Some Republicans Were Willing to Compromise on Abortion Ban Exceptions. Activists Made Sure They Didn’t.
Some Republicans Were Willing to Compromise on Abortion Ban Exceptions. Activists Made Sure They Didn’t.
ProPublica reviewed 12 of the nation’s strictest abortion bans. Few changed in 2023, as state lawmakers caved to pressure from anti-abortion groups opposing exceptions for rape, incest and health risks.
“With the current law in place, I will tell you, I wake up fearful of my pregnancy and what it would mean for my children, my husband and my parents if something happened to me and the doctor cannot perform lifesaving measures,” she told her fellow lawmakers last February, her voice faltering as tears threatened.
Rehfeldt was a stroke survivor and her pregnancy put her at high risk for blood clots and heart issues that could kill her. The state’s ban made abortion a felony unless it was “necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant female.” If Rehfeldt developed complications, doctors told her, the law didn’t make clear how close to death she needed to be before they could act.
“When can a doctor intervene? Do I need to have my brain so oxygen-deprived to the point that I am nonfunctional?” she asked the room.
Political parties pandering to far-right, murderous Christians who mistakenly believe they're vastly different from any other murderous religious extremists.
Hint: they are not.
Republicans love this issue so much for one reason. It's pretty much the only way to pretend to "care about human life" without advocating using a penny of their money in taxes to help anyone.
Republicans only care when it's free to, and bonus, they get to be cruel to the women who need abortions, usually due to economic hardship while doing it. Because sex should be the exclusive purview of people with capital, amirite?
Let kids starve, let the homeless die of exposure, let the sick lose everything, let students indenture themselves, let the planet burn, and fuck everyone it might take a little tax revenue to help. Hell, I know some self professed Democrats, neoliberals of course, that agree with some of these. We are beyond lost.
“I would never have possibly imagined that a bill protecting a woman’s life could be so contentious,” Rehfeldt said on the floor of the House, announcing she was withdrawing her bill before even bringing it to a vote.
This is why pro-choice groups keep trying to point out that abortions are necessary healthcare and should not be restricted on the whims of politicians. I think it's sad that this woman, a nurse, wasn't able to comprehend that until she had her own high-risk pregnancy. This is like a textbook case of leopard face-eating.
And this is also why certain groups are trying to say it's not an abortion if the procedure is done for medical reasons and trying to say that no pregnancy condition is ever treated with abortion. They're trying to change the definition of what abortion is to continue to take rights away from people.
Religious extremism is evil, no matter what the the religion is.
It's almost like... Any extremism is bad?
It’s almost like… Any Religion is bad?
Far right loonies are just making the case to have Roe reinstated that much simpler. Thanks, morons.
Unfortunately, despite Roe's popularity, we still need a mechanism to reinstate it. At the state level, we have seen Republicans so their damnedest to prevent that possibility (killing ballot initiatives and making amendments harder). And at the federal level, it is not going to happen unless we get a legitimate Supreme Court.
I know it's not the case, but I wish politicians could just place scientific facts and agree on political directions like allowing abortion.
Instead, politicians (have to, in a sense) bring in people with trauma and let them speak in front of their enemies, everybody knowing that even this won't convince Republican lawmakers. Even the people with trauma, exposed and risking bullying from the general public, know it's an astronomically long shot, and still re-live the trauma.
It's one of the saddest aspects of US Congress.