By Lisa Stiller, Board Member, Democrats For Life, Consistent Life Network  

In politics, many struggle to find a true home. For those of us who value human dignity and the uplifting of all human potential, and believe in socially providing resources for every person to not just survive but to thrive, this can be especially difficult. 

I have long advocated for such policies. I, and many like-minded voters, believe those values are consistent with belonging to the Democratic Party. But the truth is the Party’s abortion litmus test makes advocating and participating in the Party extremely difficult. I recently found out just how difficult after I was attacked when my activity with whole-life, yet progressive, groups was “discovered” when I had won a leadership position in the Oregon Democratic Party. 

I became a Democrat because our Party’s economic policies go much further than the Republican’s, as does our platform on equity, racial justice, peace, and climate change.  The Democratic Party supports better lives by promoting family leave, access to health care, affordable childcare, and working to end the housing crisis. Democrats like me support job training, expanded safety net programs, quality education for all, and a living wage – not to mention gun safety. All of these are whole-life stands. 

I personally don’t feel the Party goes far enough. I support Medicare-for-All, free childcare and a more robust safety net. We need free public higher education. We also need a Universal Basic Income.  All of these are whole-life stands.  

These are all things I advocated in our Party and as chair of a Congressional District and the state health care caucus.  Yet, because I want to seek a world where women have the support necessary to have their babies instead of seeking an abortion, I was told I was not a Democrat and should leave my positions and my Party.  Pressure from Party leaders and threats to remove me were made because my involvement in progressive pro-life organizations made me “anti-choice”, when in fact, I support a real choice for women. Let’s push for reforms that enable a woman to have a child without concern over economic need or over threats of violence and coercion from a spouse, two of the main reasons for abortions. 

I have been active in our local and state Parties for eight years. Not once did I speak about abortion legislation as I recognized it was my role to advance Democratic policies that Oregon voters supported, including economic and social reforms. But none of that mattered. My personal opposition to unlimited abortion invalidated all my work and advocacy. 

On no other issue do Democrats demand strict and absolute adherence. If we did, there would be very few Democrats left.

The Democratic Platform has many proposals to address gun violence and gun control. Elected officials don’t agree with every proposal, and there are even some in the Party who are strong gun rights advocates themselves. And they remain welcomed members of our coalition. 

The Democratic Party Platform calls for Universal Health Care through public options. While many support such a system, many support maintaining a market-based approach. And they remain. 

The Party Platform calls to decriminalize marijuana, eliminate cash bail and reinvigorate community policing approaches. Not all Democrats agree with these approaches, including some calling to defund, reform, and even entirely eliminate police. And they remain.

The Democratic Party calls for a national $15 minimum wage. There are elected Democrats who oppose or vote against it.  And they remain.

Our Platform supports expanding the safety net to lift more people out of poverty. Still, many consider this a handout and do not support expantion, or include work requirements. And they remain. 

The Democratic Party Platform calls for abolishing the death penalty and reforming our broken criminal justice system. Yet many Democrats support the death penalty. And they remain. 

The Democratic Party Platform supports codifying unlimited abortion access and opposes any regulations.  About one-fourth of Democrats believe there should be some limits (Pew Research Center, 6/17/22).  According to an NPR poll (4/26/23), 42% of Democrats favor some limits on abortion.  Some elected Democrats publicly expressed the same opinion. But they cannot remain. 

We are told we have no place in the Party and no place as leaders, as the Democratic Party of Oregon let me know.

Litmus tests hurt political parties. Now when so much is electorally on the line (e.g., voter suppression, gun safety, poverty, homelessness, mental health support), it is surprising that Party leaders are ok with telling large numbers they have no place in the Party. That’s a lot of people. In Oregon (and other states), if you even voice support for any abortion limitation at any point in a pregnancy, you are not accepted into progressive circles (and, as in my case, removed), no matter how you work and advocate on other Party issues. 

Abortion has become a stand-alone issue, disconnected from poverty, domestic violence, health care access, living wages, and parental leave. Abortion is seen as something to be honored and supported, an explicit good, rather than something we might want to lessen the occurrence of, nor can we address the systemic issues that lead women to seek an abortion. 

If we advocate providing the resources women need to have a child and eliminate obstacles in their lives so that abortion does not have to be chosen, we are condemned and exiled. 

The Democratic Party needs to return to its roots of prioritizing issues that help the most vulnerable and honoring its commitment to diversity and inclusion. It needs to become a party that is truly a big tent, where minority opinions are valued, discussed, and accepted. 

Let’s remember what ‘Democratic’ means. A democracy is where people can hold and discuss various opinions in respectful dialogue. When we start throwing people out because of views on a single issue, we are no longer democratic…no matter what we call our Party.