GainesvilleMoms.com

Yesterday I watched McCain and Obama as they interviewed with Rick Warren. When asked about when babies' rights began, McCain said at conception. Obama said the answer to that question was "above his pay grade."

Isn't that a strange response? I never thought about what they get paid before and the fact that they may not feel responsible for some things because of that. If the President isn't, then who is?

Effective January 1, 2001, the annual salary of the president of the United States was increased to $400,000 per year, including a $50,000 expense allowance. From:

http://usgovinfo.about.com/lib...weekly/aa011600a.htm

So for $400,000.00 a year he doesn't think he needs to answer such an important question???

His answer really is disturbing. After all like Mary said...if a president isn't going to be accountable to answer that question than who is?? Don't we, as Americans getting ready to elect our next commander in chief, have a right to know his answer to that question??

Good post Mary...I could go on and on...

Karen

Thanks!

After reading this topic, I decided to pull what I believe was the right video up on Youtube. Personally, although I don't believe the comment about pay grade was necessary, I think he did go on to answer the question. He said he was pro choice and believed in Row V Wade, but that he felt we should try and find ways to reduce abortions. Having heard this, I kind of took his comment about pay grade to mean that he didn't really have any scientific or medical explanation.

I did not see the interview. Perhaps he was saying that he did not have a scientific explanation. I would have to say this is a tough question. Is it when the sperm meets the egg? When the egg implants, when the implanted egg becomes viable, when it develops a heart beat, when it can survive outside of the womb? I do not find this an easy question. I am overly analytical though . What is your opinion about when life begins?

quote:

Originally posted by LEW:
What is your opinion about when life begins?

WOW LEW!! You sure are brave starting a topic like this!! I believe, if I have to choose, that life begins when there is a heartbeat, which is at day 21,(most of us don't even know, or have just began to suspect that we are pg by then). At this time the fetus has actually began to circulate their own blood. At nine weeks the fetus will flinch from pain!

I am pro-life

Karen

This message has been edited. Last edited by: klmorg,

re: Obama's response -- I think it was glib. He was taking the pressure off of a very serious question with a witty response, knowing full well that everyone would basically stop listening after the sound byte. We all know he's an eloquent speaker, but we don't know him to be firm on the issues. on ANY issue, come to think of it.

re: When does life begin?

This is one of those questions like 'does God exist' that will never EVER have a consensus answer. None of us can answer a question about the human soul, and where (and when) it comes from and where it goes.

I will say, though, that my views on it now are MUCH different now that I've had kids. I used to be a firebrand liberal, but just a couple years with my little ones and I've gotten very conservative.

I used to be totally against abortions. Then, I thought about rape victims and how I would be for abortions for rape victims. Then, that got me thinking about how there might be more false allegations of rape if a person knew they could legally have an abortion if they had been raped. Years later and I'm thinking that maybe abortions aren't a bad thing in all cases. Sure, there are plenty of parents out there ready to adopt. There are also plenty of older children that will never be adopted because they aren't a cute cuddly baby anymore. I would also imagine that there would be situations where a person forced to have the child wouldn't give them up. But rather they would dump the child or abuse them the rest of their lives. Is that what we really want?

When I was 23 I got pregnant...unplanned..I wasn't ready. I denied it for about 4 weeks, then made an appointment for an abortion at a local womens clinic. I arrived at the clinic about 40 minutes early and I felt like I was in a daze. I signed in, filled out paperwork and waited...when they called my name I didn't move. I sat for about 10 more minutes and then left.

Its very hard to tell what you would do in a situation. Sometimes we don't even know ourselves.

I'm sure no one on this site wants any child to suffer..pro-life or pro-choice...we just all have different outlooks and different experiences that make us who we are (and our discussions so interesting). In a perfect world no child would ever suffer...

Karen

I started this topic and then quickly jumped out of the line of fire. I guess that is not fair and I will try to answer my own question. I will not commit to being pro-life, or pro choice. I think we are all “pro life” in the sense that we never want to see harm come to such a defenseless being (regardless of when it actually becomes a being). That said, life is never simple, we cannot know how we would respond to a situation until we are in it (we can only make a best guess). How would we respond, as a parent w/ hopes and dreams for our child, if that child came home pregnant? I can only guess at what I would want for my child, I cannot guarantee my response would be pro-life or pro choice at this point. I just do not know, and I am OK with that. I see both sides of the coin 50/50 on this one!