It didn't need to, that's been covered many times. They only had to determine whether the NY policy of 'May Issue' fit Constitutional standards or if 'Shall Issue' was the more appropriate policy.Originally Posted by JaneV2.0
It didn't need to, that's been covered many times. They only had to determine whether the NY policy of 'May Issue' fit Constitutional standards or if 'Shall Issue' was the more appropriate policy.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Michael Steele said the quiet part out loud. When republicans say that abortion rights is a state's rights issue they are lying through their teeth. If they take over both houses of congress and the presidency they will move to make sure that even women in blue states don't have bodily autonomy anymore.
While I have seem some of the GOP elected officials talking about introducing such bills, I'm not sure how that would work. Especially in the context of this new ruling that says it should be decided by the states.
I'm also curious how that would be implemented. Say, for example, they passed a federal ban on abortions. The state of WA has strong protections for abortion, and our attorney general and governor have expressed their support of our protections. How would the federal government enforce the ban here?
Someone pointed out that the trouble with state laws is that administrations change and if, say, Republicans take over, they can change laws. Maybe we need to write body autonomy into the state constitution.
Also, Dahlia Lithwick, in discussing the history of abortion rights, observed that women have long been viewed by politicians as "just very large children." That rang true to me.
Even state constitutions can be changed. There ultimately is no protection from the tyranny of the majority (or super-empowered majority) over time. At least, no protection that relies upon laws and process.
People are crossing state lines for abortions. They will claim that the commerce clause gives them the power to regulate abortion nationwide.
Shades of the Fugitive Slave Act...
Anyways, say Washington decides to blow off any Federal law forbidding abortion, and has no local laws against it, and doesn't cooperate with Federal law enforcement officials in arresting women and doctors here. How will the Federal government manage to enforce their restrictions? Send troops from Texas to try to occupy us?
And, where I live, it's quicker to get to Canada many days than the US mainland. Will the Feds instruct the Coast Guard and other agencies to patrol the waters looking for women who are past their period who are crossing the border?
Cascadia. It's time.
I read online that Kamala Harris is now saying that the White House will help poor women with traveling costs to flee to a blue state for an abortion. That ramps up the Culture War, no? Honestly the only hopeful future I can see for the US is splitting up. The polarization is too extreme and unbridgable - there really is no long term hope in the Union holding together. Rob
Cascadia.....I remember hearing of this during my time in Portland. It's an idea whose time has come for sure!!! Rob
A tad melodramatic, true - but I have read online that militias will not be stopped from staffing the Louisiana state line and detaining women "suspected of murder" via fleeing to another state by car for an abortion. What has America come to, and much more importantly, will these women be able to use this for successful political asylum claims in one of the many better countries? I can see things easily reaching this point. And realistically, has America earned the brains and energy of our young people?
Rob
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