>Doug reports--
>
> >This is all academic, since the LP is in favor of legal, publicly
> >funded abortion. I'm told that belief to the contrary has been
> >encouraged by writing that has appeared under the byline of Alexander
> >Cockburn.
>
>Now, now, Doug. This is what Alex actually wrote (the full text, a profile
>of HRC, is up on the CP website--jsc)--
I don't see any reference to the Labor Party, much less its position on abortion, in that excerpt.
Here's the offending paragraph, from AC's Nation column, July 1, 1996:
<quote> Discontent at the constant hustle to "expedite" broke out once more the next day, in a debate on abortion. Mazzocchi has always made it clear that he regards social issues as poison to the embryo party, and the draft language on this issue decorously avoided any mention of the dreaded A-word. The California Nurses Association tried to clear this fog with a simple declaration that. "the Labor Party supports safe and legal abortion." While Mazzocchi stood on the stage biting his nails, delegates debated the wisdom of such outspoken language, fearful it might drive away potential supporters. In the end, the Labor Party settled for obscure language on choice, putting it to the right of the Democratic Party on this issue. At least there was a debate on the matter, though the abortion fight left a sour taste, with compromises made entirely to the right, all surrenders by the left. No such opportunity for discussion was permitted on foreign policy, or on public ownership of basic industries. </quote>
True, the dreaded A-word isn't in the platform - my source tells me the reason was to avoid "rubbing their faces" in it, "they" being the Farm Labor Organizing Committe and the Bakers. But the meaning is clear. I don't like the euphemisms myself, but I fail to see how free access to publicly funded abortion is "to the right of the Democratic Party."
Doug