Hearing
How America politicised abortion
- 2020 Election Stakes:
- A record number of voters state their 2020 presidential vote will hinge on the abortion issue.
- 27% of Americans now say a candidate must share their views on abortion, a 33% increase from the 2016 election.
- Missouri Clinic Crisis:
- Dr. Colleen McNicholas is testifying against the state's refusal to renew the license for Missouri's last remaining abortion provider.
- In 1982, Missouri had 29 abortion providers; the state currently has only one.
- If the court upholds the state's decision, Missouri will become the first U.S. state with no legal abortion clinics.
- Clinic closure would leave nearly 1.4 million women without statewide access.
- Patients face mandatory 72-hour waiting periods between consultation and procedure, often requiring 300-mile travel round trips.
- Global and Historical Context:
- Abortion is legal on request or under broad circumstances in 80 countries; legalization in nations like Britain (1967) and Ireland largely settled the political debate.
- Unlike legislative processes abroad, U.S. abortion rights stem from the 1973 Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade (decided 7-2), which the transcript argues lacks democratic legitimacy.
- The Court's decision established some of the most permissive laws globally, allowing abortions later into pregnancy than in most other nations.
- Prior to the 1970s, the issue did not define party lines; Republicans were initially more pro-choice, and Catholic Democrats were the primary opponents to abortion.
- Political Realignment:
- Strategic shift began in 1979 when conservative strategist Paul Weyrich targeted 29% of the population (Evangelicals) to enter the political arena, viewing abortion as a "ticket to win their vote."
- Ronald Reagan shifted from a pro-choice stance to an anti-abortion crusader to capitalize on this demographic, becoming the Republican standard-bearer for the issue.
- Donald Trump similarly shifted from pro-choice to a "pro-life crusader," securing 81% of the evangelical vote in the 2016 election.
- Current Legislative and Judicial Landscape:
- Since 2017, 35 Republican states have proposed over 250 new regulations to restrict access.
- Nine states have passed "heartbeat bills" banning abortion after 6–8 weeks, though currently unenforceable under Roe.
- The strategy involves passing unconstitutional state laws to provoke a Supreme Court challenge intended to overturn Roe.
- Supreme Court Dynamics:
- The Court's composition has shifted with President Trump's appointment of two justices (Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch) presumed to vote against Roe.
- The newly composed Court is scheduled to hear its first abortion case by June 2020.
- Experts predict a significant scaling back of rights or the eventual overturning of Roe, which would return authority to individual states.
- Cross-State Implications:
- Illinois is establishing itself as a refuge, with a new megaclinic located 10 minutes from the Missouri border to treat out-of-state patients.
- Democratic states are creating legal frameworks to protect abortion access in anticipation of a post-Roe era.
- Health Consequences:
- Experts warn that banning legal abortion leads to dangerous, illegal procedures that risk patient fertility, health, and life.
- Dr. McNicholas emphasizes that for patients, the issue is not political but pivotal to their immediate existence.