About single-issue voting (re. abortion)

[Sameach]

I find myself running in circles that contain people on the extremes with regard to this issue. I have some So.Bap. friends who will base their vote on it, but at the same time, I have some other friends who are absolutely incredulous that a person could take a single-issue stand like this.

I wonder, though, are the people in the second group also single issue voters, but just don't realize it? For instance, say you are vehemently pro-choice. Say there is a candidate who you agree with on every single other issue (I know this is virtually an impossible scenario, but for the sake of my musings, pretend.) This person could have your same exact brain with all matters political, but for one thing--he/she is pro-life and has stated that he/she would be fine if RvW was overturned.

Would you vote for him/her?

[TuetonicWillow]

I could probably overlook one lone issue if I agreed with all the other issues.

[pawprint]

I agree with TW.

[jessiehannan]

Me too. I am going to use your RvW example. If I think that the candidate will be able to actually overthrow that, then I would have to think a little harder, but would still vote for them.

[MrsKitty]

It would depend on what the issue was.

[PiccoloRose]

That would really depend on the issue and how strongly I felt about it. There are plenty of issues I could overlook a difference of opinion, but others would be harder for me. It would also depend on what my differences were with the other candidate. If I had 10 strong differences with candidate #1, and only 1 difference with candidate #2, then even if it might normally be a deal-breaking issue I think I would still vote for candidate #2 because of them being more along my same train of thoughs and beliefs.

[HammBugga]

I don't think anyone should vote on a single issue.

[dalurker]

That's very hard and I'm a little disappointed in myself that I couldn't answer it outright. I'm not a one issue voter, but at the same time women's rights issues are very important to me. If the politician's views aligned with mine in every other way, I believe I'd vote for them, but I can't say it's not without a lot of pause and hesitation.

[Meredith]

I think, given that specific scenario, I probably could vote for that candidate. It might be different if the issue was, say, the economy, as opposed to Roe V Wade.

[xobehs]

That's very hard and I'm a little disappointed in myself that I couldn't answer it outright. I'm not a one issue voter, but at the same time women's rights issues are very important to me. If the politician's views aligned with mine in every other way, I believe I'd vote for them, but I can't say it's not without a lot of pause and hesitation.
I probably wouldn't.
I am in no means saying anyone else should feel the way i do, agree with my actions, I am just being honest. I could not cast that vote.

[dalurker]

After thinking about it more, I think I'm going to amend my statement to say that I don't think it's possible for the views of a politican who would actively seek to criminalize abortion to align with mine at all. The more I think about it, the more I think this scenario is just not possible. With that in mind, I think I'm going to change my mind and say I probably wouldn't vote for them. I just can't imagine how the other beliefs of someone who would overturn R v W would align with mine.

[xobehs]

While I agree Darlurker, there are indeed some rogue views out there.

Biden has a history of wanting the death penalty for non-violent offenders.

[dalurker]

Politix iz hard.

[xobehs]

indeedeeze.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I'm not usually a single issue voter. I try to balance what candidates claim to offer with what I'm willing to give up. I then pick the better/best candidate or the lesser/least of the evils. However, there are times when I simply refuse to cast a vote for any of the candidates.

[Sashahomeschoolmama]

After thinking about it more, I think I'm going to amend my statement to say that I don't think it's possible for the views of a politican who would actively seek to criminalize abortion to align with mine at all. The more I think about it, the more I think this scenario is just not possible. With that in mind, I think I'm going to change my mind and say I probably wouldn't vote for them. I just can't imagine how the other beliefs of someone who would overturn R v W would align with mine.

This. I would not vote for someone who didn't feel like my doctor and I were more capable of making health decisions than a blanket law. It's a philosophical issue about women's health and their ability to make their own decisions. I feel the same way about stem cell research.

There are issues that are non-negotiable for me. They aren't the only issues I look at while voting, but they are issues that I will not bend on.

[SingingMom]

There are issues that are vote-killers for me, and other that aren't.

I would have a hard time voting for a dyed-in-the-wool pro-lifer. Don't know as I could do it. But I could vote for someone who said that he, personally, was against abortion but felt that it should be legal.

As I understand it, this is the position of my governor, Mr. Schwarzenegger. He agrees that women should be able to choose, but feels personally that it is in general not a good choice. I can live with this position.

Similarly, I can vote for someone who is for some level of gun-control. Although personally, I feel that gun control is pointing the gun downrange. But I can get along with a politician who wants to ban assault weapons.

I probably wouldn't vote for someone who wanted to ban all guns everywhere.

It all depends.

[Tweet]

I find myself running in circles that contain people on the extremes with regard to this issue. I have some So.Bap. friends who will base their vote on it, but at the same time, I have some other friends who are absolutely incredulous that a person could take a single-issue stand like this.

I wonder, though, are the people in the second group also single issue voters, but just don't realize it? For instance, say you are vehemently pro-choice. Say there is a candidate who you agree with on every single other issue (I know this is virtually an impossible scenario, but for the sake of my musings, pretend.) This person could have your same exact brain with all matters political, but for one thing--he/she is pro-life and has stated that he/she would be fine if RvW was overturned.

Would you vote for him/her?


Hmm. Being fine with it might be different than appointing Justices that could actually overturn it. I'm not sure in that case. Even though Roe v Wade is not at the top of my "most important issues list", I REALLY don't want it overturned. I'd have to know if they'd appoint people that would be able to overturn it. If so, then no, I don't think I'd be able to vote for that person. If they are against abortion personally but wouldn't go out of their way to appoint people that could overturn it, yes, I'd still vote for the person.

[Bellaelle]

I respect the fact that people have different reasons than I might for voting for a particular candidate.

It is not my place to tell them they are wrong for holding one issue dear to them.

[NewMum]

There are some issues that I will not waiver on. For me, a politician's stance on these issues reflects their stance on other issues and their moral values as well. (Note, I did not say religious. I think people of completely different religions can have the same moral values.) That being said, I could not vote for someone who does not share the same morals as I do.

When it comes to abortion, I personally believe that it is wrong, immoral, except done for the most extreme circumstances. For example, the mother would die if she were to carry the child to term. Most other situations, I believe, allow someone to wash away the consequences of their actions and decisions. If the child is unwanted by the mother, it is not the child's fault and they should carry the same rights to life as anyone else. There are other options than ending a human life.

FTR, these are my beliefs. I am not trying to put anyone else's down. I respect everyone's views even if I don't agree with them.