How might the constitutionalist philosophy affect the cultural conservatives strategy on abortion?
Most cultural conservatives believe that elective abortion is abhorrent, and that they must do what they can to eliminate the practice. A constitutionalist who likewise despises elective abortion would still insist that the federal government has no constitutional right to say anything about abortion, either for or against. A constitutionalist would probably agree, however, that a state’s penal code could deal with abortion. This is because the prevention of the shedding of innocent blood is a legitimate function of the local levels of government. Thus, the pro-life constitutionalist may often find him or herself in the awkward position of opposing a pending federal law that is popular with other pro-life conservatives.
