He may not be talking about passing a federal abortion ban with that specific statement—but let’s not pretend the distinction matters.
If the federal government shuts down telemedicine and blocks the mailing of abortion medication nationwide, it effectively accomplishes the same thing for millions of women. Medication abortion now accounts for the majority of abortions in the United States. Eliminate access to pills by mail, and you’ve imposed a de facto national abortion ban for countless people, especially those living in states where clinics have already disappeared.
This is how extremists operate. They know “national abortion ban” polls terribly, so they pursue the same outcome through the Comstock Act, FDA interference, attacks on telemedicine, and restrictions on mailing medication. Different strategy. Same objective.
The anti-abortion movement doesn’t care what you call it. They care whether women can actually access abortion. And if they succeed in ending telemedicine abortion nationwide, the practical result will be exactly what they’ve wanted all along.
Anti abortion folks are used to Republican presidents before Trump (Reagan, Bush) campaigning as anti-abortion only to once in office, do incremental things for their “cause”. All of that changes with Dear Leader, the SCOTUS appointments, and Dobbs. These people will follow Dear Leader to the ends of the earth now no matter what he does or doesn’t do and he KNOWS that. That is why their tactic now is to record promises made. It’s all very desperate and pathetic.
There were so many errors of law in Politico’s article; beyond the fact that the phone conversation took place I struggle to understand how Politico okayed the article for publication. I keep thinking, what if this was anything but abortion — a different kind of healthcare procedure, something else that mattered to half the population? Would they be allowed to get away with such shoddy reporting? Blatant legal errors? No, no they wouldn’t.
You know, I do remember clocking that at some point and pushing it aside thinking “what’s left for me to read” but the last few months of bullshit their health desk has produced - I’m done. And their playbook is shitty too. Thank you for the reminder!
I am so sick of the influencer economy. It's just one more way we sacrifice progress to the wealthy elite who own our country. Sure, large influencer accounts might get paid, but the real money goes to the Tech Bros who own the platforms and their shareholders.
And we remain divided, segmented, and competing against each other for clicks and engagement instead of forming community, seeking collaboration opportunities, etc.
We will never beat authoritarianism by using the tools of authoritarianism. I understand we have to use them sometimes for promotion and such, because that is what's available now, but JFC, I wish more people would understand this. I don't monetize my socials. It's an integrity thing. I DO monetize my Substack, because like you, I offer something no one else is doing. We should not feel bad about asking to be paid for our labor in that way.
But making videos full of disinformation based on the news? It's making us dumber.
All this is to say: PLEASE READ INDEPENDENT, FACT-CHECKED, TRUSTED JOURNALISTS!!!!! :)
Someone who is a paid subscriber to Dean Blundell please tell him this. He is another one claiming that Blanche is ending abortion in all 50 states. I can't post my comment cause I'm not a paid subscriber of his.
Notice the lack of respect for the sovereignty of pro choice states. Louisiana wants to dictate how patients in places like CA and NY can get their mifepristone. A return to in person dispensing would leave women in many parts of pro choice states without any meaningful access to healthcare that the legislatures and voters of those states have declared to be a fundamental right
Both HAVING a child and raising one to adulthood is expensive, financially, mentally and socially. Unless the breadwinner makes enough money to afford what it takes, optimum child raising is not attainable. Most antis state that 'every fetus deserves a chance to be born'; so aborting it is murder. I suggest that's only the secondary reason. The real deep down unstated reason is that in a DICTATORSHIP, it is essential to keep the masses you want to control--powerless enough that they lack the means to fight back with. Those means are time and money==precisely what having more kids sucks up. WCN is ONE OF THE TOOLS necessary to SUPPORT A DICTATORSHIP. A heavily funded military and paramilitary (think ICE) is the other. Well, besides propagandized information outlets...
If Blanche is confirmed AG by a senate vote and Democrats win both House and Senate, but especially Senate he will be under the microscope from Senate Democrats, so he will have to watch his own back because big brother will be watching. He won’t be immune to impeachment if this is the case. For now, this is no doubt possible, but we all need to vote and remove as many MAGA politicians as we can in November.
Dobbs says no doctor in the state can perform the procedure (as per that state's particular ban). Telehealth prescription of pills does not violate that, so I struggle to understand how the antis can stop women from obtaining their inalienable rights by finding a provider out of state.
The antis ought to say what this is really about - control.
I believe it is what Dobbs says? (Dobbs has a lot to say, but it's the heart of it, no?) I'm not sure where you are coming from but according to Kaiser: Alabama's Human Life Protection Act makes performing an abortion a Class A felony, carrying a minimum prison sentence of ten years and a maximum sentence of 99 years — placing abortion in the same criminal category as murder and first-degree domestic violence. It's a criminal offense for a physician to perform an abortion in Alabama, full stop (with only narrow exceptions like saving the pregnant woman's life).
Since Dobbs, 12 states have enacted abortion bans, and 11 of those 12 impose criminal penalties on healthcare providers who perform abortions, with sentences ranging from a few months in prison to life sentences. All but two of those states — Arkansas and South Dakota — also set mandatory minimum sentences.
