In the states…
Republicans in Ohio are one step closer to making it harder for voters to support abortion rights. Today, the Ohio House committee advanced a resolution that would raise the percent of votes needed for a ballot measure to change the state constitution from a simple majority of 50% to 60%. The committee also moved another bill forward that would eliminate August special elections, among other changes aimed to limit voter rights.
I’m sure the timing of this move by Ohio Republicans has nothing to do with the fact that a group of doctors announced today that they’re moving forward with their plan to get abortion rights on the ballot. Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, a group of more than 1,400 doctors in the state who organized after Roe was overturned, is in the process of preparing ballot measure language. Executive director Dr. Lauren Beene said, “As physicians we cannot stand by idly as unjust court decisions and extreme laws put our patients and our ability to practice medicine at risk.”
Only 12% of people in Texas think there should be a total abortion ban like the one currently enacted in their state. That’s why state Rep. James Talarico is trying to get the issue in front of voters. The Democratic lawmaker filed a joint resolution that would amend the state’s constitution to stop politicians from legislating abortion. Talarico’s efforts aren’t likely to go anywhere, unfortunately, because his resolution would need to be passed by the (Republican-controlled) legislature by a two-thirds majority before it went to voters as a ballot measure. Talarico knows as much, and says his hope is to open the conversation about empowering voters over politicians:
“[This] is not necessarily a pro-choice or an anti-choice bill. It takes the authority out of our hands and gives it directly to the people that we serve and represent, and I’m hoping that that idea will start to gain traction amongst all my colleagues in this building.”
Also in Texas, an El Paso woman talks about how she breaks the state law to send abortion medication to those who need it. Ruth, who didn’t give her real name for obvious reasons, said she became even more pro-choice after she had a high-risk pregnancy that almost killed her. After Roe was overturned, she started working with organizers to mail out ‘care kits’, despite the risk to her own freedom: “There are those of us who are willing to risk breaking the law to make sure women still can exercise their rights as human beings.” Thank you, Ruth.
Arkansas State Sen. Greg Leding told a local television reporter that he wants to add exceptions into the state’s extreme abortion ban (which currently has no allowances for victims of rape and incest, and no exception for women’s health):
Moves to ban abortion in small towns in pro-choice states continue on, this time in Pueblo, Colorado. Pueblo’s council will vote on an ordinance today that would make the town a “sanctuary city for the unborn” despite state laws protecting abortion rights. As I’ve been writing these last few months, this is part of a broader strategy to cause a chilling effect on those seeking or providing abortions, and to upend the will of voters in pro-choice states.
In Maryland, Democrats are looking to pass a package of bills to further protect and expand abortion rights in the state—including a proposed constitutional amendment. Delegate Ariana Kelly said, “We can’t control the federal government but we can make sure Marylanders have constitutional protections at the state level.”
Okay this is A+ trolling. A New York lawmaker says that if Texas can allow private citizens to sue over abortions, New Yorkers should be able to sue over being harmed by climate change. Brooklyn Sen. Zellnor Myrie says, “New Yorkers have died from climate incidents that could have been prevented…I think it’s time to approach the fossil industry with the same level of accountability.”
Quick hits:
Love this op-ed out of Iowa about the hypocrisy of the term ‘pro-life’;
The New York Times has a guest essay about Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s winning strategy (that included being unapologetically pro-choice!);
High school students in Pennsylvania and beyond are taking schools in anti-choice states off their prospective college lists;
and Virginia Republicans are going to try to ban abortion in the state despite their very poor odds for success.
In the nation…
I wrote in my column last week that we need to stop debating abortion, not only because it’s fucking degrading to try to convince someone of your own humanity—but because abortion rights are popular! If you need any more proof of that, this headline from The New York Times really says it all:
Democrats want to mobilize voters while conservatives are obsessively trying to keep the issue out of voters’ hands. They know their only chance for success is to work against what Americans want.
Meanwhile, in a radio appearance this weekend, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said that abortion “was probably a bigger factor than a lot of people thought.” Ya think?? Her recommendation to fellow conservatives was to stop running from the issue: “We can’t just do an ostrich method and pretend that it doesn’t exist when Democrats are spending $30 million on that message.” For once, I agree! I would love for more Republicans to talk about exactly what they want to do about abortion rights. Let the voters hear it!
Quick hits:
USA Today on the conservative efforts to restrict or outright ban medication abortion, which accounts for over half of the abortions in the U.S.;
A reminder that more than half of the people who take the arthritis drug methotrexate have experienced problems getting their prescriptions filled because of anti-abortion laws;
and Nature looks at how anti-abortion laws are impacting international students’ decisions on whether or not to study in the U.S..
Listen up…
KQED, the Bay Area’s public radio station, has a segment on how those who live in rural California may have legal access to abortion—but they have to travel hundreds of miles to actually obtain one. A good reminder that something being legal doesn’t mean it’s accessible.
I told you last week about the bill introduced by Sen. Tammy Baldwin that would provide federal funds for people who need to travel out-of-state for abortions. It’s unlikely to go anywhere, but this is the kind of pro-active legislation we’re looking for—Wisconsin Public Radio has a (very) short segment about it if you’d like to listen.
What conservatives are saying…
They’re still mad about the Associated Press updating their guidelines on how journalists should cover abortion, and what words they should use to be as accurate as possible. Last week, I did a TikTok about why they’re so pissed—and why the change is so important:
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Keep an eye on…
Pieces like this from the left and the right urging decorum on ‘controversial’ issues. It’s not that I expect anything different from places like The Washington Post, but this kind of obsession with politeness is just downright dangerous. You do not have to be polite to someone who doesn’t see you as a full human being. You do not have to avoid ‘inflammatory’ language. And like I wrote last week—you don’t have to talk to these people at all! Here’s a quick enraged Twitter thread about the article from yours truly:
You love to see it…
Actress Jessica Chastain is doing publicity for her new role as country singer Tammy Wynette, and I’m grateful that she’s using the opportunity to plug reproductive rights. From an interview with Chastain at The Guardian:
“The problem is that my mom, my grandmother and all the women in my family were pregnant when they were 17, because they were never given that choice. Birth control is expensive. And they couldn’t rely on men to do their part, to be responsible. So it’s very important to me that women have access to contraceptives and freedom over that. Because I know a lot of people are freaked out when women decide not to have children. But I think that’s great!”
Naturally, anti-abortion groups are attacking her over the (relatively tame!) comments.
On the international front, did you know that France makes birth control—now including condoms—free for people 18-25 years old? We need something like this here desperately.
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