You would think the governor of Texas, the state that produced our most recent two-term president, would have access to the best and brightest political minds in the country. They surely want to get taken along with him for any rides higher on the political ladder. But Rick Perry made a monumentally bad decision when he signed a parental-consent bill for minors seeking abortion in a religious private school. I explore the significance of symbolic actions in politics, and especially divisive cultural issues, here. Excerpt:
When average people think pro-life, they typically think of some of the most polarizing figures in society today – James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph and such. They may think “I know most pro-lifers are decent people,” but the presence of the extremists – and the dominance of certain groups – is incredibly off-putting. The same reason why Howard Dean lost his presidential campaign on Iowans’ doorsteps holds true with today’s pro-life activists.
Rick Perry’s signing ceremony almost certainly earned him points – and money – with his target audience. He probably won’t go any higher than governor, but he might have a lucrative consulting business after leaving office. But will his approach to abortion restrictions really change anyone’s mind? Has he turned off some people – religious or not – inclined to sympathize with this particular bill? …
Pro-choice groups lost plenty of support in the ’80s and early ’90s by tacking on a host of welfare-state advocacy to their core abortion-rights message, and somehow the leaders of the pro-life community have forgotten their opposition’s hard lessons. Whatever the merits of these positions, associating the pro-life message with opposition to gay marriage, the war against drugs, the Ten Commandments on public property, prayer in schools and other social-conservative priorities does nothing to help the plight of unborn children.
I’m a tech journalist who’s making a TV show about a college newspaper.