What will happen when Roe vs. Wade gets overturned?

[bspence]

With Roberts getting on the bench, we know it will happen. But what will overturning Roe vs. Wade do to the political landscape?

It could result in a major shift in the Republican party. There are many single-issue voters out there who only care about changing abortion laws. To get these idiots out to the polls after abortion isn't an issue (for them), what will the right decide to do?

I think the right will turn their attention against gays even stronger than before. They used it to great effect in 2004, and they'll do it again in future elections.

Being anti-gay is the new pro-life. Not to say that we haven't had both for a long time, but the Republicans will definitely shift that way.

[havocmom]

1. Many women will die needless deaths

and many more children will be born who will not be taken care of as well as we hope.

Some might end up in a place where I used to work. That amounts to a life sentence for the crime of being born. Very sad.

[NMDemDist2]

46. agreed, dead women and poverty stricken families n/t

[MsConduct]

2. Then women will be the ones who get the Revolution started. n/t

[DanCa]

3. I really think violence will break out

It's a powder keg waitting to happen. Look at what happened when alchol was banned in the 20's. Government has no right messing around in the private lives of it's citezens.

[AllegroRondo]

4. They wont overturn it

its too good of an issue for them - they will milk it for decades.

I anticipate them chipping away at it slowly, with 'partial-birth' bans, parental notification laws, etc, etc, etc. Keep the pro-life block voting for them for years, but never give them the final resolution. Its like a bad soap opera serial that never ends.

[NewJeffCT]

9. disagree

Many states in the South & Midwest already have draft legislation set to go if/when Roe is ever overturned. It will stay legal in blue states, and then the anti-choice movement will keep working on those states at the local level & then try to pass a national law banning abortion, too. it will take them years & decades to keep working on the various blue states, so that will keep them motivated.

Plus, they have other issues like stem cell research, gay marriage & civil unions, school prayer, decadent Hollywood movies & TV shows, display of the Ten Commandments & Mangers in public places, etc, to keep them going.

[LuckyTheDog]

13. Legal in blue states?

Don't count on it. The court COULD hand the issue back to the states. But the real agenda of the religious right is to get a ruling that manufactures a constitutional "rights" for fetuses and embryos equal to that of children. If they get that, then no state will be able to keep abortion legal.

[Rainbow gatherer]

24. Scary thought!

If states that are conservative make abortion illegal then the birthrate will go up in those states (not a lot, Poland and Ireland make abortion illegal but neither has a birthrate above replacement anymore) but a slight increase in the birthrate will have to occur.

States that allow a woman to choose will have a lower birthrate than the states where it is illegal.

Couldn't this make a difference in future elections????

[losdiablosgato]

31. It is now being called the Roe effect

There was an article in the Opinion journal (sorry no link) that basically said that one of the reason deomcrats keep losing is abortion. The argument is that since parents are very likely to impart their values to their children, that conservatives will most likely have conservative kid. And when you look at the the fact that for various reason the conservatives are having more children (my rw brother has 3) that this is one of the reasons the right is gaining power.

[Arugula Latte]

81. Welcome to DU, rainbow!

:hi: :toast:

[Hippo_Tron]

58. Bush would have to replace a few more justices to get that one through

[losdiablosgato]

28. In TX the old Law outlawing abortion is still on the books

It just is not enforced because of roe v wade. If it is overturn abortion is illegal in this state one nano second later.

[bspence]

17. My point is that they'll have a new issue- bashing gays

Abortion has been a good issue, and they will probably go on about how "THEY want to return us to the days of killing babies". Vote for us, or they'll overturn the case that overturned RvW.

I just wonder what it'll mean for Dems and Repubs, and if they'll shift their political dynamics when it gets overturned.

This whole thing is a nightmare.

[serryjw]

53. 100% agree

They will chip away. Considering 87% of US has no reproductive right currently, in 5 years we will have an underground railroad to NY and LA.

[QC]

5. I don't think the Republicans have the guts to do it.

It would mean losing one of their most effective issues among the religious fanatics and at the same time driving women and moderates out of their party.

