Earlier this week, Virginia legislator Kathy Tran pushed legislation to liberalize Virginia’s abortion laws and to do away with even the minimal restrictions on third trimester abortions. In support of Tran’s effort, Governor Ralph Northam had this to say in response to a question about the availability of abortion in the case of a child who has actually been born:
This is why decisions such as this should be made by providers, physicians, and the mothers and fathers that are involved. When we talk about third-trimester abortions, these are done with the consent of the mother, with the consent of physicians, more than one physician by the way, and it’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities, there may be a fetus which is non-viable. So in this particular example, if the mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen, the infant would be delivered, the infant would be kept comfortable, the infant would be resuscitated if this is what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physician and the mother.
This stance is an extreme one even in the Democratic party. Yet here is a full rundown of all the major Democratic party players in response to Northam:
(crickets)
On Friday, a photo emerged that showed Northam’s medical school yearbook page. Among the items was a photo of two individuals, one in black face and the other in a KKK robe. Presumably one of the two individuals was Northam. On Friday night, Northam apologized, but then on Saturday he backtracked in one of the weirdest press conferences in world history. He claimed that neither of the two individuals was he, and he also suggested that there be a facial recognition scan – how a facial recognition scan be done on a hooded figure is a mystery. He did say he had actually worn blackface for a Michael Jackson dance contest, and then came a bizarre explanation of having to apply shoe polish. There was even a moment during the presser where it seemed Northam was set to moonwalk before his wife reminded him where he was.
When it came to chastising Northam for the yearbook catastrophe, there has been no shortage of Democrats who are now calling for him to resign. Here is a rundown of just some of the Democratic presidential candidates condemning Northam and calling for him to step down.
Meanwhile, here is Hillary Clinton:
This has gone on too long. There is nothing to debate. He must resign. https://t.co/TjfS3vbcws
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 3, 2019
Other prominent Democrats have also chimed in and called for Northam to step down.
This has been a rather revelatory moment in American politics, and it has shone a bright line on the soul of the Democrat party. A governor defending infanticide draws absolutely no criticism, yet the revelation that this same individual may have posed for a racist photo 35 years ago means he should be cast into the exterior darkness.
Even if one concedes that silence does not connote support for Northam’s abortion stance, the comparative reactions to these two events should make abundantly clear where the Democrat party’s priorities lie. In a sad way, had Democrats stood by Northam they would be less morally repugnant. But their manifest lack of interest in condemning infanticide (if not outright support) is brought into clear relief when contrasted with their unified reaction against a man posing for a racist photo three and a half decades ago.
While we might applaud the Democrat party for coming a long way since their adulation for a man who spent many a day wearing the klan robe, it’s unfortunate they are less concerned about respecting the rights of at least one class of humans.
Letters from Cato 