Two incidents occurred recently that should distress any pro-life individual.

First, California governor Jerry Brown—or Moonbeam, as some like to call him—signed a bill allowing any nurse to perform first-trimester abortions by vacuum aspiration. Brown said in his statement that the bill would “support the health and well-being of women in California.” MSNBC praised it as a measure that will “prevent more Gosnells” because “[i]f you make it easier to access an abortion, earlier, and from a legitimate provider, there will be fewer desperate customers turning to unsafe providers.” 

Second, Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe said at a campaign event last month that he would be a “brick wall” against any restrictions on abortion, as it is a “constitutional right.”

Why has the Democratic Party abandoned the notion not just of ending abortion outright, but also of reducing the number of abortions? Whatever happened to “safe, legal, and rare”?

Regulating abortion clinics responsibly is only the first step; after that we should be promoting crisis pregnancy centers instead of Planned Parenthood (which vigorously advocated for the California bill).

Obviously, the desperation that leads to abortion is partly economical. However, it is tragic that American culture, especially the Democratic Party, sees abortion as a first resort for an “unwanted” child. Never do they consider the “fetus” a human life, but as a burden to be eliminated.

Of course, banning abortion is not the only answer. It has to be linked with a comprehensive agenda that aids single mothers in nurturing their children and helps poor families through the toughest of times.

But first we all need to agree that abortion should be eliminated as the greatest of social evils.