Jessica - having had covid recently, please let yourself rest. My energy went down a lot at first. Then when it seemed to get a little better, I tried to do too much too fast. It just took time, frustrating as it was to sit around.
- If Alabama is the future of America, then we should all just ask to join Canada now. Alabama: First only in the alphabet.
- Yes fetal 'personhood' is confusing to say the least. If a puddle in your driveway was subject to the same environmental laws and monitoring as the nation's rivers and lakes, that would be f*cked up, right?
- I think Wisconsin would be a good (or at least interesting) test case for what happens, in practice, if you break the anti-abortion laws, since our law is accidental and the governor and attorney general are firmly against it. Hopefully we flip the open state supreme court seat in April, giving Democrats a majority for the first time in a long time, and by the end of the year maybe the court can rule that bodily autonomy is covered under equal protection (not a lawyer but imo that's logically the best argument because those provisions were put into constitutions in response to slavery).
Hmm ... Dan Patrick has selective memory. I guess he forgot all about the trigger ban HB 1280 that was passed by the very Republican-controlled TX Legislature in June 2021. It doesn't contain any rape exceptions ...
Sure, Dan. Blame it on the Democrats. Nobody is believing that.
It's always ridiculous how often Republicans try to use the fact that Democrats were the bad guys in the civil war, against the party today, bringing up ancient events (like the old abortion laws). They especially like to do this on race-related issues, and, yes, only their delusional hardcore base is buying it.
I am much less sanguine about the prospects of more pro-choice state constitution amendments "changing the game" because (as you noted) now that Republicans/anti-choice zealots have realized that they are going to lose these battles, they are simply going to change the rules so that no matter what, they never lose (eg., by changing the threshold for success from 50% to 60%, etc.). It's just so damned depressing..................
I think one of the problems on our side is that we expect corporations and politicians to automatically do the right thing because they are supposed to but the far right know to pressure businesses and politicians that are not necessarily far right but don’t want public demonstrations or the “controversy” that surrounds abortion. We need to do the same thing and the I feel the big prochoice organizations don’t organize around that like planned parenthood and naral, more focused on legal fights and electing politicians which has not worked out well for our side. Not to abandon those but we need a different strategy at this point. Also don’t understand why naral and planned parenthood don’t fund work like yours (particularly locally and what to do, other then make a donation) and I say this as a donor to both.
Yes exactly!!! The other side doesn't win because they have numbers or even money, but because they make full use of their 1st Amendment rights (which a lot of Americans may agree go too far but anyway). Not being willing to get down and dirty with the other side has cost liberals and progressives over the past several years, and perhaps nowhere more so than on this fundamental issue of bodily autonomy as a basic right.
Hi Grace - thank you!
Jessica - having had covid recently, please let yourself rest. My energy went down a lot at first. Then when it seemed to get a little better, I tried to do too much too fast. It just took time, frustrating as it was to sit around.
Jessica,
Please take care of yourself as you heal. There will be plenty of horrible news after that!
Paula, a subscriber
As much as I like your recordings, would rather you rest up and beat this Covid into the ground. Take care and pamper yourself.
Welcome, Grace. Feel better, Jessica! Sorry you were once again not credited for your work.
Hi Grace!
- If Alabama is the future of America, then we should all just ask to join Canada now. Alabama: First only in the alphabet.
- Yes fetal 'personhood' is confusing to say the least. If a puddle in your driveway was subject to the same environmental laws and monitoring as the nation's rivers and lakes, that would be f*cked up, right?
- I think Wisconsin would be a good (or at least interesting) test case for what happens, in practice, if you break the anti-abortion laws, since our law is accidental and the governor and attorney general are firmly against it. Hopefully we flip the open state supreme court seat in April, giving Democrats a majority for the first time in a long time, and by the end of the year maybe the court can rule that bodily autonomy is covered under equal protection (not a lawyer but imo that's logically the best argument because those provisions were put into constitutions in response to slavery).
Yay Oblong Books!! We love to see it ❤️
Hmm ... Dan Patrick has selective memory. I guess he forgot all about the trigger ban HB 1280 that was passed by the very Republican-controlled TX Legislature in June 2021. It doesn't contain any rape exceptions ...
Sure, Dan. Blame it on the Democrats. Nobody is believing that.
It's always ridiculous how often Republicans try to use the fact that Democrats were the bad guys in the civil war, against the party today, bringing up ancient events (like the old abortion laws). They especially like to do this on race-related issues, and, yes, only their delusional hardcore base is buying it.
I am much less sanguine about the prospects of more pro-choice state constitution amendments "changing the game" because (as you noted) now that Republicans/anti-choice zealots have realized that they are going to lose these battles, they are simply going to change the rules so that no matter what, they never lose (eg., by changing the threshold for success from 50% to 60%, etc.). It's just so damned depressing..................
Yes it depends on how easy it is to change those rules, which will vary by state. Still have to throw every tool we have at them.
I think one of the problems on our side is that we expect corporations and politicians to automatically do the right thing because they are supposed to but the far right know to pressure businesses and politicians that are not necessarily far right but don’t want public demonstrations or the “controversy” that surrounds abortion. We need to do the same thing and the I feel the big prochoice organizations don’t organize around that like planned parenthood and naral, more focused on legal fights and electing politicians which has not worked out well for our side. Not to abandon those but we need a different strategy at this point. Also don’t understand why naral and planned parenthood don’t fund work like yours (particularly locally and what to do, other then make a donation) and I say this as a donor to both.
Yes exactly!!! The other side doesn't win because they have numbers or even money, but because they make full use of their 1st Amendment rights (which a lot of Americans may agree go too far but anyway). Not being willing to get down and dirty with the other side has cost liberals and progressives over the past several years, and perhaps nowhere more so than on this fundamental issue of bodily autonomy as a basic right.