I support Roe v. Wade. I also believe that there is a range of opinions, thoughtful opinions, on whether there should be ANY limits on abortion.
I believe Dems can be most effective in fighting this if they focus on the extremism of this decision. We're already living this extremism in Texas. One small step is in writing about this issue, I think the writer should always include "children," as what has happened to child rape victims is truly barbaric. I'm urging reports to do this. An example is a modification of one of Robert's beautiful sentences:
The question that matters is whether the Court preserves or revokes the constitutional right of women to control their destinies and reproductive choices AND PARENTS TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN AFTER A RAPE.
In Texas, NOW, we have child rape victims forced to carry their pregnancies to term. We have forced births in unimaginably tragic situations where the best decision has been removed from the hands of mothers, fathers, doctors, pastors.
I can understand questioning a late term abortion of a perfectly healthy child--I'm not expressing an agreement or disagreement--I'm just saying I can understand that position.
But what we're seeing in Texas, and what the SC is getting ready to unleash, is barbaric.
Hi Robert- I know there is a lot going on with the Court but several articles discuss the fact that the majority of its members were nominated by Presidents who were elected by a minority of citizens. Who is working to eliminate the Electoral College??? It’s always discussed during and after elections but then everyone forgets about it. I believe it is the source of many ills and should be one of our top issues. Thoughts? Thanks, Jeanne McGinnis
Vote Forward is a great letter writing organization. In the last election I sent 200 letters to democratic leaning people in Georgia , many who did not normally vote, and 2 Democrats won the Senate seats.
May 5, 2022·edited May 5, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Hi Robert. Thanks again! One nit, however: "The Supreme Court’s legitimacy crisis worsens by the day, and the justices have no one to blame but themselves." Not exactly. They have a supine Congress -- especially squirmy people like Collins -- and fierce Federalist Society fanatics who will do anything to get Conservatives on the court to overturn our rights, and who are equally to blame, if not more so.
Our local, weekly postcarding group starts up again today. We were pretty consistently writing for a variety of candidates during the Orange Administration. Now back and today writing for Sen.Warnock. Everu weel week will vary but Activate America is the group we are using. Ours is not a group comfortable with doing texting or phone banking. Snappy postcards, easy to read and punchy short messages in real handwriting from real people to real people is what we do. People can take cards, stamps and addresses home to write or stay here for a bit and chat and write. We need each other and we know that.
What is the 2022 election about? Alito’s draft opinion, and the upsurge of Republican attempts to override human rights generally, show us that the question for voters is whether government of the people, by the people and for the people will perish from the Earth, or be vindicated and strengthened. Nothing less is at stake.
From Mark Joseph Stern: "Here is Louisiana’s new fetal personhood bill—which House Republicans just voted out of committee 7–2—making abortion a crime of homicide “from the moment of fertilization” and allowing prosectors to charge patients with murder. https://legiscan.com/LA/text/HB813/id/2549012/Louisiana-2022-HB813-Introduced.pdf"
Still processing my plan, and our family plan - donate where we can (sent Tim Ryan a little cash last night), register voters, show up at the Supremes Court to protest, hope to work for Rep. Abigail Spanberger campaign, and be sure my 17 yo (turns 18 in July) registers to vote.
It’s always about the numbers and thank you Robert for clarifying and rationalizing the numbers for us. We need to be realistic about a few things. The Biden Administration does t have a silver bullet to change the Supreme Court decision and anything they do will be on the fringe. We knew this decision was heading in this direction but the Biden Administration was caught flat footed and is trying to recover. Most voters will not read the draft of the opinion or understand it and understand how poorly the justification was. What Democrats need to do with urgency is scream about what other rights are in jeopardy and what it means s to voters and their families. Frankly we need to scare people to action it’s that serious. Vice President Harris said the following yesterday “ Those Republican leaders who are trying to weaponize the use of the law against women — well, we say, “How dare they?” How dare they tell a woman what she can do and cannot do with her own body? How dare they? How dare they try to stop her from determining her own future? How dare they try to deny women their rights and their freedoms? … They want to ban abortion in every state. They want to bully anyone who seeks or provides reproductive health care. And they want to criminalize and punish women for making these decisions. Woman of all political persuasions must all come together to say you have no right to tell me what I can do with my body. Are we going to let the Supreme Court take away our freedoms? Woman have the power now and they need to step up in numbers and be counted.