Also, it would be interesting to find out who leaked this audio. I always thought when Dobbs was leaked, it was actually leaked by someone anti-abortion in hopes that they could lock down justices to hold their stated positions. Basically, so they couldn’t later walk it back ;)
And Alito acting like he was the Scooby-doo kids, going to get to the bottom of it! I always figured he was the leaker, to one of his antiabortion-forced-birther goon group leaders.
It was private in the sense that the phone call wasn’t publicly advertised ahead of time; I think you had to be aware that it was happening. But it was public insofar as it was routed through the White House Faith Office, and that’s where it was posted on Monday night when I listened to it (I listened to it on the Intercessors’s YouTube and then turned it off). I don’t know when they took it down, but it didn’t seem like a leak to me; and the article didn’t tell us anything we don’t already know — it was just more propaganda.
But your point still stands, only I think it should be directed at Politico - I understand they’re not as neutral as I once believed, but what was the point of them rushing that article to publication the night before Todd’s confirmation vote? I think it has to do with what you said - making sure he cant walk it back now.
I think you may be underestimating Blanche’s intentions. He wants the Comstock Act enforced and Josh Hawley’s wife is arguing for just that. That would mean that birth control pills, IUD’s, condoms, etc., would not be able to be sent through the mail, including not being sent through the mail to doctor’s offices. Check out Thom Hartmann’s Substack today for details. https://thomhartmann.substack.com/p/is-todd-blanche-going-to-drop-the-791?r=itxt4&utm_medium=ios
Oh, I believe he'd love to enforce Comstock-- I don't know Trump would go for it, though. I mean, he's heading the DOJ rn, theoretically he could start enforcing it! Like Linda says below I think it's more likely that they go the FDA route
Any of it is possible, but I believe as Jessica stated they are more likely to pursue the FDA route as it gives them more “cover” if it’s backed by some pseudoscience study. Alito does love to give anti-abortion folks road maps to his preferred and/or pre-approved methods.
He may not be talking about passing a federal abortion ban with that specific statement—but let’s not pretend the distinction matters.
If the federal government shuts down telemedicine and blocks the mailing of abortion medication nationwide, it effectively accomplishes the same thing for millions of women. Medication abortion now accounts for the majority of abortions in the United States. Eliminate access to pills by mail, and you’ve imposed a de facto national abortion ban for countless people, especially those living in states where clinics have already disappeared.
This is how extremists operate. They know “national abortion ban” polls terribly, so they pursue the same outcome through the Comstock Act, FDA interference, attacks on telemedicine, and restrictions on mailing medication. Different strategy. Same objective.
The anti-abortion movement doesn’t care what you call it. They care whether women can actually access abortion. And if they succeed in ending telemedicine abortion nationwide, the practical result will be exactly what they’ve wanted all along.
Anti abortion folks are used to Republican presidents before Trump (Reagan, Bush) campaigning as anti-abortion only to once in office, do incremental things for their “cause”. All of that changes with Dear Leader, the SCOTUS appointments, and Dobbs. These people will follow Dear Leader to the ends of the earth now no matter what he does or doesn’t do and he KNOWS that. That is why their tactic now is to record promises made. It’s all very desperate and pathetic.
There were so many errors of law in Politico’s article; beyond the fact that the phone conversation took place I struggle to understand how Politico okayed the article for publication. I keep thinking, what if this was anything but abortion — a different kind of healthcare procedure, something else that mattered to half the population? Would they be allowed to get away with such shoddy reporting? Blatant legal errors? No, no they wouldn’t.
Politico is owned by a right-wing German corporation, facts don't matter.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/13/axel-springer-ceo-mathias-dopfner-leaked-messages-reported
You know, I do remember clocking that at some point and pushing it aside thinking “what’s left for me to read” but the last few months of bullshit their health desk has produced - I’m done. And their playbook is shitty too. Thank you for the reminder!
They were much better before the purchase here is the best article I think they ever published before the jerk purchased them.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/religious-right-real-origins-107133/
Thanks for this nuance! So helpful.
I am so sick of the influencer economy. It's just one more way we sacrifice progress to the wealthy elite who own our country. Sure, large influencer accounts might get paid, but the real money goes to the Tech Bros who own the platforms and their shareholders.
And we remain divided, segmented, and competing against each other for clicks and engagement instead of forming community, seeking collaboration opportunities, etc.
We will never beat authoritarianism by using the tools of authoritarianism. I understand we have to use them sometimes for promotion and such, because that is what's available now, but JFC, I wish more people would understand this. I don't monetize my socials. It's an integrity thing. I DO monetize my Substack, because like you, I offer something no one else is doing. We should not feel bad about asking to be paid for our labor in that way.
But making videos full of disinformation based on the news? It's making us dumber.
All this is to say: PLEASE READ INDEPENDENT, FACT-CHECKED, TRUSTED JOURNALISTS!!!!! :)
Someone who is a paid subscriber to Dean Blundell please tell him this. He is another one claiming that Blanche is ending abortion in all 50 states. I can't post my comment cause I'm not a paid subscriber of his.
