"I have zero moral qualms about abortion. I just don't see any issue for one simple reason: there is no consciousness being eliminated."

Yeah, here's the sticky point for me and I think most people who are pro-choice but also kind of centrist on the issue. I completely agree with you that the issue of murder is about consciousness rather than the species. But consciousness is a pretty slippery concept.

I think most people would agree that a baby is conscious. And most would equally agree that a fertilised egg isn't. Something mysterious happens between those two points and I've never heard a good answer as to *when* it happens.

Morally speaking, I'd like to err on the side of "definitely not conscious" side of things (which is why I have no qualms about dismissing the "5 minutes before birth" people). But alongside that, I want there to be as much leeway as possible for women to control their destinies and their bodies.

Again, the frustrating thing is that Roe had all of this pretty well balanced in my opinion.