From Thomas Reese, SJ .... nothing new.

Over at Busted Halo Fr. Thomas Reese, SJ succeeded in fooling me into excitement for about as long as it took me to read beyond the first line of his article "Something New in the Abortion Debate":

"After decades of debate over abortion, something new has occurred this year."

Unfortunately, what follows is a catalogue of the old. AmP readers have already seen me respond to each and every argument Reese proposes, because Reese simply repeats what has already been offered by the Catholic pro-Obama advocates.

A brief highlight reel:

"after many years of insisting that abortion be legal and safe, the Democrats are finally emphasizing that it should be rare"

Nope: they actually removed that language (and added a promise to fund all abortions sought).

"The traditional pro-life strategy has been to try to make abortion illegal."

Nope - this is a falseminimilization of the comprehensive pro-life movement (see: Amy Welborn).

"A small group of Catholic pro-lifers, exemplified by Douglas Kmiec and Nicholas Cafardi, has concluded that criminalization is a failed strategy.

Nope - the bishops disagree.

"[they say]the most successful strategy to actually reduce the number of abortions is to vote for Democratic candidates."

Nope - and *blech* - prove it. You can start by responding to this.

"there is no difference between the positions of McCain and Obama on stem cell research and gay marriage."

Nope - McCain is certainly different on the question of embryonic stem cell research.

"they are a small minority among bishops since there are over 180 other dioceses where Biden is welcomed to go to Communion."

Nope - outright denying Communion, maybe, not speaking out against Biden? Plenty.

At this point Reese actually switches over to quoting Catholic pro-Obama websites. I guess we can conclude that he identifies and supports their arguments. But at least he has the honesty to say:

"If the Democrats do not deliver, the pragmatic pro-lifers [what Reese calls himself] will be left out on a limb."

But, let it be noted, it's not just Reese & Co. who will be left out on a limb if the "democrats do not deliver" - it will be hundreds of thousands of children cut off from the tree of life.

That, too - sadly - is nothing new.