Notorious R.B.G. explains why abortion will never be illegal for rich women

[KamaAina]

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/228713/notorious-r-b-g-explains-why-abortion-will-never-be-illegal-for-rich-women/

This Sunday, The New Republic’s Jeffrey Rosen published an interview with the notorious, glorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg. While the whole thing is worth a read, and she discussed a wide range of topics from her internet fame to her least favorite Supreme Court decision (Citizens United) to Jazzercise–she also weighed in on one thing that no one says enough–that abortion is, above all, a class issue.

When asked what she thought would happen if Roe v. Wade were overturned, Justice Ginsburg explained that it would have essentially no impact on women of enough means to travel in order to obtain an abortion. Even if it were overturned, it would still remain legal in most states, and women in the states where it was illegal, if they had enough money, could just go to another state to get one. That option would not be there for poor women. Hell, even if it were illegal throughout the United States, women with enough money could just go to Canada....

What she didn’t mention, however, is that the fact that rich women will always have access to abortion is a large reason why so many politicians find it so easy to oppose Roe v. Wade and to create ridiculous restrictions on abortion. They know damn well it’s not ever going to affect them if they or their daughters are ever in need of one. They know it’s not going to be them or their daughters on the wrong end of a coat hanger, or dying from any other kind of illegal, unsafe abortion. They don’t even have to consider what life without Roe v. Wade might be like for them or someone they love, because it simply would not apply to them. If Rick Perry made abortion illegal in Texas, and his daughter needed to have one, she would have the means to jump on a plane to wherever, and get one, easy as pie.

Even right now, all the restrictions on abortion in Texas and elsewhere only affect women with limited means. It’s a lot harder for a poor woman to take days off of work in order to travel to an area in the state where there is a clinic than it is for a woman with money.

[gratuitous]

1. Coincidentally

All the wealthy people who are a-skeered of socialized medicine will never be waiting in line at the clinic with the hoi polloi. There will always be plenty of doctors and clinics willing to cater to the wealthy so they never have to wait on hold for an advice nurse or sit in a waiting room getting tenser and tenser. The media millionaires who control our national discourse just don't want poor people to have access to medical care.

[Dustlawyer]

13. The famous cancer hospital, M.D. Anderson in Houston, has huge V.I.P. suites

for those with the $$$$!

[Coventina]

2. When my mother was preganant (with me) and unwed, her doctor offered to arrange a special "vacation"

to Japan to take care of the situation.

My mother was not wealthy, but she had a good job and could have afforded it on the payment plan the doctor offered.

But, my mother ended up marrying my dad and here I am!

So, yeah, those with the means will always be able to get the abortions they need.

It's only the poor or disadvantaged in some other way that will suffer......

on edit: typo!!

[erronis]

7. We're all really glad it worked out for you. However most people

Don't have good jobs and can't afford a payment plan (can you really imagine this in an inner city?))

I'm also glad your dad stayed around. I'm guessing 80% of them don't. And even if they are hanging around there is not much chance that they will support or have the means to support such a wonderful person as you!

[Coventina]

12. I'm having a difficult time interpreting your reply.

So, if I am misinterpreting you, please let me know.

To begin with, I had no part in any of these events.
If my mother had chosen the Japan-option I would never know, and, I doubt I would miss my own existence.
Am I glad I was born? That's a hard question for me to answer on some days.

Leaving that aside, I thought I made it clear in my post (maybe I didn't) that my mother was lucky to have a good job at the time that gave her options. I thought I acknowledged that, and that the destruction of Roe V. Wade would make life for the poor and the working poor just that much harder.

And, about my dad staying.....the irony of the whole thing is that shortly after my parents wed and my mother gave birth to me, they BOTH quit their jobs, thinking that it was God's will that they do something different with their lives, and I spent the rest of my childhood in desperate poverty. As in being functionally homeless for a good portion of it.

So, yeah, just because you have both parents doesn't mean you escape poverty.

[hifiguy]

3. As usual, Justice Ginsburg is absolutely correct.

It was never "illegal" for the wealthy, only the peasantry.

[Coventina]

4. Very disappointed that this sank out of sight so quickly.

[hifiguy]

5. Kick!

[MH1]

6. Absolutely spot on.

Combined with the fact that the self-righteous a-holes protesting at clinics and harassing patients, couldn't be bothered to adopt a child in need or give help to a single mother. They'd rather have the glory of publicly declaring their own "purity".

[StevieM]

36. I disagree that they would never adopt the child.

Right wingers, like George Bush, want to return us to the days of the Baby Scoop Era. They want every single child born out of wedlock to be given up for adoption. They don't care about birth mother's grief. Actually, they want the birth mother to grieve for her child for the rest of her life. That is her punishment for having pre-marital sex. And in their minds the mother is a whore who does not deserve to be a parent to her own child.

The Christian right is very pro-adoption. Not as an alternative to abortion....but as an alternative to parenting.

[fasttense]

8. A common issue back before Roe v Wade

It rarely pops up as a discussion issue today. We all like to pretend in America that there is No class war against the poor.

[KT2000]

9. Prior to Roe v. Wade

Wealthy women had doctors who would provide abortions when it was illegal. No travel necessary.

[ananda]

30. I think it was called a D & C .

..