I think they'll continue to promise to overturn Roe while claiming that they just need to win a few more elections and get a few more judges before they can do it. That's worked well for them for decades.

[SemperEadem]

37. not to mention

it will rob them of a means by which they can continue to be duplicitous---engaging in sex outside of marriage, but putting on a front that they are holier than thou, upright xtians.

[d_b]

79. I agree

It would be political suicide. Republicans would be fucked for decades.

[Village Idiot]

6. Number of ILLEGAL abortions will soar...

and there may be legal precedent for refusing to sell birth control.

[Rainbow gatherer]

21. I hope not...here's why.

A person can travel to a state where it will be legal pretty easy.

[Bunny]

32. You think it will be easy for poor women to travel hundreds of

miles, involving possible motel expenses due to mandatory waiting periods, to get an abortion?

It may be easy for rich women, it will not be easy for poor women.

[Rainbow gatherer]

40. Not hard.

I didn't say it was ideal but women who REALLY do not want to give birth will have minimal difficulty traveling to a state that it is legal. Buslines have cheap fares.

[gkhouston]

45. you really have no clue about what life is life for some people

"cheap bus fare" to another state, plus even the skankiest hotel room -- that's probably a month's rent for a woman scraping by on minimum wage. And she might lose her job for missing work. I wouldn't call that "minimal difficulty".

[Bunny]

48. Thank you.

I'm not in the mood to educate anyone. It's amazing how easy life is for some, isn't it?

[Digit]

71. People have no clue sometimes how some people try to get by.... eom

[Yupster]

50. I assume that groups like

Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and Emily's List would provide money for anyone to get to a blue state where abortion would be legal.

[Bunny]

51. Well, that's a huge assumption.

Whatever would lead you to assume that?

[Yupster]

62. How could they not?

With a need so glaring in an issue that they are so involved in, how could they stand on the sidelines and not try to help?

There are people on DU every night talking about an Underground Railroad should abortion be made illegal in some states.

Should such a thing happen, how could groups with access to tens of millions of dollars of fundraising just stand on the sidelines and do nothing?

Of course they would help as much as they could.

[gkhouston]

65. it's a logistical nightmare. Even if there were unlimited

funding perfectly channeled to the point of need in a timely fashion (like that ever happens), you're assuming the woman can be away from her usual situation for days at a time. Many states have waiting periods and there's travel time to be considered. What if you have children that need to be taken care of? What if you're in a situation where you will be beaten/killed if it's discovered that you were/are pregnant? What if being away costs you your job? What about the laws they're trying to put on the books that make it illegal to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of obtaining an abortion? Sometimes minors are the ones who most need abortions because they're mostly likely to be incest victims. Blithely assuming that because abortion will be surely be legal somewhere in the US and surely someone will care enough to help people out is not a valid excuse for being indifferent to the very real problems that will be created by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Get your head out of the sand.

[Yupster]

67. I didn't say it would be easy, but

I'm sure there will be a massive effort of national and local groups all over the country working on the problems.

You really don't think there wil be?

You think people will just throw up their hands and refuse to help their fellow citizens in need?

No way.

[gkhouston]

76. oh, I agree that people will try to pick up the slack, but it's

a near-impossible task. Best if things don't come to that pass. It's the number of folks who think Roe v. Wade can't be overturned or that it won't have major impact if it is that alarm me greatly. I'm just old enough to remember what it was like when the decision was first made, and I ain't goin' back.

[FourStarDemocrat]

82. There will be an 'underground railroad' of sorts, to assist poor women

to travel to "legal states' to obtain their abortions. There will also be underground networks; collectives of self-trained women and medical professionals who will perform abortions. Feminists were talking and planning such organizing back in the 1980's during the Reagan era if the need arises.

[jojo54]

7. I don't want to think of what will happen.

What needs to happen right now is we can't let Roberts be confirmed. That will prevent any future actions from taking place.

On another note, we need to stop any extremist from getting onto SCOTUS before the senatorial elections next year.

