I Hijack My Own Post

After reading Brilliant at Breakfast this morning, I was going to just hand over a hat tip and mention the amusing lightning strike during the GOP debate. The thing is, however, I read the whole article.

I hate that I so often find myself in the position of being a single issue voter. I really, really hate it. The thing is, when you feel as strongly about something as I feel about the pro-choice/pro-life issue, you can't seem to put it aside to look at the other issues. I respect plenty of people who would never consider some of the choices I've made for myself, but I respect them because they also respect me and my right to choose the way I live my life. When you take away choice, you're actively oppressing. I don't want to get into the whole thing here, you've heard it plenty, but it's still how I feel. Because of this, when I read this paragraph in the article, my brain seized a little:

Some of the second-tier candidates tried to go after Rudy, mostly in roundabout ways. When Sam Brownback told the audience he didn't think the GOP would nominate a presidential candidate who is not pro-life, moderator Wolf Blitzer quickly asked whether he could support Giuliani if he wins majority support in the primaries. "I have great respect for the mayor," Brownback said, visibly uncomfortable. "I just don't think we're going to nominate somebody that is not pro-life." Brownback added that he would support whoever eventually emerged as the GOP nominee.

A pro-choice Republican candidate is an option? Really? I mean, Brownback is denying it, so it must be out there on the table somewhere.

If the Republican candidate were pro-choice, then maybe I could seriously look at what else that candidate stood for. Maybe it really would come down to a choice about private services vs. public ones and the idea of big government vs. small government. I might look at the election as a choice between two styles of governing instead of a choice between people who respect my rights to my own body vs. people who don't.

A daunting prospect for my little ole brain.

Now, that train of thought only goes so far with me. I am, in fact, in favor of public services, not trusting enough in the charitable nature of the human race to expect people to support others when it's their own choice. I've come around to the idea of universal health care as a Good Thing (as opposed to universal health insurance, which is NOT the same thing). I believe that a centralized effort to help people live more comfortable, dignified lives is what we, as a country, should be working for. So no, I probably wouldn't vote for a Republican candidate. The idea, though, of getting to choose based on political theory instead of fear of oppression, that was pretty heady.

Note: The sky remained clear the entire time I was writing this - no evidence of lightning at all.