Last week, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon gave an interview in which she was asked whether a hypothetical 14-year-old incest victim should be required by law to carry a baby to term. I guess you could see it as a "gotchya" question, but she has a realistic chance to be our next governor and with these sorts of situations now being thrown back for states to decide, it seems within the realm of reason.
Her answer was basically, "Yes, absolutely." Which checks out because it is consistent with her platform and similar positions she has established on the subject. But sensing that she had perhaps said this with a little too much enthusiasm, she tried to walk it back some with, "A life is a life for me. That’s how it is … That’s my feeling."
For an individual citizen, I think that's fine, even laudable. But not for an elected official, especially a governor, integral to creating, approving, and prosecuting laws — actual laws that have actual consequences for actual people - I don't want "That's my feeling" to be an excuse for what my governor does.
John Auchter is a freelance political cartoonist. His views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Michigan Radio, its management, or its license holder, the University of Michigan.
