abortion litmus test

[Katha Pollitt]

Why is it wrong to insist that a Democratic politician be pro-choice? It
seems to me that that's the minimum bottom line one could have.  I would
NEVER vote for a politician that wanted to criminalize abortion. That
would be like saying I do not value my own daughter's life. I don't
think a politician can propose to deprive 52% of the population of the
basic ability to decide how many children to have, and when to have
them, and also claim to stand for the people.

  However, there is still a considerable streak of anti-choice
"populism" in the Democratic Party. David Bonior is anti-choice, Gephart
is lukewarm.  then there's ex-Boston mayor and envoy to the Vatican
Raymond flynn.  I believe it was jesse jackson who said, memorably, that
a girl who was old enough to open her legs to get pregnant was old
enough to open them again to have a baby. But he saw where his allies
were and changed his tune.