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By Ed Rutledge
Libertarian for Illinois Lt. Governor
09/03/2010
I am frequently asked if I am “Pro Life” or “Pro Choice.” Unfortunately, we have come to demand a sound bite answer to a highly charged issue that really deserves deeper consideration. For those looking for a sound bite, I consider myself pro life, pro women, and pro children. For those looking for a moderately deeper reflection, I consider myself a realist hoping for Utopia but working to just make things better.
In my personal Utopia, there would be no need for abortions to be performed in Illinois. However, I recognize that until there is no longer a significant societal demand for abortions, abortions will continue to be performed, for medical reasons or for personal, legally or not. I also recognize that while I will never need to make such an anguishing decision, neither do I have the power to personally control what each and every woman is going to do with her body. Simply put, it is critically important to understand that we cannot legislate our way into Utopia. Our politicians have tried numerous times, with their attempts to legislate away alcohol abuse, drug addiction, poverty, unemployment, etc. – it has never worked.
We have not been able to legislate away perceived social problems because, while we may be able to pass laws eliminating the legal supply of a good or service, we have yet to figure out how to legislate away demand. And so long as there is a significant demand for anything, that demand will be met. This is why, whenever we have tried to legislate away a societal problem by eliminating the supply, the underlying problem has remained while the inevitably resulting black market has created serious new problems. In other words, attempts to legislate away such problems only make those problems significantly worse. Only society, itself, can resolve societal issues.
Although I cannot imagine a case in which, unless medically necessary to save my wife’s life, I personally would ever consider the option of abortion, I acknowledge that my capacity as an elected official to reduce society’s demand for abortions will be negligible. At the same time, I am adamantly opposed to black markets and the societal problems that they cause, and my capacity as an elected official to prevent a new black market will be profound. So while I will encourage and support local initiatives, societal initiatives, aimed at reducing the demand for abortions, I also will resist the government sanctioned creation of yet another black market and will support the law as it stands.
