ABORTION CROSSES POLITICAL BOUNDARIES

The politics of abortion have flared again with a rather silly exchange between U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft of Missouri and conservative pro-family activist Gary Bauer. Based on one interview, Ashcroft challenged Bauer's pro-life credentials and suggested he is insufficiently committed to the cause. Bauer retorted that as one who has fought pro-life battles for years, his credentials could hardly be questioned. The quarrel broke out as both men seek to line up campaign workers in Iowa, which has first-in-the-nation party caucuses for the 2000 presidential race.

It is regrettable that the badly decided case of Roe v. Wade nationalized the abortion issue back in 1973. Such issues are better dealt with by the elected representatives of the people who tend, in their halting manner, to smooth the rough edges of such matters in a search for imperfect but workable compromises. When allowed to work, such legislative compromises come far closer to reflecting the deliberate sense of the people than any judicial fiat.

In this regard, it is interesting to consider some facts from this year's balloting. Based on exit polls from California, a state we're constantly told is stoutly pro-choice, it appears the issue is a wash. Of the 25 percent of Californians for whom abortion is first among voting issues, you have the two extremes: 12 percent of Californians are strongly pro-choice. Thirteen percent are strongly pro-life in all circumstances. And the remaining majority is found somewhere in between.

Among pro-lifers are found liberals, conservatives and moderates, including millions of otherwise liberal Roman Catholics. Whatever disappointments Republicans suffered this year at the polls can't be laid off to abortion. If anything, committed pro-lifers are doubtless among the three million or so conservatives who stayed home on Nov. 3, contributing to that day's GOP disappointments.