I think it’s also crucial to consider the younger voters, who in the past have felt no real urgency around the threat of overturning Roe. With internet access to morning-after drugs, the threat seems mild to them, according to some professors I know. There is a casual attitude regarding abortion it seems. The idea of government mandated pregnancy needs to be approached from a slightly different angle for this demographic. I agree with the line of thought Mr Hubbell suggests here and hope we come up with persuasive language that will broaden their understanding of what’s at stake.
The “draft” decision is like a dead fish, the longer it sits, the more it stinks. Right now I am encouraged by women…and men…coming together to support women in need of this health care. Several Facebook groups have formed and one in particular started by the group Red, Wine and Blue, had multiple posts last night where women who no longer can have children offer to buy the “Plan B” pills and send them to those that need them. Women in safe states for abortion rights offer their homes for people to stay if they need to travel there. People in red states are offering to take care of children if their moms need to travel. So, lots of people coming together to offer help in ways big and small. And since we can walk and chew gum at the same time, we are also mobilizing to register new voters and get out the vote.
I’ve taken a look at Isgur’s article and it comes across as Republican wishful thinking. Just to reinforce your points.
1. Salience or Intensity of Concern is Hugely Important. Most of the swingier or lower-propensity (A.K.A. high-potential) voters do not follow politics very closely and do not weigh a sizable set of issues and make some kind of calculation for voting preference. Rather they very often respond to one or perhaps 2 matters, that somehow resonate with them. Republicans have capitalized on this for years by stirring up a minority set of voters, for each of which it is their paramount issue and the groups collectively constitute a large block of voters (e.g. gun rights, abortion, immigrant phobia, anti-vax, etc.) When faced with the stark reality of access to abortion, for themselves and others, the intensity of concern is bound to rise substantially in an important set of voters. Recall that elections are very often decided by just a few percentage points.
2. Abortion in Virginia in 2021 wasn’t all that prominent. Sure McAuliffe had some ads on it, among other things and it was raised in debates. But there were many other strong factors influencing that election. During canvassing in VA in 2021, I personally talked to hundreds of voters, and it was very rarely mentioned. Recall both houses of the legislature were Democratic. So there was no impending risk, unlike the stark reality now.
3. Turnout Is Actually the Key Issue Overall. The fact that it was very high in 2020 nationwide and also in VA in 2021, begs the question of how it will be in 2022. As you point out the largest part of the eligible voting population didn’t vote at all. Beyond that, everyone expects the mid term to be less than 2020. The key question is how much the fall-off will be and who can turn out their voters the best. This issue can definitely help us.
4. Fits into an Overall Narrative of Extremism. Abortion may well be the lynchpin in making a persuasive overall argument about the MAGA Extremists, as President Biden is now calling them, that can resonate. In addition to assault on abortion, one can add a substantial list: e.g the January 6 mob attack, the related conspiracy to overthrow the 2020 election results, assaults on school boards and libraries, anti-LGBTQ legislation, Covid denialism and Pro Putin support etc.
Planned Parenthood and Women's March have scheduled a "Bans Off Our Bodies Abortion Rally" in LA and Santa Barbara for Saturday, May 14th. This event should be national.
If you want to demonstrate your support, contact your local Planned Parenthood or Women's March chapter and plan or support a rally in your town/city. Also, email, text, message and/or tweet the May 14th event to your friends and family so they too can demonstrate their support for a woman's reproduction rights, privileges, privacy and liberty.
I support Roe v. Wade. I also believe that there is a range of opinions, thoughtful opinions, on whether there should be ANY limits on abortion.
