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BombshellWashington is full of the word “political” but it’s not often used. The report by Politico Monday night merits your attention.
Leaked drafts of rulings that would reverse two historic cases, effectively making abortion legal in America, landed like an explosive device. It exploded both Washington’s midterm elections as well as the political agendas.
The initial 98-page ruling leaves little room for nuance: “We hold that RoeAnd Casey must be overruled,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote of the nearly 50-year-old ruling and its follow-up. Assuming PoliticoThe leak has been declared dead-to-rights by at least half of the judges. This ruling would not only lead to an outright ban on abortion in any more than 12 states, but also make it clear that the majority of justices will be willing to tear a Band-Aid right from American politics. The ruling could lead to changes to the laws governing contraception and marriage.
All of this would only happen if that ruling was actually where the court is headed. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed Tuesday the authenticity of the draft. This is a statement about how serious the leak has affected Washington. But he added that it did not represent the court’s final decision.
With that uncertainty and a sliding abacusof nuance, the political parties struggled to determine the implications of the election and how they would affect the electorate.
Democrats rushed to label Republicans the party of pro-abortion extremists immediately. They immediately went into full-strength mode and fundraising emails flood the inboxes donors and activists. Strategists, who were concerned about the lack of interest in the presidential race saw potential to connect with unreliable voters to help stave off any Democratic losses. The Democrats did not have a single answer for a post-election Democratic challenge.RoeThe Senate does not have 60 votes and the Senate seems unwilling to modify the rules in order to be able to govern with a mere 51 vote. There is still the possibility that Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, a Democratic senator from Illinois, could drag his party onto this topic.
Republicans looked for ways to manage their latent joy and face the challenges of dealing with a new-found Democratic opposition. As a means to poke their own base, the GOP fully embraces a return of the culture wars. This is a way for them to fan discontent about what schools teach children. It also lays the groundwork for anti-LGBTQ policies as well as tighter restrictions on abortion access. However, a complete reverse of federal protections for abortion rights might be too much for some people and cause a reactionary panic. There are two moms with moderate views who long believed that their reproductive rights had been protected from all the madness going on over critical race theory.
Admittedly, both parties were bracing for a potentially seismic shift in the election season whenever the court’s ruling on the Mississippi abortion law came down this summer. But Politico’s leak shocked many into action earlier than expected.
In Ohio, the first test may be happening in real-time. Republicans will face fierce primary competition on Tuesday in order to determine who is going to win in the race for the nomination in an election that follows retiring Senator. Rob Portman is a Republican establishment member. Nearly $70million has already been spent in ads for the GOP primaries, which is the most costly race of the year so far. Former President Donald Trump’s endorsement buoyed support for author and investor J.D. Vance seemed to deflate rivals Josh Mandel and Mike Gibbons’ hopes. The state’s powerful Ohio Right to Life lined-up with Vance but also offered praise for the other three candidates who each scored a 100% rating on the group’s scorecard.
But those candidates are also contending with a late insurgent rise of Matt Dolan, a state senator whose family owns the Cleveland Guardians, and who has openly questioned the GOP’s fealty to Trump. Dolan’s relative moderation on abortion rights — he sided with Republican Gov. John Kasich’s veto of a bill that could have banned abortion as early as eight weeks — may play a stronger-than-expected role in the Republican primary’s final hours. Kasich however signed a bill that prohibited most abortions within 12 weeks, and did not allow for incest or rape. The law was struck down by a federal judge and Ohio abortions are now allowed up to the mid-20th week.
Pollsters are consistently being told year-round by pollsters from focus groups that abortion is an animating issue for a very small portion of the parties. Both parties have been able to use predictable rhetoric with no real results. (The notable exceptions, of course, come when candidates stray beyond the staid mainline postures, as was the case in 2012, when Republicans candidates like Rep. Todd Akin drew widespread scorn for rhetoric on “legitimate rape” and pregnancy.)
Americans desire to see by a nearly 2-to-1 margin. RoeABC News-Washington report states that the upholding of this agreement has been confirmed PostA poll conducted last week found that a large majority support abortion rights. About seven out of 10 Americans believe the decision should be taken by doctors and the pregnant woman, while only four percent say that the law should govern this decision.
The poll shows that the political divide is still evident with 75% telling ABC-TV they are Democrats.PostAccording to pollsters Roe Should be left alone, with 44% of Republicans stating it should be overturned. But among the biggest bloc of voters — the 40% who identify as independents — 53% say Roeshould not be altered.
In Gallup polling, moderate voters who describe themselves as “pro-choice” enjoy an 18-point advantage over those who say they’re “pro-life.”
These numbers have, in general, remained stable over the years. It’s not as if voters are just now discovering the medical and ethical issues embedded in the conversation around abortion. But, perhaps instructively, American opinion on same-sex marriage swung rapidly and wildly when the Supreme Court legalized such unions — and could find a corresponding shift if a long-assumed right to abortion was suddenly stripped.
The Supreme Court usually closes its docket in late June or early July. A decision that has been overturned RoeIt could also reenergize pro-abortion foes who have been seeking this moment since 1970. But it also could spark widespread liberal outrage — not only among those who view abortion access as a leading issue, but a broader group of voters wary of what could come next from the 6-3 conservative court. A return to the culture warfares could alienate many voters, especially in suburban areas, where party control is often at the margins.
The Washington debate would, however, not be the end of it. It would not be the end of Roe would force every state to work out far more granular positions on abortion rights for their constituents, which could take the conversation from one largely seen as defined by Washington and turn it into a fight in every voter’s backyard. Governors and local officials may have to decide when and under which circumstances pregnant individuals are allowed to access abortion. It could turn the nation’s politics into chaos. It is important that even state and local political parties pay attention to the Supreme Court draft.
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