76 Comments

The laws being discussed (or implemented) regarding restrictions of movement across state lines and definitely restrictions on Freedom of Speech don’t seem to be a huge RED FLAG to others legally like the ACLU or the AMA or even the legislatures that are passing this “shit”. Maybe because I came of age in the 70ies - I don’t get it. And to tell a PARENT that they are “trafficking” their daughter to get her an abortion. FU It was the large number of FATHERS who swung Michigan Blue in 2022 and passed our Reproductive Rights legislation. Don’t tell father’s or husband’s that they can’t protect their women. There are men who will kill about that. I am with one.

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I live in Louisiana. I am not a medical professional. But as a patient, we are affected too. I moved to Louisiana in 2010, and at that time, I had to go to three different doctors before finding one that would prescribe birth control. That was then….

After Dobbs, I’ve been too afraid to go to any OBGYNs. I’m a 40 year old woman, I NEED to go, but it’s impossible to know who would try to give me actual medical care, and who would let their anti choice beliefs take priority over my care. (I now order birth control online, mailed to me from out of state.)

Neither my state nor federal representatives or senators will listen to our demands for our rights and are very proud of their support for “pro life” legislation. In fact, my representative co-authored the Born Alive Bill.

I have no representation. So, I decided to run for office to change that.

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Good luck with your campaign. Please keep us posted. And please try to find a gyn or maybe internist or family practice doctor. You need to take care of your health.

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Way to go! Good luck!

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Thank you!

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I am 73 years old. I already fought all these battles in the 60s and 70s. I am horrified at what is facing us in 2024. I've lived through making these heartbreaking personal choices for myself and others. I've lived through the choices heartbreakingly made by a close friend who desperately wanted her pregnancy, but the baby died in her womb. I cannot fathom the misery of facing those choices without the privacy of OBGYN care being honestly and compassionately given to my friend. Who went on to give birth to her second child, living in a sane state,, because the choices of her and her family were respected. This is lunacy, this is cruelty. This is, in my opinion, manslaughter of women. These states who refuse to give prenatal care to women until they die for the cruel choices of male politicians, is unconscionable. I have a very limited budget; but today, I decided to pay for a subscription, despite its effect on my life. Because this issue is not just about reproductive health care, but about how our government chooses to prioritize human life and privacy, when making life-changing and heartbreaking decisions. Thank you, Jessica, for all the work that you do.

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Who did not see this coming? Really.

Crystal clear to those with eyes to see. I assume the MAGAts consider doctors and patients collateral damage. This is on you McConnell. And you, effing Jill Stein. And all those who stayed home in 2016 because “I don’t like Hillary”. It was always about the SCOTUS you morons. We tried to tell you, but “Oh those emails.” If you didn’t vote for Clinton in 2016, you own this.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

Agree 100% and more. Let us not forget what Bernie did and the fracture it caused on the Dem side. He tried to do it again in 2020 and lucky for us, we were smarter and Biden stepped in. This time I am worried about the Gaza protesters - saw an Arab origin woman saying on MSNBC that they will not vote for Biden. She said they won't vote for trump either but what does she think will happen? Somebody needs to talk to this group to be smarter because a second Biden term might in fact get them what they want, a Palestinian state. Unlike previous elections, there is so much riding on this for trump, and his partners Putin, Iranians, Netanyahu, Saudis, Xi all of whom want trump and are ready to interfere using the gift that keeps on giving, social media and manufactured civil and international unrest. I will never stop shouting about how important this election is for the Democrats to win the H, the S, and the WH.

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Feb 3·edited Feb 3

It gets worse. See this piece about Michigan. https://wapo.st/3w27sn2

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Yep. They can easily prop up trump by shaving off a few points from Biden.

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Agree completely. The “I won’t vote for Biden because of Gaza” is the 2024 “Oh her emails”.

The Gaza/Israel situation is awful. And I pray a fair peace is obtained and soon. I trust Biden/Harris to achieve that goal a trillion times more than I would trust Trump/whoever.

Bottom line at this point:

If you don’t vote for Biden/Harris, you are voting for Trump and you will own what comes.

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Dumb politicians shooting themselves in the foot. All the women who are now forced to remain pregnant and give birth are not going to be able to access the care that they need.

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Everyone needs to read this. Thank you..

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“Is a 5% risk of death enough? Does it take 20%? Does it take 50%? What is enough legally?”

Potent comment among many others as well.

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I live in Idaho. Maternal care deserts are spreading all over the state, for obvious reasons. What I have yet to see but I'd bet the rent there is evidence for is how much this is affecting other doctors and other branches of medicine. It must have a ripple effect.

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Yep. It is causing concerns among non-OBGyn docs. Especially for ER docs. And for young doctors of any specialty, they or their spouse may be considering starting a family. If I were in that situation I would not choose to start my career in a no -choice state. Period. There are plenty of jobs in pro choice states.

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That's what I have suspected. What a tragedy for folks in states like mine (Idaho).

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It is a tragedy. And one that was preventable. I take no joy in the ripple effect that is creating healthcare deserts.

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Ripple effect is an excellent point.

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These laws ARE unconscionable. I don't know how you do it, Jessica, swimming in this fetid swamp every day, and stay sane or happy. All these ignorant laws and all this human suffering makes my blood boil.

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Another great and therefore very disturbing article. We must vote ourselves back into health and sanity.

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Doctors being forced to go against their Hippocratic oath. We are living in a total dystopia.

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Addenda at the end an excellent idea.

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Good Jessica/ Grace article 👏. Good JAMA article 👏.

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Feb 1·edited Feb 1

Barbarians' wishes are going according to plan, right? Everybody and anybody who is decent, ethical, and human is afraid and that is their goal -- doctors, patients, and people in general and at large, everybody is afraid. What the hell is going on and why aren't there any visible and visceral outrage everywhere?

While this is going on, there are tweets to the effect that trump can muster 46% and that he is looking at Biden losing 2-3% to third party vote, end result of that being that trump can still cobble together electoral college. In what universe, people can still make these calculations and have him as nominee and then imagine him winning?

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The universe in which Americans don't care about other Americans but only themselves. We're going to find out which universe is ours and which is the parallel one.

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This info needs to be front page news.

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in screaming big bold letters to be seen from a mile... Media as arbiters of truth and right versus wrong, has not helped us.

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Love the resource list at he end. I hadn’t noticed it before

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I think it started yesterday with 4 and today, 6.

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