Making abortion against the law was tried before. It didn’t keep abortions from happening.
The pre-Roe abortion bans are viewed in much the same light as Prohibition: If you make abortion illegal, all you’ll accomplish is create a black market for abortions.
But much has changed since 1973, too. The internet. And readily available pills have replaced coathangers.
Take, for example, Dutch doctor Rebecca Gomperts (photo), whose non-profit ships abortion pills worldwide, including countries where abortion is illegal (read story here).
As she’s beyond the reach of U.S. law, how are Republicans going to stop her? A U.S. midwife says, “I just don’t see a route for politicians to eliminate access to Aid Access; they just don’t have the jurisdiction to criminalize an international doctor.”
And even if the Supreme Court overturns Roe for now, it might not stick. “Future liberal appointees could just, well, put Roe back,” or, “A bigger Democratic majority could either overcome the filibuster (if they have 60 votes) or vote to eliminate it with a majority, opening the way to codify Roe in law or even pack the courts.” Or the GOP could back off if the political costs of its strident anti-abortion position prove to be too high. (See story here).
I’ve always been of the view that reversing Roe v. Wade wouldn’t settle the issue, but only set off never-ending fights in state legislators that interfere with getting other business done, endless litigation in the courts, and conflicts between states. In short, an unholy mess.
Abortion foes long have sought to claim the moral high ground, but hypocrisy undermines their moral arguments. Warmongering, supporting the death penalty, opposing gun control, defending police who murder black people, and threatening or engaging in political violence don’t look like respecting human life. They claim to believe in “freedom,” but seek to impose their personal and religious beliefs on others, and intrude into the most intimate aspects of other people’s lives.
So their anti-abortion militancy doesn’t look to critics like morality, and it certainly not like “freedom” or “small government.” It boils down to people telling other people what to do with their lives and bodies.