Abortion: The non-issue of this election cycle

It is far too often that we get caught up on non-issues, that we blind ourselves to the actual issues at hand of the present day. 

Wednesday's Argus Leader would indicate that the powers that be are really making a similar play for a rejuvenation of the one issue voters in South Dakota to surge ahead of Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in these last few days before the election.

Today's issue of the Aberdeen American News also features a letter to the editor making the same type of appeal. The author states that she is "voting for Kristi Noem." Why? Because of "the life issue." What issue does she speak of? The Republicans vow for full repeal of healthcare reform, not modification. And no one can honestly say that they're ever going to be able to successfully follow through on that promise. There's really no paramount issue within the next two years that affects the 'life issue.' So really, it's an illusion. A political tactic only used to muster up support for a candidate that literally promises nothing. Put bluntly, the "life issue" is a non issue. 


And Noem doesn't even promise pro-lifers anything whatsoever. On her website, all she says in regards to the issue of life is that she "promises to maintain a 100% pro-life voting record." She doesn't promise to sponsor an all-out federal ban on abortion, she doesn't promise to press the issue of life, just when the issue does happen to come up vote the 'right' way. 


Her promise lacks conviction and would appear to be a coward's way of securing votes.

It seems to be a time honored tradition, "If you can't beat them on the issues, then let's talk about abortion."

If only we lived in a world of Aaron Sorkin's post-Vinik republican party...