學習小萌新

On Abortion Rights(墮胎權), 2020 Democrats¹ Move Past ‘Safe, Legal and Rare²’

The Democratic presidential candidates don’t want to simply defend abortion rights. They want to go on offense³.

The Democratic presidential field has coalesced⁴ around an abortion rights agenda⁵ more far-reaching than anything past nominees have proposed, according to a New York Times survey of the campaigns. The positions reflect a hugely consequential shift⁶ on one of the country’s most politically divisive issues.

Every candidate The Times surveyed supports codifying⁷ Roe v. Wade in federal law, allowing Medicaid coverage of abortion by repealing⁸ the Hyde Amendment, and removing funding restrictions for organizations that provide abortion referrals⁹. Almost all of them say they would nominate only judges who support abortion rights, an explicit¹⁰ pledge¹¹ Democrats have long avoided.

Very few support restrictions on abortions late in pregnancy. Seven say abortion pills should be available over the counter¹². Nine want a federal approval process for state abortion laws. And Joseph R. Biden Jr., whose ambivalence¹³ on abortion rights has been a theme for decades, is seeking to recast himself as a full-throated¹⁴ champion of them.

The 2020 candidates’ responses reflect a fundamental change in the Democratic Party’s approach to reproductive issues. In other areas, from health care to taxes, there is a divide between liberal and moderate candidates.(自由派跟溫和派候選人) Here, it is minimal.

“What you’ve seen is that it’s no longer O.K. for any candidate just to say they’re pro-choice¹⁵,” said Jacqueline Ayers, vice president for government relations and public policy at Planned Parenthood. “They’re being very specific¹⁶ on how our rights are under attack, how access to abortion is being undermined in this country, and putting forth plans to protect and expand rights.”

1、 Democrat：民主黨人、民主主義者

2、 Rare：稀有的、珍貴的

3、 Offend：進攻、犯罪

4、 Coalesce：聯合、合併(mix together different elements)在此用共識較適合。

5、 Agenda：議程、日程

6、 Shift：變化

7、 Codify：organize into a code or system

8、 Repeal：the act of abrogating；an official or legal cancellation；cancel officially

9、 Referral：轉診病人、參照、推薦

10、 Explicit：precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable

11、 Pledge：a deposit of personal property as security for a debt；someone accepted for membership but not yet fully admitted to the group

12、 Counter：table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted

13、 Ambivalence：mixed feelings or emotions

14、 Full-throated：全力以赴

15、 Pro：贊成an argument in favor of a proposal；反義字為con；pro and con 爭論

16、 Specific：sometimes followed by “to” applying to or characterized by or distinguish something particular or special or unique