Of course abortion is a hot topic in the US right now and rightly so. The same Americans who argued that they had sole ownership of their bodily choices (no vaccine) and have a right to bear arms, also figure they can tell other people what to do with their womb.
Disclosure – I am pro choice, it has nothing to do with me (I am a male), but if I were a pregnant female my personal choice would never be abortion. I’m almost a Jain in treasuring life, personally.
If a political party wishes to let abortion be a personal choice, because if we don’t have choices regarding our own body, what rights do we have?… then the same logical thinking can open up a can of worms.
I think the allowing of abortion is worth removing the nanny state from all personal choices that harm no others (not including fetuses, of course).
Collectively we should allow adults to do the following with their own bodies, unimpeded:
- Abort a baby (up until the number of weeks where it would probably survive if birth occurred)
- Take any drugs, alcohol, cigarettes (untaxed)
- Consume sugar (untaxed)
- Any form of weird sex, bodily mutilation, assisted suicide, even consensual cannibalism
- Trepanation!
- Transhumanism
- Not wear seatbelts or helmets
While none of those are likely to harm another person, there can be costs to society. I do suggest that types of insurance should be compulsory for when such endeavours go sideways and the state is needed to repair them or their addictions. For example you can choose to go without a seatbelt only if you are insured for the hospital and rehab costs. A special, extra insurance, based on science and probabilities.
I also believe that allowing the above doesn’t mean the state shouldn’t care. Scientifically-proven to be harmful choices (like smoking) should certainly have campaigns and methods (labelling cigarette packets) to help people make good choices.
Allowing un-taxed cigarettes (and other measures) would need to be agreed to in principle now, and phased in over decades.