The mandate and responsibility to decide the legality of abortion should be invested and conducted at the state level because it would enable states to formulate, and enact policies, which would address the concerns, views, and rights of their citizens. Providing the leeway to decide the legality of abortion would provide an opportunity for the citizens of different states to articulate, discuss, and make judgment on whether their respective states should abolish or legalize abortion. At the state level, politicians and leaders interact with the public freely; an aspect that accords them chance to assess the peoples’ views on the legality of abortion (Ruth 89). This infers that state governments would ascertain legality of abortion depending on the views, and concerns, raised by their citizens, and not on the overall views raised at the national level. For instance, in case the public opposes legalization of abortion; the state government should formulate policies and laws, which convey and represent this view, and vice versa.
The move would also promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability, in the implementation of abortion laws, and policies. The state governments would mobilize resources to ensure that individuals and parties, which contravene any decision related to legality of abortion, are sanctioned accordingly, thus enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency. The state governments enjoy cordial relationship with the public, and this aspect would help state governments, identify and arrest individuals violating laws and policies, which focus on legality of abortion (McBride 56).
Legality of abortion can be decided at the national level, but this move would infringe rights of women as they would be denied a chance to express their views, and concerns on this matter, and interfere with efficiency, transparency and accountability. Unlike at the state level, national government would enact laws and policies, which are not premised on views and concerns of women from a particular state, but rather on the overall views of the public thus violating peoples’ rights. Based on this assertion, legality of abortion should be decided at the state level to protect interests and rights of the public, and enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in this matter.
Works cited
Ruth Landau. Third party assisted conception across cultures social, legal, and ethical perspectives. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004. Print.
McBride, Dorothy. Abortion in the United States: a reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2008. Print.
