Barefoot. Pregnant. Divorced. It's the Real American way

That seems to be what Ross Douthat is saying.

Whether it’s attainable for most Americans or not, the “blue family” model clearly works: it leads to marital success and material prosperity, and it’s well suited to our mobile, globalized society.

By comparison, the “red family” model can look dysfunctional — an uneasy mix of rigor and permissiveness, whose ideals don’t always match up with the facts of contemporary life.

But it reflects something else as well: an attempt, however compromised, to navigate post-sexual revolution America without relying on abortion.

In fairness, Ross does elude to the "practical" as well as "moral" challenges abortion poses in those states. Because commentor-par-excellence, R Porrafatto, does the research.

Over all, the abortion rate is twice as high in New York as in Texas and three times as high in Massachusetts as in Utah.

Obviously a follower of David Brooks Statistical Method: The Power of Selective Facts and Even More Selective Comparisons.

Gee, let’s see what happens if, instead of comparing Massachusetts to the small Mormon enclave of Utah, we compare it to red-state Texas.

In 2005, 85,760 women obtained abortions in Texas, producing a rate of 17.3 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age.

In 2005, 27,270 women obtained abortions in Massachusetts, producing a rate of 19.9 abortions per 1,000 women

Why, that’s pretty damn close — no multiples there. Gee, I wonder how MA compares to the U.S. as a whole:

In 2005, 1.2 million American women obtained abortions, producing a rate of 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age.

Gosh, that’s practically identical to the national rate. So much for liberal baby-killin’.

And here are a few other little comparisons Brookshat oddly ommitted:

In 2005:
14% of Massachusetts counties had no abortion provider
93% of Texas counties had no abortion provider.
93% of Utah counties had no abortion provider
There were 6 abortion providers in Utah.
There were 45 abortion providers in Massachusetts

Can’t for the life of me figure out why he’d leave all this stuff out

Ross has been on this beat a long time, but really, make him stop.

From Ross Douthat, Privilege, bottom of p. 184: One successful foray ended on the guest bed of a high school friend's parents, with a girl who resembled a chunkier Reese Witherspoon drunkenly masticating my neck and cheeks. It had taken some time to reach this point--"Do most Harvard guys take so long to get what they want?" she had asked, pushing her tongue into my mouth. I wasn't sure what to say, but then I wasn't sure this was what I wanted. My throat was dry from too much vodka, and her breasts, spilling out of pink pajamas, threatened my ability to. I was supposed to be excited, but I was bored and somewhat disgusted with myself, with her, with the whole business... and then whatever residual enthusiasm I felt for the venture dissipated, with shocking speed, as she nibbled at my ear and whispered--"You know, I'm on the pill..."

The dog whistle still works

Frankly, I expected some of the old, worn out cultural issues to fade even among Republicans as a new generation emerges. But no, even "a rising star" in the party plays teh gay card. Albeit quietly.

UPDATE: Oh yeah, how quickly we I forget.

Compromise

This is why calls for pro choice advocates to "compromise" with anti-abortionists is a fool's game.

Mr. Roeder also encountered Dave Leach, an anti-abortion activist from Des Moines whose publication, Prayer and Action News, had received articles from Mr. Roeder. Mr. Leach said Mr. Roeder had presented strong anti-government views (he believed the government tracked money, Mr. Leach recalled, and offered his own method to “remove the magnetic strip from a five-dollar bill”) and views similar to Mr. Leach’s own on abortion. “To call this a crime is too simplistic,” Mr. Leach said of Dr. Tiller’s death.

I don't sense much area for compromise with that sentiment.

Amateurs

A timely reminder of how important it is to have access to reliable health care providers.

DADT

As careful readers of this blogathon may remember, making hot button culture war issues a priority early in the administration is not something I espouse, since I remember my history. Nevertheless, repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Clinton's ridiculous compromise that almost derailed his administration before the paint was even dry, continues to bubble about in the background. So, I was wondering, what does the retention of Robert Gates as SecDef do to make it happen?