[eggplant]

10. For those who don't have the means... Please give generously.

http://www.fundabortionnow.org/

New to abortion funding? It’s all here – where we are, how we got here, and how we can reverse more than three decades of discrimination against women living in poverty. Sure, there’s a lot you can learn, but the most important thing is what you already know: Women’s lives matter. That’s why we need to fund abortion. It’s why we need to overturn the Hyde Amendment and every other obstacle that stands between a woman and the abortion she needs. It’s why we need you.

[Hamlette]

11. The restrictions will also mean back alley abortions for the poor, probably already happening

I had an abortion in college, married the father and raised a family on a better time line. When my son "got a girl pregnant" 30 years later, in discussing with my mom that they should get an abortion, I admitted for the first time to my abortion. I'd never told anyone. There was a long pause on the phone, I thought for a minute my mom was going to chastise me. Then my mom said "I had an abortion too, when I was in the navy". Trust me, that was about 30 years pre Roe v Wade and she was a long way from home albeit still in the states. She said everyone always knew where to get an abortion.

So, yes, abortion will be available but how safe will it be? Mom was lucky, and certainly not rich. I knew rich friends in college who went to foreign countries, countries where abortion was illegal but the law was not enforced. They describe going to full service clinics and hospitals where the procedure is described as something other than an abortion.

It shocks me how many countries have worse laws than we do, even in Europe. Can't help think that its one of those inconvenient truths and since its about women, we can talk out of both sides of our mouth.

[Major Nikon]

14. Just ask Rick Santorum

[kiva]

15. It was that way before Roe v Wade

Women with money could travel to countries where abortion was legal; they could have a psychiatrist state that having a baby would so negatively impact them that their mental health was at risk (assuming they lived in a state that allowed abortions if the mother's life was at risk); or, worse case scenario, they could afford a better class of illegal abortion, hopefully someone with more than a few months of medical training.

[KamaAina]

20. And, believe it or not, Puerto Rico

that's where a friend of Mom's went back in the day.

[AuntPatsy]

16. There are more of us then of them, we should use that advantage..

[niyad]

17. she speaks the truth of this matter, and we all know it. rich women have ALWAYS been

able to get abortions--hell, in many cases, did not even have to travel--her doctor would perform an "emergency d and c" for purely medical reasons, of course.

[Omaha Steve]

18. K&R!

[historylovr]

19. K & R

[freshwest]

21. This has been my argument since Roe v. Wade. n/t

[R B Garr]

22. K&R Love R B G!

[Hekate]

23. KnR

[riqster]

24. One of the driving factors behind the original case that led to the Roe decision.

[HelenWheels]

25. Rich men's mistresses

will always beable to have abortions.

[HelenWheels]

26. Rich men's mistresses

will always beable to get abortions.

[HelenWheels]

27. Rich men's mistresses

will always beable to get abortions.

[Jester Messiah]

28. There has always been one set of laws for the rich, another for the rest of us.

Nice to hear a judge come right out and say it, though.

[Enthusiast]

29. Kicked

and recommended a whole bunch!

[appalachiablue]

31. K & R

[geardaddy]

32. Ya been Ginsburned

https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/B-_PhqnW8AEfE1i.mp4

[Gloria]

33. The major Abortion rights groups have been so busy with lawsuits that they

have lost the messaging war. In fact, they have been darned near silent, compared to the early days when I saw full page ads with a picture of a bed and the question..."Do you want the government in your bedroom?" This question raised awareness for both women AND MEN!! They had a stake in the issue, as well!

ALso, the language was changed. The anti-choice side got to be called "pro-life." I wrote a letter (no response) to NARAL years ago about the term "pro-choice"...it sounded like going to a store and choosing from different colored socks. It just didn't have much KICK to it.
It's hard to come up with a term that would be fantastic, but I've toyed with various things...even things like "anti-control" ...or "pro-tolerance" or "pro-respect."

Another thing that gripes me....while all I hear is "religious freedom" used to hack away at all women, I've never heard someone say..
"Speaking for Jewish women, we demand OUR religious freedom to have contraception and/or abortion rights." I actually faced off with one of the zombies in front of our clinic recently using this approach and also throwing in that they were so into their stuff that htey were actually INTOLERANT and got...nada....hung head, looked straight ahead, because they have NO ANSWER.
So, where is the court case using this tactic??? Is it a possibility (I am not a lawyer, Ruth G., can you help me out here??

The point is, the language has to change and the choice movement has to be AGGRESSIVE yet AGAIN!!!!

PS..I just saw the FUND ABORTION link...I had forgotten about that...it's a start, but where are the BIG PLAYERS on this?????
I only give to my LOCAL Planned Parenthood where it is actually used for services, not going down some sinkhole in NYC.

As someone who still has my Becky Bell wristband and who marched on D.C. several times, I'm appalled at the BORING almost detached approach taken by Planned Parenthood and NARAL, in particular. Where is the actual PASSION???

And lastly...why not take some money and start a nationwide fund to provide transportation and housing for women in need? Cancer hospitals have suites, Ronald McDonald Houses are around...so, why not just say, screw you, we're doing it no matter what you creeps in the Red States say?? TAKE BACK POWER!!!!!

I've even got info on the old JANE movement out of N.O.W. When do we start training??????

[mopinko]

34. been saying this for a long time.

THEIR wives, daughters, and mistresses would never have to worry.

[SunSeeker]

35. K & R

[greymattermom]

37. Time to make it illegal, then

If the tea party folks are really serious, they should make it illegal to cross state lines for the purpose of attaining an abortion. Let them arrest their own daughters for murder and let them also put all women in jail, as most have had early miscarriages, and better safe than sorry, right?