States Rights? Yeah, Right.
I thought it was about States rights?
Apparently not, according to Lindsey Graham, who is working to introduce a nationwide federal law to ban abortion past 15 weeks of pregnancy.
So much for letting the States decide.
Once upon a time, the Republican Party stood for narrowly defined laws, minimizing federal intervention in people’s lives, putting the power to legislate at the State level.
Then again, several of the Supreme Court Justices who voted to overturn Roe v Wade said at their confirmation hearings that Roe was settled law.
So don’t be surprised when the GOP starts to rally around a federal ban.
Women’s Rights
In the aftermath of Roe v Wade being overturned, we see several states legislating near-total bans on abortion. Many not even leaving options in the case of rape or incest.
While many support that, most do not. A recent AP poll shows that 53% of US adults disapprove of the Supreme Court decision. And more, 60% think Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.
Elsewhere, NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson, who had been accused by 20+ women of sexual assault and misconduct during massages when he was with the Houston Texans, received his arbitrated ruling yesterday. A former federal judge ruled the preponderance of evidence showed Watson had committed sexual assault. She described Watson’s behavior as “predatory” and “egregious.”
He was suspended for a paltry 6 games.
Largely due to comparisons with past NFL punishments and lack of notice to players.
Watson recently signed a fully guaranteed, 5-year, $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns. Anticipating the suspension, most of his $46 million guaranteed money for this year was a signing bonus, with only ~$1 million as his game salary.
With a 6 game suspension, Watson will lose ~$345,000.
That’s 0.75% of his 5-year contract.
Absurd. Ridiculous. Offensive. Unjust. Wrong. Those are words that come to mind. Both for the Watson suspension and the abortion bans.
That US society devalues women and their rights and bodies is nothing new. It’s disgusting how much it’s still happening, though.
I can only imagine the restraint women show every day to not just burn down the whole system.
Unintended Consequences
Poorly designed laws that aren’t thought through produce chaos and unintended consequences.
In the rush to activate anti-abortion laws, several states have implemented bans starting at conception. Regardless of one’s beliefs about when life starts and what’s right, this is bound to produce chaos across multiple fronts in life. Unfortunately it’s likely to result in very invasive and intrusive questions and testing for many women.
Who knows, cops might start carrying pregnancy tests along with breathalyzer tests. Because who could imagine that resulting in any problems… 🙄
Summer Movie Sequels
Ah, Summer. When the weather heats up and the movie cineplex is filled with bad sequels we never really needed. Sigh.
Clarence Thomas
In overturning Roe v Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas argues that the Court should also revisit other previously-settled laws that affect the rights to contraception, same sex relationships, and same sex marriage, all of which are based on the 14th Amendment.
He did not address Loving v Virginia, which set the precedent that the 14th Amendment’s due process and privacy clause give the right to interracial marriage.
We’ve all become acutely aware of his wife, Ginni Thomas - a white woman - from the release of many of her text messages to Mark Meadows and other White House staff in trying to overturn the 2020 election and supporting the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
Perhaps he’s ok with revisiting that one after all, though?
C’mon, it’s satire.
Time to Fight
Time to fight. State by state. Don’t like your state’s laws? Vote in new people who will change them.
And this isn’t just about women’s rights. Justice Clarence Thomas is calling to revisit gay marriage and rights to contraception.
Don’t like the way the country is going? Let’s work to change it. Hold on, it’s going to be a long fight.
Oklahoma
On Thursday, Oklahoma passed one of the strictest abortion bans in the US, which will make abortion illegal after fertilization, except for few limited cases.
The push to ban after fertilization is causing some to fear that some contraceptives - such as IUDs, which prevent implantation, not fertilization - could be next. It’s not yet in this bill, but not a stretch to see that coming.
I guess Oklahoma wants to be known for more than just a 79 year old musical.
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Multiverse of Madness
Into the multi-verse. Cuz this one seems to have plenty of madness.
Who could have seen it coming?
With yesterday’s leaked Supreme Court opinion re: Roe v Wade, who could have seen this coming, other than all the people who saw this coming??
Right to Choose
A leaked opinion shows the Supreme Court is set to reverse 49 years of precedence and overturn Roe v Wade, ending federal protections for a woman’s right to choose and setting off a firestorm of legislation across every state.
Buckle up. It’s going to be a state-by-state fight. Elections matter.
