ABSTRACT
Most treatments of abortion devote some attention to the historical dimensions of the issue. Advocates of both pro-life and pro-choice policies often argue that abortion has been viewed in a consistent manner throughout history but that many changes constitute a sharp departure from the past. Thus, pro-life advocates have argued that the Supreme Court has unearthed novel constitutional rights in the Roe decision. A different kind of historical perspective may provide some insight as to the possible impact an ongoing debate on abortion may have for the practice of politics in the United States. A series of comparisons between the contemporary debate about abortion and other political issues may illuminate the possible implications of the abortion issue. A useful starting point in a general discussion of abortion politics may be to consider the possibility that abortion may not be an unusual issue at all. In American politics, the vast majority of controversial issues are ultimately settled in some manner.