I believe Dems can be most effective in fighting this if they focus on the extremism of this decision. We're already living this extremism in Texas. One small step is in writing about this issue, I think the writer should always include "children," as what has happened to child rape victims is truly barbaric. I'm urging reports to do this. An example is a modification of one of Robert's beautiful sentences:
The question that matters is whether the Court preserves or revokes the constitutional right of women to control their destinies and reproductive choices AND PARENTS TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN AFTER A RAPE.
In Texas, NOW, we have child rape victims forced to carry their pregnancies to term. We have forced births in unimaginably tragic situations where the best decision has been removed from the hands of mothers, fathers, doctors, pastors.
I can understand questioning a late term abortion of a perfectly healthy child--I'm not expressing an agreement or disagreement--I'm just saying I can understand that position.
But what we're seeing in Texas, and what the SC is getting ready to unleash, is barbaric.
Hi Robert- I know there is a lot going on with the Court but several articles discuss the fact that the majority of its members were nominated by Presidents who were elected by a minority of citizens. Who is working to eliminate the Electoral College??? It’s always discussed during and after elections but then everyone forgets about it. I believe it is the source of many ills and should be one of our top issues. Thoughts? Thanks, Jeanne McGinnis
Vote Forward is a great letter writing organization. In the last election I sent 200 letters to democratic leaning people in Georgia , many who did not normally vote, and 2 Democrats won the Senate seats.
Hi Robert. Thanks again! One nit, however: "The Supreme Court’s legitimacy crisis worsens by the day, and the justices have no one to blame but themselves." Not exactly. They have a supine Congress -- especially squirmy people like Collins -- and fierce Federalist Society fanatics who will do anything to get Conservatives on the court to overturn our rights, and who are equally to blame, if not more so.
Thank you Robert for confirming my instincts regarding the Ohio primary. You do a great job of helping me keep my head on straight each morning.
Our local, weekly postcarding group starts up again today. We were pretty consistently writing for a variety of candidates during the Orange Administration. Now back and today writing for Sen.Warnock. Everu weel week will vary but Activate America is the group we are using. Ours is not a group comfortable with doing texting or phone banking. Snappy postcards, easy to read and punchy short messages in real handwriting from real people to real people is what we do. People can take cards, stamps and addresses home to write or stay here for a bit and chat and write. We need each other and we know that.
Small numbers in Ohio. Small minds at SCOTUS.
What is the 2022 election about? Alito’s draft opinion, and the upsurge of Republican attempts to override human rights generally, show us that the question for voters is whether government of the people, by the people and for the people will perish from the Earth, or be vindicated and strengthened. Nothing less is at stake.
From Mark Joseph Stern: "Here is Louisiana’s new fetal personhood bill—which House Republicans just voted out of committee 7–2—making abortion a crime of homicide “from the moment of fertilization” and allowing prosectors to charge patients with murder. https://legiscan.com/LA/text/HB813/id/2549012/Louisiana-2022-HB813-Introduced.pdf"
They are not hiding their plans.
Still processing my plan, and our family plan - donate where we can (sent Tim Ryan a little cash last night), register voters, show up at the Supremes Court to protest, hope to work for Rep. Abigail Spanberger campaign, and be sure my 17 yo (turns 18 in July) registers to vote.
Thanks as always for calling out the doomsayers, Robert. Lies. damn lies, and statistics as usual!
It’s always about the numbers and thank you Robert for clarifying and rationalizing the numbers for us. We need to be realistic about a few things. The Biden Administration does t have a silver bullet to change the Supreme Court decision and anything they do will be on the fringe. We knew this decision was heading in this direction but the Biden Administration was caught flat footed and is trying to recover. Most voters will not read the draft of the opinion or understand it and understand how poorly the justification was. What Democrats need to do with urgency is scream about what other rights are in jeopardy and what it means s to voters and their families. Frankly we need to scare people to action it’s that serious. Vice President Harris said the following yesterday “ Those Republican leaders who are trying to weaponize the use of the law against women — well, we say, “How dare they?” How dare they tell a woman what she can do and cannot do with her own body? How dare they? How dare they try to stop her from determining her own future? How dare they try to deny women their rights and their freedoms? … They want to ban abortion in every state. They want to bully anyone who seeks or provides reproductive health care. And they want to criminalize and punish women for making these decisions. Woman of all political persuasions must all come together to say you have no right to tell me what I can do with my body. Are we going to let the Supreme Court take away our freedoms? Woman have the power now and they need to step up in numbers and be counted.
