Different Takes: Roe Was Crippled A While Back, But It’s Standing Firm For Now; Trump Has Figured Out Who Can Reelect Him By Making His Stance On Abortion
Opinion writers weigh in on abortion issues.
Los Angeles Times:
The Sky Isn’t Falling On Abortion Rights. At Least Not Completely
Abortion will remain available in the United States, and that’s true even if the new conservative justices — think of them as the bad boys of the Supreme Court — respond to these harsh new laws by eviscerating Roe vs. Wade.The truth is, Roe was crippled long ago. In 1992, the Supreme Court decision in Planned Parenthood vs. Casey severely shrank women’s rights by allowing states to restrict access to abortion, as long as the rules they put in place didn’t amount to an “undue burden.” (Julie F. Kay, 6/11)
The Washington Post:
Abortion Supporters Have Made Trump’s Reelection More Likely
One of the largest obstacles to the defeat of President Trump in the 2020 election is the radicalism of the Democratic Party on the issue of abortion. By forcing Joe Biden to abandon his support for the Hyde Amendment — which currently prevents the funding of abortions through Medicaid — the abortion lobby and activist liberals have taken the first, major step toward reelecting Trump. The problem here is not only that Biden appears weak and vacillating on an issue of conscience — which he does. Or that he will now be pressured to repudiate every hint of moderation in his 36-year legislative career — though he will be. The Hyde Amendment has played a particularly important role for Catholic politicians. (Michael Gerson, 6/10)
The Washington Post:
Joe Biden Just Flip-Flopped On Abortion. Good. It Proves The System Works.
You could not ask for a better case study in how presidential campaigns define and refine party ideology than this one. While it all revolved around Joe Biden, he was really just a vehicle for the process to play itself out, the net result being a Democratic Party that is more unified than it was at the beginning of the week in both its general commitment to abortion rights and its intention to pursue specific policy changes to put its beliefs into action. (Paul Waldman, 6/7)
Arizona Republic:
Abortion In Arizona Is Uncertain, And That Worries Both Sides
The future of abortion access in Arizona is veiled with uncertainty, as aggressive legislation has passed in nine other states since March. These laws challenge Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that ensures the right to choose abortion. In a country red-hot with political clashes, the issue is pitting party against party, church against state, and women’s rights against fetal rights. (Megan Boyanton, 6/10)
The Washington Post:
I Gave The University Of Alabama $26.5 Million. I Spoke Out About Abortion. They Gave It Back.
I am proud to have been born and raised in Alabama. My family’s roots run deep in the state and, for decades, we have been honored to celebrate that heritage by supporting the University of Alabama. It’s where my father learned to practice law, which gave him the tools to succeed in America along with a strong understanding of right and wrong. Over the past 30 years, we have chosen to repay that debt and make use of our good fortune by supporting the university financially. I’ve long believed that the school served the public good by training the next generation of leaders and, last year, I made the decision to donate $26.5 million so that those leaders could flourish just as my family has. My love for Alabama is exactly why I was so horrified to watch its lawmakers trample over the Constitution last month. The ban on abortion they passed wasn’t just an attack against women, it was an affront to the rule of law itself. (Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr., 6/7)
