apparently the bishops dont remember the days before roe v wade when women were getting abortions illegally by dr butcher found in back alleys bleeding or even dead !!! it was pretty bad. there were even stories of how doctors used non sterile instruments and even coat hangers!!! us oldies remember!! and of those out there are opposing a womans right to choose most of them shop at walmart kmart etc buying goods made in china a country that has FORCED abortions because of over population only 1 child per family thats the law!!!! UH OH I SMELL HYPOCRITES LOL

I agree with paul, above.
moreover, as mr waldman mentioned a few days ago, our “grade” — 29th, worldwide — on infant mortality — is not only a national disgrace it is, in a sense, a sort of proxy of abortion.
isn’t it hypocritical to be so “moral” about abortion, and so “immoral” about infant mortality? not sure about how the numbers compare, but would not be surprised if infant mortality rates exceeded abortion rates.
how do we change infant mortality rates? answer: with universal health care.
but universal health care seems to be anathema to the those against abortion. citation: in their last debate, mccain asks “why are people who support abortion so concerned about the health of the mother?”
among the roe vs wade supporters, the counterpart argument is that anti-abortion groups show concern for the birth, but no concern for the baby after it is born, i.e., appropriate health care for its proper development.

50 Bishops say that Catholics should vote solely on the abortion issue. Funny…I wonder how many of those Bishops were themselves pedophiles or knowingly covered for pedophiles?
Catholic Bishops should remove the logs from their own eyes first, then maybe they will have the authority to speak to how others should view issues.

I wonder how many of those Bishops have come out against McCain for supporting the death penalty and the war in iraq?
I’m pro-life but this double standard drives me insane.
I read the article, and I have to say I am relieved to see statements like this one:
Speaking to The Washington Post, Bishop Gabino Zavala, auxiliary in Los Angeles, said: “There are many other issues we need to bring up,” and listed “racism, torture, genocide, immigration, war and the impact of the economic downturn on the most vulnerable among us”.
Or this one:
Bishop Terry Steib of Memphis:”We cannot be a one-issue people.” He continued: “I have received letters from well-meaning people telling me for whom I should vote and how I should inform parishioners regarding the candidates for whom they should or should not cast their ballot … It is not my duty, nor is it my role.”
Really, this whole thing drives me nuts. If we are going to respect the right to life we need to do it everywhere in all areas.

I’d like to also add this nugget: remember, O Bishops, that McCain was solidly pro-choice until he finally realized that he had no chance in hell as a Republican if he didn’t adjust his position on this issue. In fact, if you look at the following link, it’s quite laughable how he twists and turns to avoid saying anything *really* definitive about his *real* goals for Roe v. Wade:
http://www.ontheissues.org/Social/John_McCain_Abortion.htm
Since honesty and integrity are also virtues of the Christian faith, isn’t it problematic that McCain has constantly tried to weasel his way around a real stance on this issue, and isn’t it likely that he is just saying what the Religious Right wants to hear so that he can get their vote? Is that kind of man worth standing up for?
So the position of these Catholic bishops is just another reason why not only am I voting for Obama, but I would never consider becoming a Catholic. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

This is not a discussion about McCain or anybody else, this is a discussion about unborn babies that have the right to live. We are nobody to cut a baby’s life for our own convenience. If you don’t want to get pregnant, then don’t have sex or do it when you are not fertil. __We have no moral anymore, we are killing babies like they are nothing. They cannot defend themselves, but they are alive and are God’s creatures. __But don’t forget that God is the owner of our lives and everything. He can take away everything from us if we don’t listen. He loves us very much, but we are hard heads children and we live like there is no life after this one. One day we will be in front of HIM and HE will ask us what we did with our lives and the lives of those babies that have the right to live.