Ralph Nader on Abortion

Threats to overturn Roe are “scare tactics”

Nader said he did not think there would be much difference between the justices Gore would choose and those Bush would appoint. After all, Democrats had helped confirm Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, hadn’t they? Besides, “You can’t really predict how Supreme Court justices will behave.” And he called the possibility that a court packed with Republican appointees could overturn Roe v. Wade a “scare tactic.” Nader said that even if Roe v. Wade was overturned, the issue “would just revert to the states.“ Just?

”Here’s what happened on that,“ he said wearily. ”The scare tactic is that would end choice in America and I just said that’s not true, but I should have been astute enough not to mention that.“ He said he did not in any case believe for a moment that Bush would seek to overturn Roe v. Wade. ”The first back alley death, and the Republican Party is in deep trouble and they know it,“ he said. He described the party’s opposition to abortion as just for show, ”just for Pat Robertson.“

Source: Melinda Henneberger, NY Times Nov 1, 2000

Women should decide whether to use RU-486, not government

Q: What is your response to RU-486?

A: It’s up to the woman, not the government. This is a pill that’s been shown to be safe in Europe for numerous years. And it’s preferable to surgical procedure.

Source: Nader-Buchanan debate on ‘Meet the Press’ Oct 1, 2000

No government role; let women privately decide

Q: So you are for abortion rights?
A: I don’t think government has the proper role in forcing a woman to have a child or forcing a woman not to have a child. And we’ve seen that around the world. This is something that should be privately decided with the family, woman, all the other private factors of it, but we should work toward preventing the necessity of abortion. Source: Interview on ‘Meet the Press’ May 7, 2000

Roe v Wade is safe; GOP must back off pushing it

Q: If McCain or Bush is elected because of votes going toward the Greens, they’ll appoint Supreme Court justices. Roe v. Wade will be overturned.
A: I don’t think that Roe v. Wade will ever be overturned. I think the Republicans will destroy their party if they push this to the limit. They’re already very, very cautious about not taking a hard stand the way Pat Buchanan has, for example. The reason why they’re doing that is because they know they’re going to lose a lot of votes if they do. Source: Alternative Radio interview with David Barsamian Feb 23, 2000

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