Abortion: Yes or No?

Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by the removal of an embryo or fetus. The term abortion is typically only used in reference to induced abortions while spontaneous abortions are termed miscarriages. In the context of human pregnancies, there are two types of induced abortions. An abortion induced to preserve the health of the pregnant woman, terminate a pregnancy that would result in a child born with a fatal disorder or leave it with significantly disabled or selectively reduce the number of fetuses to lessen the heath risks involved in multiple births is called a therapeutic abortion. An abortion performed at the request of the pregnant woman for any other reason than maternal or fetal health is referred to as an elective abortion. 

In Australia, abortion is legal to protect the life and well-being of the woman. Currently the law states that it is primarily the decision of the pregnant women and there is no law in Australia that requires consent of the child's father. Also, except in Western Australia, no parental consent is required for a minor to undergo an abortion. 

In 2003 alone, 42 million abortions were performed worldwide and believe it or not; that was a decline from nearly 46 million in 1995.

Although my views steer away from induced elective abortions, in the case of one I strongly believe that the pregnant woman should have to notify or gain consent from significant other. For example a minor, her parents; a married woman, her husband; or any other, the biological father. Obviously many agree with me shown in the 2003 Gallup poll. In this US poll, 79% of males and 67% of females supported spousal notification.

Now I don't know about you but I am definitively pro-life rather than pro-choice. I strongly argue that a fetus is a human being and has the right to life. An elective abortion is, in my opinion, murder, and to inflict pain and death on a helpless human being is immoral and cruel. Many say that it's the pregnant woman's choice and her choice only but do you really believe that? Is it right to give one human being total freedom to decide the existence of another? If so, what other human beings does the pregnant woman have the freedom to terminate using common sense and choice? Is it just her children? Is she allowed to murder her eight year old daughter because she believes she can't care for it? 

I just don't understand how you could kill someone. Yes, someone, not something. Now I understand therapeutic abortions and a I completely support them. I don't at all think that it's immoral to terminate a pregnancy to preserve the health of the child or mother. But for personal, social, cosmetic reasons? It just doesn't cut it... not for me.

A person's a person no matter how small.

Miami Bay Election: Speech

In year nine political studies, we had to act out a political election. I ran for leadership in Miami Bay, a fictional suburb home to many middle-class working families and retired elders. Here is the speech I wrote.

Thank you for that enthusiastic welcome. It shows just how much you care about the future leadership of Miami Bay.

I stand before you today, not to persuade you or promise you unachievable goals but to tell you the truth. And the truth is that you, the people of Miami Bay deserve better. You deserve security, luxury and affordability. But most of all, you deserve certainty. Certainty of your jobs. Certainty that your children will be educated. Certainty of your safety. And certainty of your future.

My purpose today is this. I will not stand here and promise you millions of dollars or free taxes. But I will deliver my precise plans for the future of Miami Bay.

At present, our government is providing a satisfactory living environment for the residents on Miami Bay. But you deserve better. You deserve more educational opportunities. You are deprived of healthcare facilities. You are lacking security and safety.

The current government has heartlessly given up on areas such as Miami Bay but we, The Nationals have the ambition, the ideas and the energy for change.

Educational systems and facilities in Miami Bay are falling below standards. The rapidly increasing teacher shortage is depriving Miami Bay from basic education. The Nationals believe that every child is entitled to a qualified education. However, the current government believes there is nothing that can be done. We are willing to rise both primary and secondary teachers’ wages to increase education in Miami Bay. We will also provide government funding to increase the standards of local schools and provide better educational facilities such as learning resource centers and computers. We will also establish another local university to increase the constantly dropping number of students entering tertiary education.

However, education is sadly only one of the areas that the current government has neglected. Miami Bay is currently deprived of healthcare facilities. Time after time, politicians promise to repair the healthcare system, yet nothing is being done. Aged care facilities are unable to be accessed without extensive delays so elderly residents are stuck in hospital beds. This is not the place for them.

They should be transferred to a comfortable facility that is fully equip to their needs. Not only is this unfair for them, it’s unfair for those who desperately need hospital beds but are now forced onto long waiting lists.

My plan is to extract the money given to private healthcare in the community from the budget. As they are already well facilitated, we believe that the money should be put into healthcare that is more generally available. A portion of the funds previously given to private healthcare will provide funding to facilitate public aged care facilities.

We will further equip these facilities with the latest technology to accommodate the needs of every single elderly resident requiring the assistance of this facility. To ensure you are given an adequate amount of staff, we will provide financial incentives for doctors and nurses to work at your local aged care facility. However, we have more plans for healthcare in Miami Bay.

We believe that working families with young children deserve a place of medical reassurance. We intend to use another portion of our funds to establish a new public maternity and children’s hospital. Plans have been discussed to waive as many financial medical charges as possible. In term, this means only minimal payments are required for the use of this medical facility. The remaining money will be cut from the budget to decrease taxes.

Miami Bay can no longer be a good suburb. You can no longer settle for what you’ve been given. You can choose new leadership with fresh ideas and innovative plans. You can give everyone a fair go. You can vote for me, because together we will transform this community. Thank you.