[Rainbow gatherer]

74. Why is Hillary supporting Roberts?

Is this to win over more people in 2008? What is her motive?

[meow2u3]

8. Abortion will become a matter of state law

The matter will be returned to the states if Roe is overturned. States like New York, New Jersey, and the like will still have legal abortions; other states will allow it only in cases of rape, incest, or the life of the mother; still others will outlaw it entirely.

[firefox]

14. Where do you get that?

If a woman does not have the right to an abortion, then they do not have the right. Abortion will be regarded as murder of an individual and no state can go against the Supreme Court. They could chose not to have abortion laws, but the feds would have a have an abortion is murder law.

[jzodda]

29. Wrong

If Roe is overturned the Supreme court can only strike it down as un-constitutional. It would be up to the Congress to outlaw abortion federally which would be difficult to do under any circumstances. The hurdle as of today would be getting to 60 votes in the US Senate. So for the real and true outlawing of abortion to occur first the republicans need about 5-6 more senate seats.

[Hippo_Tron]

68. Giving a fetus constitutional rights would be more judicial activism...

Don't get me wrong, if the GOP stays in control for a little while longer it could easily happen, but for right now it will be up to the states. The "strict contructionist" argument is that since the constitution doesn't mention abortion, the matter is left up to the states. That will likely be the way that the court rules if Roberts gets confirmed. However, if the fundies get some even more radical judges on the court, then we would likely see them try to get a ruling that a fetus has constitutional rights.

[wtbymark]

10. women will go bat-shit

I think only women could get pissed off enough now adays to have a march on washington not seen since the 70's

[Rainbow gatherer]

20. I doubt it.

I work with young people and you would not believe how much more right wing (even on abortion) these kids have become since the early 90s.

And I am from a Kerry state.

[calimary]

22. Well, at least some of them will. I know women who vote republi-CON

all the time, but claim to be very pro-choice. They sneered at me during the 2000 campaign, pushing bush, and when I pointed out he's anti-choice and he'll away take our right to have the last word over our bodies, they scoffed and said "awwww, it'll never happen! It's not gonna happen. Not gonna happen." I said - "oh YEAH? You watch. You vote for bush and then you just watch. It's on the verge of happening at this very moment." They just knew so much. "naaaaahh, not gonna happen. It isn't gonna happen."

They'll be the first ones to be shocked and outraged, and to feel betrayed. And they'll claim they don't remember a thing that I said to warn them. They'll claim they just can't get over how they trusted this guy and were just sure it was all nothing but talk. And one of their daughters risks bleeding to death from a botched illegal coathanger abortion because they were so smug and short-sighted.

[bspence]

34. Just like what I said about the war in Iraq

"This is bullshit, they have no real evidence there, No WMDs, No link to 9/11, there's bigger threats out there, this whole reason for an Iraq war is crazy, etc" is what I told all my friends.

Now they conveniently don't remember me telling them that. :eyes:

[Talismom]

23. The black market for morning after pills and the "underground

railroad" for safe abortion provision will flourish much as gin mills during prohibition. "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty!"

[Imagevision]

35. Men will go bat-sh*t when forced with new responsibilities!!

[Stinky The Clown]

11. I think they'll do it if they get the chance ... but I don't think Roberts

will be the one to do the deed. They'll keep it alive and make sure they get another one of their motherfuckers on the SC. That's what they want .... not to overturn Roe, but to get the corporatists on the SC. When they have it, overturning Roe will be the 'thank you' gift to the fundies ..... and then they'll tell the fundies to take a hike cuz the corporatists will have all they need to stay in power forever.

However, the fundies will not be totally out of power. They'll get the call from time to time just to maintan a tame and compliant citizenry.

And to feed the military.

The 'collateral damage' will be your wife, your mother, your daughter, your sister, your cousin, your girlfriend. There will be carnage in alleys across America ... just like the 'Happy Days' of the fifties to which these motherfuckers want to return.

Next will be forced hysterectomies for women who aren't rue believers.

