By Bob Synk

My message to pro-choice voters, if they will listen, is that climate change is more important than abortion. 

We are living at a critical time when our actions can significantly reduce the harmful effects of climate change. But there is no time to waste. The world needs to begin serious reductions in carbon pollution right away and keep reducing for the next three decades. Humanity has to quickly get on track towards net zero carbon pollution in order to avert a world-wide crisis of human suffering and death.

I am doing what I can as an individual to cut my carbon footprint. But the task at hand is far greater than what environmentally concerned people can do on their own. We need everyone to get on board and all our institutions to get on board. To make that happen we need government.

Government policies can make it more profitable for companies to invest in clean technologies than to keep their dirty habits. The government can also make it cheaper for consumers to purchase low pollution products rather than high pollution products. With the right policies everyone will be contributing to the solution whether they realize it or not.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of Republican politicians are still denying that climate change exists or denying we can do anything about it. So to get the policies we need we have to elect more Democrats. But we can’t do that if we limit our support to pro-choice Democrats. The many conservative states and conservative districts hardly ever send pro-choice politicians to Congress. We need the Democrats in those states and districts to nominate and support pro-life Democrats who will neutralize the abortion issue and win. Future generations desperately need Democrats to stop losing elections over abortion.

My message to pro-life voters, if they will listen, is that climate change is an important pro-life issue.

When voting, you are usually forced to decide between a pro-life, anti-environment Republican versus a pro-choice, pro-environment Democrat. Now that the Supreme Court is poised to repeal or limit Roe, the value of the Republican Party for saving the lives of the unborn is extremely limited. 

In a post-Roe world, the most important pro-life measures will be the ones which help struggling families. Exactly the kinds of measures supported by Democrats and opposed by Republicans. Measures like the Affordable Care Act and the improved Child Tax Credit. As long as Republicans continue to oppose proposals just because Democrats support them, they are opposing measures which will make fewer abortions happen and are unworthy of your pro-life vote. Add to that the urgent need for policies which reduce carbon pollution, and you will save more lives by electing Democrats, even pro-choice Democrats, than Republicans.

Of course, if you are fortunate enough to be able to vote for a pro-life Democrat, do it! Even if you have to cross over in a primary. That is by far the biggest bang for your life-saving voting buck.

Climate change is the biggest moral issue we face in the 21^st century. We can rise to the challenge and prevent the tremendous human suffering and death that we are currently headed towards. But it will require both pro-choice and pro-life voters to think deeper about the political realities we face. We need to choose shrewdly with an eye towards doing what good we can in our situation. If we look at the big picture we can care for both people living today and those yet to be.

*Bob Synk is a computer programmer living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is a long time supporter of Democrats for Life of America. Bob has installed PV and water heating solar panels at his home and drives an electric car.