I think it’s also crucial to consider the younger voters, who in the past have felt no real urgency around the threat of overturning Roe. With internet access to morning-after drugs, the threat seems mild to them, according to some professors I know. There is a casual attitude regarding abortion it seems. The idea of government mandated pregnancy needs to be approached from a slightly different angle for this demographic. I agree with the line of thought Mr Hubbell suggests here and hope we come up with persuasive language that will broaden their understanding of what’s at stake.
The “draft” decision is like a dead fish, the longer it sits, the more it stinks. Right now I am encouraged by women…and men…coming together to support women in need of this health care. Several Facebook groups have formed and one in particular started by the group Red, Wine and Blue, had multiple posts last night where women who no longer can have children offer to buy the “Plan B” pills and send them to those that need them. Women in safe states for abortion rights offer their homes for people to stay if they need to travel there. People in red states are offering to take care of children if their moms need to travel. So, lots of people coming together to offer help in ways big and small. And since we can walk and chew gum at the same time, we are also mobilizing to register new voters and get out the vote.
I’ve taken a look at Isgur’s article and it comes across as Republican wishful thinking. Just to reinforce your points.
1. Salience or Intensity of Concern is Hugely Important. Most of the swingier or lower-propensity (A.K.A. high-potential) voters do not follow politics very closely and do not weigh a sizable set of issues and make some kind of calculation for voting preference. Rather they very often respond to one or perhaps 2 matters, that somehow resonate with them. Republicans have capitalized on this for years by stirring up a minority set of voters, for each of which it is their paramount issue and the groups collectively constitute a large block of voters (e.g. gun rights, abortion, immigrant phobia, anti-vax, etc.) When faced with the stark reality of access to abortion, for themselves and others, the intensity of concern is bound to rise substantially in an important set of voters. Recall that elections are very often decided by just a few percentage points.
2. Abortion in Virginia in 2021 wasn’t all that prominent. Sure McAuliffe had some ads on it, among other things and it was raised in debates. But there were many other strong factors influencing that election. During canvassing in VA in 2021, I personally talked to hundreds of voters, and it was very rarely mentioned. Recall both houses of the legislature were Democratic. So there was no impending risk, unlike the stark reality now.
3. Turnout Is Actually the Key Issue Overall. The fact that it was very high in 2020 nationwide and also in VA in 2021, begs the question of how it will be in 2022. As you point out the largest part of the eligible voting population didn’t vote at all. Beyond that, everyone expects the mid term to be less than 2020. The key question is how much the fall-off will be and who can turn out their voters the best. This issue can definitely help us.
4. Fits into an Overall Narrative of Extremism. Abortion may well be the lynchpin in making a persuasive overall argument about the MAGA Extremists, as President Biden is now calling them, that can resonate. In addition to assault on abortion, one can add a substantial list: e.g the January 6 mob attack, the related conspiracy to overthrow the 2020 election results, assaults on school boards and libraries, anti-LGBTQ legislation, Covid denialism and Pro Putin support etc.
Planned Parenthood and Women's March have scheduled a "Bans Off Our Bodies Abortion Rally" in LA and Santa Barbara for Saturday, May 14th. This event should be national.
If you want to demonstrate your support, contact your local Planned Parenthood or Women's March chapter and plan or support a rally in your town/city. Also, email, text, message and/or tweet the May 14th event to your friends and family so they too can demonstrate their support for a woman's reproduction rights, privileges, privacy and liberty.