Post by tinfoilhat on Jan 29, 2015 16:47:05 GMT -5
I really respect people who can be open to changing their previously firm beliefs. I am hopeful that it seems some politicians can be open to hearing, feeling and see what people are actually dealing with……
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), a longtime opponent of abortion, announced in an op-ed on Tuesday that he now supports abortion rights after having talked to women in difficult circumstances throughout his home state.
"I have sat with women from Ohio and across the nation and heard them talk about their varying experiences: abusive relationships, financial hardship, health scares, rape and incest," wrote Ryan. "These women gave me a better understanding of how complex and difficult certain situations can become. And while there are people of good conscience on both sides of this argument, one thing has become abundantly clear to me: the heavy hand of government must not make this decision for women and families."
Ryan, who was raised Catholic, has long considered himself "pro-life" and has voted for numerous abortion restrictions since he was elected to Congress in 2003, including parental notification laws; restrictions on abortion funding in health care reform; and a ban on abortions in federally funded military hospitals. In 2009, he wrote an op-ed for U.S. News and World Report underscoring the need for fellow anti-abortion lawmakers to work with abortion rights supporters on solutions to prevent unplanned pregnancies.
Now Ryan, who recently has been discussed as a potential candidate for Senate, wants to make it clear to his constituents that his views have evolved.
"Today, I am a 41-year-old father and husband whose feelings on this issue have changed," he wrote. "I have come a long way since being a single, 26-year-old state senator, and I am not afraid to say that my position has evolved as my experiences have broadened, deepened and become more personal. And while I have deep respect for people on both sides of this conversation, I would be abandoning my own conscience and judgment if I held a position that I no longer believed appropriate. I have come to believe that we must trust women and families—not politicians—to make the best decision for their lives.”
Ryan in 2013 voted against a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and he wrote in his op-ed Tuesday that he hopes to push Congress to look for ways to prevent the need for abortion instead of cutting off women's access to the procedure.
"No federal or state law banning abortion can honestly and fairly take into account the various circumstances that make each decision unique," Ryan wrote. "Where government does have the ability to play a significant role is in giving women and families the tools they need to prevent unintended pregnancies by expanding education and access to contraception."
Ohio's Planned Parenthood affiliate celebrated Ryan's change of heart.
“We are humbled by Congressman Ryan’s heartfelt commentary about a topic that is too often politicized and stigmatized,” Stephanie Kight, CEO of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, said in a statement Wednesday. “We look forward to working with Congressman Ryan to ensure that all women -- no matter where they live or how much money they have -- can access the care they need without political interference.”
“Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.”
― William Gibson
Post by omgzombies on Jan 29, 2015 17:28:36 GMT -5
Well that's someone I can get behind and root for. Not only is he now pro-choice, but he's proved he's capable of being open to new ideas and changing his mind. In a time when people only seek out information that confirms to their previously held beliefs, it makes me so happy to see someone say "I listened, researched, and I was wrong, I have changed mind."
Whoops, for some reason I thought he was an R. Far less groundbreaking to know a D is pro choice.
I had to re-read that, too. I do think it would have been more powerful if it had come from an R (with probably more to lose among the party base), but I like that he spoke about about his journey to his change of heart.
I know a couple people that work for him. He is a SUPER nice guy. I always thought his stance on abortion was odd. Not a "hard" thing to do for a Dem, but I do think that it's a decision he came to honestly. He's a really committed Catholic.