What if the Republicans, as opposed to the Dems, gave up their stance on abortion rights?

A small portion of the Republican base has become so vocal that the entire political framework of this country, tenuous as it is with a de facto two-party system, has developed a significant sub-plot of pro-life or pro-choice. If you totaled up the hours and dollars spent by proponents of both sides of the abortion debate, the number is quite conceivably in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

Democrats of late have been floating, within the party, the idea of abandoning abortion rights as a cornerstone of their platform. The thought being that if that many voters consider the abortion stance to be a defining quality for a candidate, one that can decide a swing voter or better yet, sway a determined Republican vote, then it's worth considering. I can't say I disagree, indeed with GWB receiving a windfall of two SCOTUS appointees, it seems likely it may go that way.

But my favorite thing to do when there's a controversy is to flip conventional wisdom and see what the result is. Conventional wisdom says that eventually - maybe not this year, but probably within 10 - abortion will be outlawed again. Let's flip it.

What if Republicans as a national coalition decided to drop the abortion debate? If in a highly publicized event similar to Newt's "Contract with America", the Republican leadership were to say "we will no longer be pursuing, as a core goal, the abolition of abortion rights. Instead we will devote our efforts to promoting states' rights and independence, reducing the size, scope and fiscal burden of our federal government, and ensuring the security of this country."

In a heartbeat, such a statement would fundamentally shift the political landscape of the United States. As we fight religious fundamentalists abroad, we would be saying to our own religious interests: "religious law is prosecuted within each community of faith, federal law represents a broader consensus." The separation of church and state would have a new milestone for future textbooks.

Particularly in a time where we are increasingly understanding that we are at war with a theology, we should take a long hard look in the mirror. Our founding fathers were very clear: religion, any religion, is an institution worth of our respect and reverence, but the diversity of faiths make it an ill-suited foundation for a just system of governance.