What is the #1 most important political issue - to YOU

Aborting a fetus is not the same as killing a person. By the same logic, you could make the claim that criminalizing masturbation would save lives.

 

A dynamic economy that serves the people, rather than the other way around.

 

I wouldn't really call what essentially amounts to a parasite living in a woman's womb a life, regardless of when the heart starts beating or whatever other nonsense you want to spout to support making the procedure unavailable to women. You should just be glad that you'll never have to make that decision.

 

ruh roh

a detour to your nearest abortion thread is probably in the best interests of all.

 

I am definitely pro-choice, but man, I would not call a fetus a parasite.

While I think at the end of the day, a woman should have a right to decide whether or not she brings a baby into this world, I respect those who feel otherwise and understand their position. I think that is something sadly missing from the whole abortion debate, and while I might define myself as pro-choice, I think we can all still respect other's beliefs.

Calling a fetus a parasite is offensive not to just pro-lifers. And just as it is not fair to call women who have abortions murderers, it just goes both ways.

 

Confirmed! The truth is offensive!

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I don't care who gets pissed off.

If men got pregnant, there would be an abortion clinic in every stripmall in the United States.

 

That is exactly the type of thinking that the corrupting influence of big money leads to. Libertarian types are so trusting of big business..

If you have all the wealth that you could ever want, there are only too things that can spoil it: taxes and inflation. Hence you could care less about whether people are working or even if the economy is good. In fact cash is king during a recession and the more people out of work the cheaper it is to hire them for personal services, or a business if you get bored with just collecting interest on your bonds.

 

You're so trusting of the biggest business: government.

 

arts funding, equal rights/ending discrimination for all americans including gays, minorities and muslims

 

#southof96thstreet

 

I think you need to look up the definition of a parasite.

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/parasite

par·a·site
[par-uh-sahyt]
noun
1.
an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.
2.
a person who receives support, advantage, or the like, from another or others without giving any useful or proper return, as one who lives on the hospitality of others.
3.
(in ancient Greece) a person who received free meals in return for amusing or impudent conversation, flattering remarks, etc.

under #1 although the fetus meets all the requirements, it is not a parasite as it is not living off another species. but under #2 i think a fetus would indeed fit the definition of 'parasite'. even under #3, as a fetus receives "free meals" in return for being the subject of much conversation and flattering remarks towards the mother (host).

my verdict: it is not inaccurate to refer to a fetus as a parasite.

 

It's not inaccurate, but I'd argue it's incredibly offensive. Just because something may be true in context, doesn't mean you go around saying it - a 10 year old knows that. Abortion isn't something which I really care about, but I do have a problem using that word to describe fetuses. I mean, a living child and the unemployed can be viewed as parasites, and I would never use that word to describe them. Not least because parasites are pretty much things you try to destroy.

 

Number 1 clearly is not satisfied. Number 2 says "person". Is a fetus a person? If it is, than we should all be pro-life. If it isn't, than number 2 does not apply.

And since we are not in Ancient Greece, number 3 clearly does not apply.

Therefore - how on earth can you call a fetus a parasite with any level of social or scientific accuracy is spurious logic at best.

 

There are plenty of abortion threads.

 

I can't narrow things down to just one issue but lumping things together I would say inter-generational justice. That was a term I heard used by someone who was running for senate in 2000 but I think that encapsulates what I think is most pressing.

What that term means is that the government and country as a whole needs to focus more on long term thinking rather than short term. That translates to everything from the environment to judicial appointments to national defense. Instead though almost all of our politics are driven by short term thinking. Looking only at the next quarter, next election, or next paycheck.

 

Yeah this discussion would be better served there.