Roe v Wade’s Days Are Numbered

So, here we are. A draft opinion, already voted on. The GOP’s 25 year campaign to establish that precedent doesn’t matter and to establish the Supreme Court as a super-legislature is on the verge of realization. To the surprise of nobody who has been paying attention, Roe’s days appear to be numbered. Except for the mass disenfranchisement of black voters after Reconstruction, this is thought to be the first time an established Constitutional right was taken away.

The Republicans have had a willing and cooperative partner in this campaign: Democrats. The draft Supreme Court decision  is the most poorly kept secret in decades. The Republicans told us more than 20 years ago that they were going after young and ideological judges, we knew more than a decade ago that a hard-right advocacy group, the Federalist Society, was designing a Court of partisan street-fighters, and Donald Trump told us (repeatedly) in 2016 that any Justice he appointed would be a sure vote to repeal Roe.

And Democrats ignored it all. Until today, apparently. So, in 2016, how many people did you hear say “I’m so sick and tired of being told I should vote for Hillary because of judges” And my answer? “Thanks, and here we are.” Three radical reactionary justices, who could have been Clinton appointees.

The Dems as a party have also done a great job of ignoring state legislatures. The mess in 2010 was especially costly. The Republicans were able to hyper-gerrymander seats in purple states like Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and north Carolina. And now, when the time comes to approve fair election maps for the next decade or resist “stop the steal” election laws – or defend women’s right to choose – that gift from the past keeps on giving.

And right now we’re on a course to do it again in November. Every poll agrees, Democrats are discouraged and likely to stay home. How many of those angry people hitting the streets about Roe are going to say, “Well, I’m darned sure to vote in November,’ and how many are going to say, “Well, but he didn’t get the George Floyd bill… didn’t take care of the Dreamers … didn’t extend the child care credit .. didn’t get Build Back Better … blah, blah, blah.” Republicans are enthusiastic, and eager to vote. If nature takes its course, today’s 50:50 Senate and 220:215 House could easily become 44:56 and 170:265. Fair weather Democrats need to understand that we’re on the losing end of a generational conflict. It’s vital that people get organized – and vote.