Conservative Pressler Would Ban Abortions, While 68% of South Dakotans Support Keeping Them Legal

In an increasingly interesting and competitive U.S. Senate campaign in South Dakota, former Republican U.S. Senator Larry Pressler, now running as an Independent, is consistently portrayed by the news reporters as a “moderate.”

It’s ludicrous to characterize Pressler as a “moderate.” After all, his most recent votes in the U.S. Senate were 100% against women, teachers, students, gays and workers, he has voted for cuts in Social Security and Medicare, and he stilll speaks out about wanting to cut those programs even more in the future.

Pressler_Would_Overturn_Roe_Vs_Wade_-_YouTubePressler has also said in no uncertain terms during this current campaign that he would make abortion illegal.
Not regulated, mind you.  Not scaled back.  Illegal.  He would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that has kept abortion a legal option since 1972.

After Pressler banned abortions, he would allow states to make abortion legal again if they choose, but we all know that many states would keep abortion illegal, and make millions of women into criminals and victims of botched back alley abortions.

Even in a red state like South Dakota, banning abortion is not a mainstream position.  In the most recent polling I could find on this issue, a Sioux Falls Argus Leader survey, only 25% of South Dakotans say that abortion should be illegal.

Instead, an overwhelming 68% of South Dakotans want to keep abortion legal, either “legal and the decision to have an abortion should be made by the woman without government interference (34%),” or “legal but restricted to very specific circumstances, such as rape, incest or to save the life of the mother (34%).”

This idea that the news media mindlessly calls anyone who camouflages themselves with an “Independent” label a “moderate” shows just how shallow political reporting has gotten.  Politicians who make abortion illegal, cut Social Security and Medicare and vote 100% against women, teachers gays, students and workers are hardly “moderate.” They are, by any reasonable definition, on the far right.

– Loveland

One thought on “Conservative Pressler Would Ban Abortions, While 68% of South Dakotans Support Keeping Them Legal

  1. (The following comment was left by a gentleman named Walt Murphy in the About page of this site, on October 15. Since Walt’s comment is addressed to this post, I’m also placing a copy of it here. Walt said:)

    So Pressler voted against Medicare, SS and abortion… But wasn’t that in the 70/80s ?
    I’d be much more interested in his today views on these subjects, but can’t get a response on FB, though I tried several times. Mmmm

    (I subsequently replied:)

    Joe Loveland
    on October 15, 2014 at 3:00 pm said:

    Hi Walt. Thanks for your comment. The quote about Pressler wanting to overturn Roe v. Wade was just a few weeks ago, October 1, 2014 I believe. Click here to watch that very recent comment. Pressler also expressed a desire to cut entitlement benefits during this campaign. Click here to see those recent positions.

Comments are closed.