Isupport more inclusive language on the controversial issue

of abortion in the Democratic Platform.

The Democratic Platform currently contains language to allow taxpayer funding of abortion. National polls have consistently demonstrated that most Americans do not support the government paying for abortion. In fact, a February 2012 Quinnipiac University poll (national sample of 2,605 registered voters, margin of error ±1.9 percentage points) found that nearly thirty percent of Americans would not vote for a candidate with whom they disagreed on abortion but agreed on other issues. The Democratic Platform language should be inclusive and endorse the views of all Democrats.

I support the following language for the 2012 Democratic Platform:

"We respect the conscience of each American and recognize that members of our Party have deeply held and sometimes differing positions on issues of personal conscience, like abortion and the death penalty. We recognize the diversity of views as a source of strength and we welcome into our ranks all Americans who may hold differing positions on these and other issues.

However, we can find common ground. We believe that we can reduce the number of abortions because we are united in our support for policies that assist families who find themselves in crisis or unplanned pregnancies. We believe that women deserve to have a breadth ofoptions available as they face pregnancy: including, among others, support and resources needed to handle the challenges of pregnancy, adoption, and parenthood; access to education, healthcare, childcare; and appropriate child support. We envision a new day without financial or societal barriers to bringing a planned or unplanned pregnancy to term."

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