No one is more aware than anti-abortion activists that the time is now to push through their dream legislation before the window of opportunity closes. The Washington Post writes:
Mississippi’s governor just signed a law, more restrictive than in any state, banning abortions after 15 weeks. Iowa’s state Senate is trying to go even further and stop abortions at around six weeks. [...]
Federal courts have immediately blocked many of these antiabortion laws, including Mississippi’s. But they still have a purpose: to set up legal challenges to Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationally, at a time when Trump could appoint the justice who helps overturn it.
In fact, some forced birthers are even changing course on their long-held strategy to punish doctors who perform abortions rather than women who have them. In this environment, criminalizing women who have abortions seems just the ticket to Ohio GOP state Rep. Ron Hood and about 20 of his colleagues.
Under Hood’s bill, women could be criminally punished for aborting an “unborn human.” In an interview, Hood said prosecutors would decide what charges to seek, just as they do in cases of manslaughter or murder.
What forced birthers are counting on is the chance for at least one more Supreme Court appointment for Trump that could tip the scales on the court. Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer are all north of 79 years old.
“People better vote on November 6th like their life depends on it,” said Kellie Copeland, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio. She said the discussion in Columbus of criminally prosecuting women “is so far out of the mainstream” that there is urgency for voters to turn out.
Amen, Sister. An estimated one in four American women have an abortion in their lifetime. Unless we want them to be prosecuted for doing so, let’s get our vote on in November like never before.