Notice the lack of respect for the sovereignty of pro choice states. Louisiana wants to dictate how patients in places like CA and NY can get their mifepristone. A return to in person dispensing would leave women in many parts of pro choice states without any meaningful access to healthcare that the legislatures and voters of those states have declared to be a fundamental right
Both HAVING a child and raising one to adulthood is expensive, financially, mentally and socially. Unless the breadwinner makes enough money to afford what it takes, optimum child raising is not attainable. Most antis state that 'every fetus deserves a chance to be born'; so aborting it is murder. I suggest that's only the secondary reason. The real deep down unstated reason is that in a DICTATORSHIP, it is essential to keep the masses you want to control--powerless enough that they lack the means to fight back with. Those means are time and money==precisely what having more kids sucks up. WCN is ONE OF THE TOOLS necessary to SUPPORT A DICTATORSHIP. A heavily funded military and paramilitary (think ICE) is the other. Well, besides propagandized information outlets...
If Blanche is confirmed AG by a senate vote and Democrats win both House and Senate, but especially Senate he will be under the microscope from Senate Democrats, so he will have to watch his own back because big brother will be watching. He won’t be immune to impeachment if this is the case. For now, this is no doubt possible, but we all need to vote and remove as many MAGA politicians as we can in November.
Dobbs says no doctor in the state can perform the procedure (as per that state's particular ban). Telehealth prescription of pills does not violate that, so I struggle to understand how the antis can stop women from obtaining their inalienable rights by finding a provider out of state.
The antis ought to say what this is really about - control.
That’s NOT what Dobbs says.
I believe it is what Dobbs says? (Dobbs has a lot to say, but it's the heart of it, no?) I'm not sure where you are coming from but according to Kaiser: Alabama's Human Life Protection Act makes performing an abortion a Class A felony, carrying a minimum prison sentence of ten years and a maximum sentence of 99 years — placing abortion in the same criminal category as murder and first-degree domestic violence. It's a criminal offense for a physician to perform an abortion in Alabama, full stop (with only narrow exceptions like saving the pregnant woman's life).
Since Dobbs, 12 states have enacted abortion bans, and 11 of those 12 impose criminal penalties on healthcare providers who perform abortions, with sentences ranging from a few months in prison to life sentences. All but two of those states — Arkansas and South Dakota — also set mandatory minimum sentences.
They don't want to say that. That would be admitting that all of their talk about "protecting women " and the unborn is a great big lie.
We know that this anti-choice movement has always been about controlling and oppressing women.
We need to get that message out,along with the very real damage that abortion bans continue to do in states such as Idaho, Georgia and Texas.
Also, it would be interesting to find out who leaked this audio. I always thought when Dobbs was leaked, it was actually leaked by someone anti-abortion in hopes that they could lock down justices to hold their stated positions. Basically, so they couldn’t later walk it back ;)
And Alito acting like he was the Scooby-doo kids, going to get to the bottom of it! I always figured he was the leaker, to one of his antiabortion-forced-birther goon group leaders.
Probably! Very likely
It wasn’t leaked; it was on the White House Faith Office’s website
All the news sources I’ve seen said it was on a private call (what the audio is from).
It was private in the sense that the phone call wasn’t publicly advertised ahead of time; I think you had to be aware that it was happening. But it was public insofar as it was routed through the White House Faith Office, and that’s where it was posted on Monday night when I listened to it (I listened to it on the Intercessors’s YouTube and then turned it off). I don’t know when they took it down, but it didn’t seem like a leak to me; and the article didn’t tell us anything we don’t already know — it was just more propaganda.
But your point still stands, only I think it should be directed at Politico - I understand they’re not as neutral as I once believed, but what was the point of them rushing that article to publication the night before Todd’s confirmation vote? I think it has to do with what you said - making sure he cant walk it back now.
Right. That all makes sense to me.
We cannot lose sight that this is their ridiculous goal.
Thank you. I'll share widely.
I think you may be underestimating Blanche’s intentions. He wants the Comstock Act enforced and Josh Hawley’s wife is arguing for just that. That would mean that birth control pills, IUD’s, condoms, etc., would not be able to be sent through the mail, including not being sent through the mail to doctor’s offices. Check out Thom Hartmann’s Substack today for details. https://thomhartmann.substack.com/p/is-todd-blanche-going-to-drop-the-791?r=itxt4&utm_medium=ios
The day someone here listens to Thom Hartmann over Jess Valenti 🤣
Ooh! Let’s all mail condoms through the U.S. postal service in protest any Comstock enforcement! I’d participate in that for sure.
Oh, I believe he'd love to enforce Comstock-- I don't know Trump would go for it, though. I mean, he's heading the DOJ rn, theoretically he could start enforcing it! Like Linda says below I think it's more likely that they go the FDA route
Any of it is possible, but I believe as Jessica stated they are more likely to pursue the FDA route as it gives them more “cover” if it’s backed by some pseudoscience study. Alito does love to give anti-abortion folks road maps to his preferred and/or pre-approved methods.
They hide behind the language they use to hide their true intentions.
Excellent reporting, thank you. This was my takeaway as well. Boy are these fascists desperate!