Men, on the other hand, will get more control over 'their women' and rape convictions will go down.

Overturning Roe is a frontal assault on women, pure and simple.

As to your notion that gays will be the issue for the new millennium ..... I fear you're right. gays followed by intellectuals and then all liberals.

They want us dead and gone.

[hyphenate]

12. Actually

Not a lot will happen at first. Why? Because states' rights will kick in. Individual state laws will continue to protect most women in those states with freedom of choice laws. Those states which have anti-choice laws will have the citizens at a distinct disadvantage for awhile, especially younger women and teenagers. However, be prepared to see a lot more laws broken in respect to citizens crossing state lines to get somewhere to have an abortion.

Having the Supreme Court nullify Roe v Wade will weaken state laws, however, and eventually, the state's right-wing will mount an effort to get rid of those laws on the books. It's not going to happen overnight, but if the right wing continues their attack, it could see the end of all abortion rights within 10 or so years.

[LuckyTheDog]

16. They won't have to fight state-by-state

The real agenda of the religious right is to get a ruling that manufactures constitutional "rights" for fetuses and embryos equal to that of children. In effect, they want abortion to REALLY be a form of murder under the law.

If they get that, then no state will be able to keep abortion legal.

[wli]

15. c.f. the Handmaid's Tale

[MaggieSwanson]

66. I've been thinking of that book a lot lately, too.

And for anyone who hasn't read it, you'll find it worth your time.

[donco6]

18. After abortion, the thing they hate most is gays.

So we'll see a push for Constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex sex.

[Rainbow gatherer]

19. Reversing Roe v. Wade won't make abortion illegal.

I predict that all it will do is leave it up to the states to decide abortion laws. I also predict that about 1/3 of the states will only allow abortion for serious health reasons or for rape while another 1/3 will perhaps restrict it as they do in much of Europe (i.e. parental concent for minors, cutoff at 12 weeks for non-emergency abortions, etc.). About 1/3 will leave abortion laws as they stand today. Maybe I should have said that 1/3 of the people in the US will live in states...rather than 1/3 of the states as a state like NY or Calf. will not alter abortion laws while much of the midwest, southwest and south will).

I doubt anyone will actually die if Roe v. Wade is overturned since a woman really wanting an abortion in Arizona could just drive to California.

[LeFleur1]

25. What Will Happen if Roe v Wade is overturned?

If Roe v Wade is overturned, men will have to put away their tools. They won't be using them in the usual manner any more.}(

[renate]

30. it is SO not that simple

Parental consent is a great notion, but not all families are accepting and loving. Sometimes the pregnancy is caused by the very person a girl can't tell--or maybe it's not that dramatic, maybe the girl just knows that she'll be kicked out of the house. Or maybe she wants to protect her doting, loving parents from the reality of her life... kids don't always think straight but the impossibility of telling is real to them. So for whatever reason, if a girl can't or won't tell, how is a 14-year-old who can't drive supposed to just go somewhere abortion is legal? Or how is even a teenager with a car and enough money for gas supposed to just take off to California for a few days without telling her parents?

And it's not just teenagers--how is a woman with kids and a job going to take a two-day bus trip to New York? What about a woman with an abusive husband who wants to keep her barefoot and pregnant? How is she supposed to get to California and back without him noticing?

Of course women and girls will die if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

[Bridget Burke]

41. What if the woman in Arizona doesn't have a car?

What if she can't get off work? What if she's already got kids & no good child care?

Current abortion laws in Texas require a woman to wait a day between her first clinic appointment & the abortion. So she'll realize the "seriousness" of the procedure. That's already caused problems because many areas of Texas don't have abortion providers & it's a big state.

[TankLV]

61. Nope - they can decide that abortion IS illegal - is "murder

or some other such nonsense.

They can "force" the few remaining sane states to OUTLAW ALL abortions. Period.

No more states rights.

Just like the 2000 selections and terry schiavo

[niceypoo]

26. There will be a revolt.

About 70% of Americans agree with the womens right to choose. Stripping rights from the constitution would make Americans VERY pissed off and it would be reflected in election results.

