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Should the abortion issue in the US be put to a national vote?

Discussion in 'Opinion POLLS' started by Reasonablerob, Dec 12, 2021.

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Should there be a national vote on abortion?

  1. Yes

    9 vote(s)
    39.1%

  2. No

    14 vote(s)
    60.9%
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  1. Reasonablerob

    Reasonablerob Well-Known Member

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    It would seem to be the obvious choice (and if I were running for president that would be my policy). Why not actually let the people decide?
     
    Reasonablerob, Dec 12, 2021
    #1
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  2. Reasonablerob

    Reasonablerob Well-Known Member

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    Really? Not one vote? Too tricky?
     
    Reasonablerob, Dec 16, 2021
    #2
  3. yabberefugee

    yabberefugee Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Yes.....let the states decide!
     
    yabberefugee, Dec 16, 2021
    #3
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  4. Kranes56

    Kranes56 Banned

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    I support the idea of a national referendum. I would love to see these being used all over the country all the time. I'm down for it.
     
    Kranes56, Dec 16, 2021
    #4
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  5. Meta777

    Meta777 Moderator Staff Member

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    We actually voted on that issue before here at Political Forum. It was a Ranked Vote.
     
    Meta777, Dec 16, 2021
    #5
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  6. Meta777

    Meta777 Moderator Staff Member

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    Meta777, Dec 16, 2021
    #6
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  7. Joe knows

    Joe knows Well-Known Member

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    A national vote on any particular issue is not constitutional. So no.

    We are not a democracy
     
    Joe knows, Dec 16, 2021
    #7
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  8. Reasonablerob

    Reasonablerob Well-Known Member

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    Ever considered joining in with the rest of us?
     
    Reasonablerob, Dec 17, 2021
    #8
  9. HonestJoe

    HonestJoe Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    To what end? What question would you ask in your referendum and how would you expect the range of possible results to be implemented?

    I just don't see this working on several grounds;
    America is a federal republic so there is no legal way for a national referendum to be in any way binding for a start.
    The topic is wide and complex, not one that can really be dealt with by any simple binary question.
    America seems incapable of managing elections without widespread claims of fraud, corruption and incompetence (some being valid) so I can't see such a political divisive, controversial and close issue actually being resolved by whatever a referendum result was.
     
    HonestJoe, Dec 17, 2021
    #9
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  10. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    FreshAir, Dec 17, 2021
    #10
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  11. Joe knows

    Joe knows Well-Known Member

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    We elect representatives, we’re not a democracy and may we never be! Outside of electing our representatives name one federal matter we have voted on. There’s a reason we don’t! We’re not a damn democracy
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2021
    Joe knows, Dec 17, 2021
    #11
  12. Meta777

    Meta777 Moderator Staff Member

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    What's the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy? Anyone know?
     
    Meta777, Dec 17, 2021
    #12
  13. Reasonablerob

    Reasonablerob Well-Known Member

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    My question exactly? In Britain/Oz/Canada/Kiwland etc we're a democracy, the only difference I can think of is in America individual states have much more power?
     
    Reasonablerob, Dec 18, 2021
    #13
  14. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    What exactly would the people be voting on? Abortion is not a "thing", it's a set of circumstances with a long windy road getting to the term. This isn't about protecting a fetus, or baby, it's about a woman's right to have a choice with her body. But of course, that has always been the issue because of the history of how women have been treated as second-class citizens for millennia.

    Why not have a national vote on deciding when men can actually have sex? Never mind the details of enforcement, since that is the same approach that is currently viewed for reversing abortion rights, i.e. no thought to the societal ramifications of reversing such rights.
     
    Lucifer, Dec 18, 2021
    #14
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  15. HonestJoe

    HonestJoe Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    A direct democracy is where the people (or at least a defined sub-set) directly vote on individual policy issues - I don't think any major nation operates on that basis any more, if only due to practical reasons of scale. It would essentially mean holding a referendum for every major decision.

    A representative democracy is where the people (or a defined sub-set) elect a number of representatives and those representatives make decisions on individual policy issues - most (all?) developed nations operate with some form of representative democracy today.
     
    HonestJoe, Dec 19, 2021
    #15
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  16. Ramjet

    Ramjet Newly Registered Donor

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    Abortion is not a federal issue, Roe notwithstanding. The federal government has no business legislating in that area, unless you want to make the case that the unborn have civil rights.
     
    Ramjet, Dec 20, 2021
    #16
  17. Reasonablerob

    Reasonablerob Well-Known Member

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    Why NOT? Why should the nationally elected government not have a say in such an issue?
     
    Reasonablerob, Dec 21, 2021
    #17
  18. Bluesguy

    Bluesguy Well-Known Member Donor

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    Ahhh because we have never voted nationally and have no mechanism to do so nor would there be any legal result of such a vote. We are not a democracy. If you want a vote then allow each state to vote for itself.
     
    Bluesguy, Dec 21, 2021
    #18
  19. Bluesguy

    Bluesguy Well-Known Member Donor

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    Whatever happened to teaching civics and American government in our schools?
     
    Bluesguy, Dec 21, 2021
    #19
  20. Bluesguy

    Bluesguy Well-Known Member Donor

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    And Democrats of course would agree to a blatantly unconstitutional procedure?

    Republicans have been lobbying for votes on the matter for decades why haven't the Dems supported that? Do you?
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2021
    Bluesguy, Dec 21, 2021
    #20
  21. Moonglow

    Moonglow Well-Known Member

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    Yes, but in a Republic, we don't get to decide those issues on a national scale by plebescite.
     
    Moonglow, Dec 21, 2021
    #21
  22. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    you call it unconstitutional, they ask why dems won't support republicans on doing it?
     
    FreshAir, Dec 21, 2021
    #22
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  23. Bluesguy

    Bluesguy Well-Known Member Donor

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    A NATIONAL vote, we do not have national votes in this country, never been one not even a mechanism. We DO have votes in the States so if you want the PEOPLE to vote on the matter then support it going back to the States and the Republicans are supporting.
     
    Bluesguy, Dec 21, 2021
    #23
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  24. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    you said "And Democrats of course would agree to a blatantly unconstitutional procedure?"

    you said "Republicans have been lobbying for votes on the matter for decades why haven't the Dems supported that? Do you?"

    then I said "you call it unconstitutional, they ask why dems won't support republicans on doing it?"

    confused?
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2021
    FreshAir, Dec 21, 2021
    #24
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  25. Bluesguy

    Bluesguy Well-Known Member Donor

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    Because YOU said

    A national vote.

    Let the states decide.

    Confused?

    If you want the people to vote on it then join with the Republicans for the states to decide by allowing their citizens to vote. If not why not?
     
    Bluesguy, Dec 22, 2021
    #25
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