Mission
- "Democrats for Life of America exists to foster respect for life, from the beginning of life to natural death. This includes, but is not limited to, opposition to abortion, capital punishment, and euthanasia. Democrats for Life of America is one of over 200 member organizations of Consistent Life: an international network for peace, justice and life."—Democrats For Life website
Many members of Democrats for Life agree with the Consistent Life Ethic. The Consistent Life Ethic, a term coined by the late Joseph Bernardin, Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, advocates the defense of all human life from the "womb to the tomb". Proponents of the CLE not only oppose abortion and capital punishment, but also advocate policies which address social and economic issues that are considered to unjustly violate the sanctity of life. For example, many who advocate a CLE would see the question of universal access to affordable health care as a "pro-life" issue.
According to the DFLA, the Democratic Party has suffered in elections from its absolutist pro-choice stance. DFLA points to polls which suggest that the pro-choice policies of the Democratic Party at the national level have cost Democratic candidates votes among religious Americans, especially Roman Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox. DFLA maintains the position that many religious or pro-life Americans would be more willing to support a Democratic candidate, if that candidate were to work to limit or end abortion in the United States through positive social programs and means.
Some pro-life Democrats feel that abortion should be strictly illegal under all conditions except instances in which the mother's life is in danger. Others feel that abortion should be legal under additional circumstances, such as rape and incest. Democrats For Life stresses that pro-life and pro-choice Democrats should unite in a common cause to make abortion rare through social programs, despite their differences of opinion on whether and to what degree abortion should be legal.
Read more about this topic: Democrats For Life Of America
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