[jzodda]

27. The issue will go back to the states

So places in the Northeast will most likely have the same laws as they do now and places like Alabama will outlaw abortion. So women needing one will have to take a trip to another state.

It will also be a huge defeat for the Republican party in terms of fundraising, activism, and get out the vote. There are many many religious conservatives who would otherwise not ever be involved who will fade from politics. The single issue pro lifers probably number into a few million voters total.

[McCamy Taylor]

33. Right to lifers will stay home. The Dem base will be mobilzed.

Therefore, the GOP will never, ever actually overturn Roe v. Wade. They will continue to chip away at abortion rights a little bit here a little bit there, leading Right to Life along like a horse with a carrot, because they count on that Right to Life vote.

But say the SCOTUS does not play political ball and it decides to flex its muscle and overturn Roe V. Wade. A bunch of red states will outlaw abortion. Most women will drive to blue states for abortions. Some red states will try to make it illegal to drive to blue states for abortions. The federal courts will be all over them like cops on a donut shop.

Some women who cant afford to drive to blue states will get black market abortion pills and will do fine. A few will do their own abortions and will die in pools of blood. These few will become the poster children for a revitilized women's movement which will revitilize the Democratic base. Some red states will become not so red anymore and there will be fewer states which outlaw abortion.

GOP women will threaten to split from their party over the issue.
The Republican Party will find that it has more pressing issues to think about than abortion, which will go onto a back burner, politically speaking, as it was in the 1970s.

[amjfv]

36. I doubt they'll actually do away with it...

There are a lot of Evangelical shock troops who might reconsider their political allegiance if the right actually killed Roe v Wade. The Republicans have a habit of immediately serving up whatever the business wing of the party wants (see bankruptcy 'reform') while denying the Christian right too much red meat. I'd imagine that they might try to do this with RvW. I can imagine the right trying to emasculate it though, just to keep the troops in line.

[zulchzulu]

38. Repugs would be without a huge moneymaker issue,,,and they would implode

Granted, women who needed abortions would still be able to get them (if they're rich, connected...), but the issue would take away a huge issue the Repugs like to use to cover up the fact that they are not really the party of people who vote on that issue.

Moderates (which threre are many) in the GOP would see the light and leave. It would shift the independent/moderate section of voters way over to the Democrats, hence making the Repugs shoot themselves in the foot.

That would be the silver lining in a horrible political decision.

[KansDem]

39. Only the wealthy, ie "Bush Family," will have access to abortion on demand

Actually, my wife and I have talked about this. Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't this turn the issue back over to the states? Each state would vote to either allow or deny abortion. We wondered if the red states would instantly outlaw abortion while the blue states allowed it to be available. If that's the case, then those same red states would see explosions in the the numbers of (1) women dying due to botched abortions, (2) unwanted children. Either way, their social services systems will be stretched to the limit and we'll see an even greater disparity between red and blue states with even more tax money from blue states going to the "government hand-out" dependent red states.

Kinda ironic, when you think about it.

[IntravenousDemilo]

42. Many fetuses will have to jump back up in utero...

...and await word from the Oval Office as to when they can come out again. Most inconvenient.

[Bluesplayer]

43. all of the

plastic coat-hanger manufacturers will either go out of business, or switch back to wire.

I wonder if the morning after pill will be safe?

[bspence]

44. It will also energize us

We've taken for granted the fact that women can have abortions in this country. If that gets taken away, or it's even threatened to be taken away, we'll have more people come to our side.

I think, politically, it's a gain for us. Too bad we'd have to recover from a very f-ed up situation, where women are forced to bring babies (cells, really) they don't want to term.

[Strawman]

47. They still need one more vote on the SCOTUS

And even if they did overturn Roe, I don't buy the mass exodus from the Republican party theory. They will try to get a constitutional amendment or federal ban on abortion. The anti-abortion zealots aren't going to be happy with letting the issue go back to the states. They can overturn Roe and still not kill their golden calf.

