Just to follow up on our post on Bernie Sanders’ plan to combat climate change by lifting the Mexico City policy and using U.S. taxpayer money to promote abortion in poor countries, even Jill Filipovic felt the need to call him out over what he said.
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Sanders flubbed this answer but here’s the thing: there is a relationship between population growth and climate change. Coercive reproductive policies, though, are simply wrong – even if there is a legit climate threat. Especially when we know giving women choices is a win-win. https://t.co/mdBzsnJ0OT
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) September 6, 2019
This is a political third rail on the left, for good reason (if only intruding on reproductive freedom was also stigmatized on the right). But we can be honest and say, yes, there is a relationship between climate change and population. AND it’s wrong to coerce repro choices.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) September 6, 2019
What we know is when women are given a whole set of tools to thrive, they do. That includes family planning, education, freedom from child and adolescent marriage, equal rights (including inheritance, land and divorce rights)
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) September 6, 2019
To be clear, Sanders didn’t suggest coercive policies (not even close). But people hear “population growth” and “climate” and assume (for legit reasons) even saying there’s a relationship worth discussing means we’re heading toward coercion or eugenics or a one-child policy.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) September 6, 2019
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Anyway, my point is that Sanders gave a very 1970s answer that fell flat. But a lot of the critiques of him are also short-sighted and not particularly reflective of the actual research and science on these questions. And that voluntary, widespread family planning is a win-win.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) September 6, 2019
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Related:
‘You’ve been cozying up to them!’ S.E. Cupp’s outrage over Bernie Sanders climate change/abortion admission rings HOLLOW https://t.co/vnGDc6NEyY
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) September 5, 2019
Bernie Sanders proposes taxpayer-financed abortions for poor countries to fight climate change https://t.co/xkYW7pHBhK
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) September 5, 2019