What happens if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade?
Yesterday, I noted the possibility the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v Wade, thus reverting abortion to a matter for state legislatures. Many commenters on yesterday’s oral arguments think it’s a fait accompli, but the questioning from Justices is often misinterpreted. Regardless, given that abortion rights has been a partisan lightning rod for at least four decades, the decision will have significant impact on the 2022 elections and beyond. At WaPo, Sean Sullivan and Seung Min Kim argue the “ Potential collapse of Roe shakes up political landscape.” Democrats immediately signaled they would aim to make abortion rights a central focus in next year’s midterm elections, where their prospects have been viewed as dim, while many Republicans sought to keep the focus on inflation and other problems facing President Biden. “This is an attack on women to make their own health-care decisions. Their families, it’s up to them,” said Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), a former chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “To have politicians decide to me is just frightening, and I expect a lot of voters will react to that.” Leaving aside the oddity of someone who has been in the Senate for eighteen years being frightened by the prospect of politicians, rather than appointed judges, deciding our laws, she’s certainly right as to how the issue will be framed.