As for the exploitation of homophobia by the Republicans, that will happen regardless of what happens on abortion. The larger issue is that the Republicans are obsessed with sex and telling everyone when, how and with whom they can or can't do it and punishing those who transgress.

[Hippo_Tron]

69. No they don't, Roberts will make it 5 votes against Roe

Currently the makeup is...

Pro upholding Roe v Wade

Ginsburg, Stevens, Souter, Breyer, and O'Conner (the key swing vote)

Against upholding Roe v Wade

Rhenquist, Scalia, Thomas, and Kennedy

There are, however, two scenarios in which Roe might still be upheld. Roberts could be a closet moderate (like Souter), although given his partisan activity, I HIGHLY doubt this one. The other, is that Kennedy could have a change of heart and vote to uphold Roe.

[Strawman]

75. Planned Parenthood v Casey was a 6-3. Kennedy d/n reject Roe

The O'Connor, Kennedy and Souter plurality opinion

Though the plurality opinion stated that it was upholding what it called the "essential holding" of Roe, it did not leave it intact. The Court emphasized the right to abortion as "grounded in the general sense of liberty" under the Fourteenth Amendment, rather than recognizing a general right to privacy that had been implied in previous cases.

However, the Court overturned the strict trimester formula used in Roe to weigh the woman's interest in obtaining an abortion against the State's interest in the life of the fetus. Continuing advancements in medical technology meant that at the time Casey was decided, a fetus might be considered viable at 22 or 23 weeks rather than at the 28 weeks that was more common at the time of Roe. The Court recognized viability as the point at which the State interest in the life of the fetus outweighs the rights of the woman and abortion may be banned entirely.

The Court also replaced the heightened scrutiny of abortion regulations under Roe, which was standard for fundamental rights in the Court's case law, with a lesser "undue burden" standard previously unknown in the Court's case law. A legal restriction posing an undue burden was defined as one having "the purpose or effect of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus."

Applying this new standard to the Pennsylvania Act under challenge, the Court struck the spousal notification requirement, stating that it gave too much power to husbands over their wives and would worsen situations of spousal abuse. The Court upheld the State's 24 hour waiting period, informed consent, and parental notification requirements, holding that none constituted an undue burden.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_Parenthood_v._Casey

But this year Kennedy sided with the conservatives on the court to uphold the partial birth abortion ban that was struck down by the Court (on a 5-4 I think). So I think what you'll see are more restrictions on abortion, but not an outright rejection of Roe. Not unless they replace a Stevens, Ginsburg, Breyer, Souter, or Kennedy.

[GracieM]

49. Roe v Wade will not be overturned "officially"

The backlash against conservatives would be too great and conservatives need Wade out there to beat their war drums...

[Lightning Bug]

52. You are totally right GracieM

Abortion is the biggest weapon the far right has, as long as it remains legal.

[ourbluenation]

55. Will not get overturned.

Most people were appalled at the gov intrusion in the Schiavo case. The average joe(saphina)does not want some dumb ass politician telling them what they can and cannot do in their private lives. There will be an outrage. As far as chipping away at reproductive rights...eventually the backlash will chip away right on back.

[AntiCoup2K4]

54. Roe v Wade will NOT be overturned.

It's the proverbial "carrot" that the Repukes use to drag the Red State Trailer Park Pharisees to the polls. Without the "baby killer" wedge issue, what do they have?

Roberts is there because he will rubber stamp the Chimp's agenda period. Torture? No problem. Any Patriot Act related cases? You know what to do, John.

[RaRa]

56. Crime will skyrocket in Red States and drop in Blue.

Fact via University of Chicago study.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

57. Massive and frequent protests and demonstrations

and just plain old outrage.

Back alley abortions.

A further polarization of our nation.

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[halsaxby]

60. It won't....

This is a red-button issue that is used to manipulate Red Staters during election time. The RNC can't afford to take this tool out of their tool chest, it is how they've duped many Midwesterners and Southerners into slitting their own throats economically.

