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. -Theodore Roosevelt

I think you're probably right, though I'm hoping more people will specify what restrictions (or exceptions) they had in mind when voting.

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To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. -Theodore Roosevelt

Those must be some dumb libertarians.

Abortion should be fine and dandy right up until about 7 months. If I remember correctly that's when the brain starts working and the fetus is no longer "brain dead".

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Is our children learning? -George W. Bush

"I think—tide turning—see, as I remember—I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of—it's easy to see a tide turn—did I say those words?"—Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006

"[T]he illiteracy level of our children are appalling."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004

I voted legal with a few restrictions. Assuming it is not an issue of life and health with mother or baby. I would support eliminating late term abortions and possibly support a parental notification. I have mixed feelings on public funding for abortion. But I am not a fan of late terms and think underaged girls need to have thier parents informed(and the address of the boy who got her pregnant)

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Abstinence Education at its finest:

Sorry, I should have specified.

My restrictions (at first thought, so they are up for revision) would include:

1) At reasonable fetal viability (2nd trimester?), no longer on-demand, but still available under medical necessity.

2) Ummm. Crud. That's all I can think of ATM.

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

I'm quite certain that with a population the size of the USA, you could find someone to fit virtually every demographic you could dream up. What's your point?

That's your opinion and you're welcome to it. Where you lose me and many others is when you act as if you are the final authority of such matters. Let me assure you, there are many who you will never convince of that.

That your point of generalising that women only get abortions as a last option out of utter despair is garbage.

I have never said i am the final authority on it...like you said its my opinion. And i'm not too eager on "convincing" people of it either, its changing the law that would help most in changin the mindset of folks who are pro/acceptant of abortion.

I think it's funny that Traveler posts in these threads, but is afraid to vote in the polls.

I think it's a fair bet that, if he had to choose, he would like to see abortion done away with completely, with no allowance for rape, incest, or where the life of the mother is in jeopardy...