The pro-life movement is at a crossroads. Nearly two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, activists continue to demand that Congress pass a national abortion ban — a policy that has no chance of passing on its own, especially after widespread outrage over Arizona’s reinstatement of an 1864 abortion ban.
We can either continue to advocate that failed strategy, or we can try something that may work. Those of us who care about saving unborn lives and protecting mothers should support a political exchange, giving politicians who support abortion something they want in exchange for the pro-life progress we want.
The abortion debate cannot be separated from America’s red-versus-blue political divide, with Republicans broadly supporting abortion restrictions and Democrats demanding abortion on demand. Since Congress is almost evenly divided, the only way to pass anything is by giving both parties a political victory.
Pro-life Republicans have never taken this approach. Instead, they’ve introduced stand-alone legislation. That includes Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children bill, which would outlaw abortion after 15 weeks, and Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and........