How the right will get rid of reproductive rights

[cally]

Many on the left don't seem worried about reversing Roe v. Wade. many believe that the Repubs will never reverse Roe because the wedge issue is needed for them to win elections. That may be true but the court can take away reproductive rights in many small ways that will hurt us all.

The first ruling will be on reqiring parental notification for minors getting an abortion. Most support this so there will not be an uproar about it. Then it's a small step to limiting birth control for minors. I remember when it was difficult to buy condoms as a minor. They were hidden behind the counter and many pharmacists wouldn't sell them to minors.

Then the rulings will go after the morning after pill. For most of us, this will not affect us. I live in an urban area and I can easily find a pharmacist to sell them to me. There are also legal alternatives that can be used that are less effective. Again, it will be on religious freedom. Those of us in urban and liberal areas will not be affected. Most will not think it affects them.

Then, they will go after late term abortions. Who isn't somewhat bothered by the idea of ending a pregnancy in the 8th month. Until you completely understand the issue and why some women will die if these are forbidden then most will support this. Notice this weakens the protection for women's health and life. The state is allowed to make rules forbidding women from taking actions that allow them to live. This fundamentally changes all the protections under Roe and other medical procedures for men and women.

It's a short step to questioning or reversing access to the pill. Again, many see this as endangering women and causing abortion. Pharmacists will be allowed to not sell this and many couples will not have access to effective birth control.

All of these actions are possible and will not change the fundamental wedge issue. They will change a myriad of privacy issues that have repercussions for all our sexual and life choices. Remember, the precursor to Roe was granting the right to married couples to have access to birth control. Also, Roe is a precursor to not allowing some of the sodomy laws to be enforced among consenting adults. Gays will lose rights as well.

I'm still not convinced that the right won't put enough pressure on the Republicans to overturn Roe. The strategists want it as a wedge issue but the base is tired of waiting. Regardless, privacy rights and the health of women are at stake for all of us.

[Der Blaue Engel]

1. Damn right, Cally

People need to wake up. This shit scares me.

:scared:

[noonwitch]

2. They've already won on the parental consent laws

We have them in Michigan. I do have mixed feelings about them. There needs to be adequate judicial bypass written into the law, like we have here.

I do have concerns that the kids who can't discuss their pregnancies with their parents are the ones most in need of privacy/a judicial bypass. If your father got you pregnant, it's difficult to discuss the situation with him. If your mother doesn't believe that your father abused you, then you can't discuss it with her, either.

I also have concerns in the opposite direction. Suppose a kid gets pregnant and wants to bring the child into the world, but has parents who will to force her to get an abortion? If you are going to have parental consent laws, this has to be addressed, too.

Didn't the Reagan administration adopt a snitch rule in the 80s? That any clinic receiving federal money had to tell the parents of any underage girl who was prescribed contraception? I seem to recall that being the case, and Planned Parenthood at that point refused to accept any more federal funds.

[cally]

3. I think so and also some states

have passed laws that make it criminal to take a minor out of state to get an abortion. It's only a small step to make it illegal to cross state lines to get an abortion or to make it illegal to cross state lines to get birth control. It's whether the states have rights to enforce morality on the state's citizens that are different in other states.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Roe will be out in 15-20 years

chipped away, year after year until it can be revisited. Roberts talked about revisiting decisions which have, overtime, through sucessive decisions become moot. (My ears perked up at these statements and red alarms bells were flashing bigger than a railroad crossing signal.)

This is, what I believe, they will do eventually.

[cally]

5. Not only Roe but states will be allowed to restrict

access to birth control. States, not the patients or doctors, will tell us what medical procedures are allowed.