Romney Open to Incarcerating Abortionists

[Dos Equis]

This will cause some controversy, although if you're going to outlaw the procedure there would have to be some kind of criminal penalty.

Romney Open to Incarcerating Abortionists
Thursday, November 22, 2007 10:24 AM

By: Terence P. Jeffrey 

The presidential campaign of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney told Cybercast News Service on Wednesday that Romney does not favor punishing women who have abortions but does favor punishing abortionists, perhaps even with incarceration.

The description of Romney's abortion policy was made in a statement that Romney Communications Director Matt Rhoades issued to Cybercast News Service after Cybercast News Service asked a Romney spokesman about an answer Romney had given in a Nov. 19 interview with Human Events.

"Several of your rivals said they opposed criminalizing abortion, by putting the women or the doctors involved in jail. Do you agree?" Human Events asked Romney.

"You know," Romney replied, "I don't see putting doctors and women in jail. I don't believe that's ever been part of our history, even when states were able to put in place effective pro-life legislation.

"I haven't seen provisions of that nature ever being proposed. But I do believe that the next step that should be taken is to overturn Roe v. Wade, and to no longer have the Supreme Court impose its one-size-fits-all philosophy on the entire nation. There will be steps beyond that, of course, but the next step is to overturn Roe v. Wade," he added.

In light of this answer, Cybercast News Service sent two questions to a Romney press spokesman: 1) Does Gov. Romney, in fact, not favor giving jail sentences to doctors who are convicted of performing abortions? 2) If Gov. Romney does not favor giving jail sentences to doctors convicted of performing abortions, what punishment, if any, does he envision for abortionists?

Rhoades responded via email: "Governor Romney does not believe that abortion legislation should punish women who have abortions. Governor Romney recognizes that we must be sensitive to both lives involved in these situations, the unborn child and the mother.

"The people who should be held accountable for violations of this nature," Rhoades said, "are the people who perform an illegal abortion, the penalties of which could include anything from disciplinary action to incarceration."
 
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Romney_abortionistst/2007/11/22/51453.html

[Hugo Chavez]

Why not, we've already got the highest incarceration rate in the world, lets just lock everyone up for not walking the very narrow path we call freedom.  And just remember, it's not a police state we're in, we call it a Nation of Laws.

[Straw Man]

Romney is a windsock

I don't believe anything he says on this issue (or most others)

[Cap]

Why not, we've already got the highest incarceration rate in the world, lets just lock everyone up for not walking the very narrow path we call freedom.  And just remember, it's not a police state we're in, we call it a Nation of Laws.

We incarcerate illegals when we should send them to the southern most point of Mexico, so in that we agree.  Many offenses are short term so you lose that point.  I gather you would bring up drugs but they are a major problem.  All in all, we seem to have the biggest bunch of idiots in the world that can't seem to follow basic rules of law.

[Eyeball Chambers]

All in all, we seem to have the biggest bunch of idiots in the world that can't seem to follow basic rules of law.

You're saying the United States "have the biggest bunch of idiots in the world"?

[Cap]

You're saying the United States "have the biggest bunch of idiots in the world"?

Americans seem to think that basic laws don't apply to them and then when they get arrested for violations, throw a fit.  That's not a sign of intelligence IMO.  I think we are an advanced country full of smart people that lack basic common sense in terms of the law.  People complain about traffic cameras to catch speeders in areas where there are serious accidents and then gripe when they receive a ticket.  DUI laws are harsh because people drink, drive and kill yet people can't seem to keep from doing it.  I don't need to burn my hand on the stove to know that I shouldn't touch it, seeing my dad do it should be good enough.  That same logic should apply to speeders, drunk drivers, drug users, etc.  Hell, this applies to our discussion of pregnancy and abortion.

[Deicide]

Fuck Rommney!

Ron Paul 2008!!!

[Camel Jockey]

He's like a fundy christian kike. If that makes any sense.. 

[Deicide]

He's like a fundy christian kike. If that makes any sense.. 

Nice lats...

[Hugo Chavez]

We incarcerate illegals when we should send them to the southern most point of Mexico, so in that we agree.  Many offenses are short term so you lose that point.  I gather you would bring up drugs but they are a major problem.  All in all, we seem to have the biggest bunch of idiots in the world that can't seem to follow basic rules of law.

or maybe we have to many laws... I would rather see some kinds of criminals assigned to the classroom rather than a cell.  Save the cell for violent criminals and hopeless psychopaths and start treating elite criminals with some equal treatment.  It's easy for weathly white collar criminals to rip off entire companies, citizens and employees and skip time or serve very little while some other guy gets put away for their addiction.  As it is now, with the system we have, it's basically a criminal raticalization program... petty criminals being indoctrinated into a very violent lifestyle and then being turned loose on society.  There has got to be a better way.

[Hugo Chavez]

or maybe we have to many laws... I would rather see some kinds of criminals assigned to the classroom rather than a cell.  Save the cell for violent criminals and hopeless psychopaths and start treating elite criminals with some equal treatment.  It's easy for weathly white collar criminals to rip off entire companies, citizens and employees and skip time or serve very little while some other guy gets put away for their addiction.  As it is now, with the system we have, it's basically a criminal raticalization program... petty criminals being indoctrinated into a very violent lifestyle and then being turned loose on society.  There has got to be a better way.

I didn't make any points about short term, but to my knowledge I think we lead the world in people behind bars.  Russia and China also have shorter term incarserations, they're not all sent away for life.

[Cap]

or maybe we have to many laws... I would rather see some kinds of criminals assigned to the classroom rather than a cell.  Save the cell for violent criminals and hopeless psychopaths and start treating elite criminals with some equal treatment.  It's easy for weathly white collar criminals to rip off entire companies, citizens and employees and skip time or serve very little while some other guy gets put away for their addiction.  As it is now, with the system we have, it's basically a criminal raticalization program... petty criminals being indoctrinated into a very violent lifestyle and then being turned loose on society.  There has got to be a better way.

Please expand so I can understand your POV a bit more and then I can discuss further with you.  As it stands, I'm fine with 3 strikes and incarceration.  We have many people behind bars that should be dead because we let appeals go 20 years when there are tons of cases with overwhelming guilt that are being appealed in any way possible (look up Kevin Cooper).  County jail or short term lock up for petty offenses is no big deal IMO.  We'll go from there.