[Cha]

63. That's my view, too.

Welcome to DU, halsaxby!

[Ramsey]

64. The GOP will experience death throes

It's going too far and I think the still-rational ones know it. No one but the ultra-fundies want to go back to the dark ages. Hell, the average Republican likes his porn, gambling and booze. After abortion, the fundies are coming for your personal favorite vice next. Where does it end??

[me b zola]

70. I hope if Roe is ever overturned

Women everywhere will corner supporters of the dlc and put the boots to 'em. None of these stupid 17th century things happening to us would be as easily accomplished if it were not for the complicity and "compromises" of the fucking dlc.

Even now, we would not be as frightened that the over turn of Roe as a possibility if the dlc weren't collaborating with the neo-cons to merge church with State. What's that Hillery? Faith-based initiatives are a good thing? The more you enable religiosity to enter our government & secular institutions, the more you feed the vampires who wish to over turn Roe.

[OnionPatch]

72. They'll still use the abortion issue

Even if RoevWade is overturned, they'll remind the fundies just before elections that if they don't vote, the liberals will get out there and make abortion legal again. Not that I don't think they'll use the gay marriage issue. I just believe they can get all the mileage they want from the abortion issue no matter if it's legal or not.

[Skidmore]

73. They will start targeting

other women's issues. They will seek to control the birth control you use and actively work to get women out of the workplace and the voting booth. Remember that organization that Barbara Olson was affiliated with?

[jmowreader]

77. There is no such thing as a single-issue voter

Consider: you have a great, wonderful Democratic candidate. He's for "responsible" taxation (this means not running around claiming he's going to chop taxes to the bone because lower tax rates always mean increased tax revenues and higher employment), equal rights for gays to include marriage, legalization of marijuana, elimination of No Child Left Behind, single-payer health insurance, just all the things liberal Democrats like. But he's also pro-life--and in this case, pro-life doesn't mean pro-fetus. He's anti-abortion but he also cares about them after they're born.

This candidate would have zero support in the pro-fetus community, especially among the "single-issue voters."

Pro-life voters are also anti-tax voters, anti-gay voters, pro-War on Drugs voters. It comes as a package.

Overturning Roe would just be a start for them on the pro-fetus front alone. They would next have to install candidates who would ban abortion in the several states...and in some of those states, it would be harder than others. In Georgia it wouldn't be a problem; they've got the majority there to do it now. In the State of Washington, where abortion was legal pre-Roe, it MIGHT be possible--eastern Washington outside Spokane County is very conservative. Assuming they can elect a pro-life governor, there's always a chance they could get the votes together in the legislature to put an abortion ban on the governor's desk. But Massachusetts? Good old completely-blue Massachusetts? No way. And then they'd have to keep these laws in place. Without a pro-fetus amendment to the Constitution, there's enough to keep the pro-fetus crowd sending those checks in. Hell, WE send checks in to protect what we have and Roe is, in the words of John Roberts, settled law.

But for many pro-fetusers, overturning Roe would give them breathing room to go for mandatory pink triangle tattoos for gay men.

[nicknameless]

78. Even if Roe were overturned, the RW still has other steamy, hate issues

that they'll use to attract voters.

They'll pander to their idiot base with homophobia and racism. (Don't forget the Southern Strategy.)
They'll sound alarms about the Left wanting to take away their guns and their Bibles.

Seems to me that in 2003 they even managed to convince their mindless followers that lattes, Volvos and education were things to be opposed to. Murka has no shortage of morons, so the right-wing will always have voters. :eyes:

... And of course, if they can't get enough pea-brains to cooperate with them, there's always Diebold and ES&S.

[KerryReallyWon]

80. they will have to double fund all they are cutting...

if more are forced to have their children. More strain. they are too selfish to spend more, so I am not worried about it.

[PatsFan2004]

83. What happens when the age of viability drops to weeks due to

technological advances? Even if ROE is upheld, the Roe decision includes the exception for viability of the fetus outside the womb even with artificial aid.