@barney @Tengrain @TonyStark @edwardchampion @GreenFire @JamesBazan @mentallyalex
Sincere but probably stupid question here:
Other than using the subject to secure votes in the next election, why is it that no politician is proposing we start working on creating a new Constitutional #Amendment to protect #abortion?
If a majority of the public, even in many red states, is clearly #ProChoice, then why not work towards passing a new #Amendment? If so, then the majority-Conservative #SCOTUS can just be damned.
#AmendTheConstitution #Constitution #ConstitutionalConvention #28thAmendment
The problem is that those clear majorities of voters don't actually exist when it comes down to specifics.
For example, you may get a ton of people to agree that some abortion should be available, but once you start asking about particular methods, specific limitations on length into pregnancy, and other guidelines, disagreements show up, and the apparent consensus breaks down.
All that has happened around abortion reflects that political reality, that people have honest disagreements over abortion, and the only way to resolve the issue is to work to build actual agreement, which is unlikely to be possible.
@barney@mas.to @Tengrain @TonyStark @edwardchampion@universeodon.com @GreenFire @JamesBazan @mentallyalex@beige.party
@barney @mentallyalex @Tengrain @GreenFire @JamesBazan @edwardchampion @AnneTheWriter1 Additionally, as we all know, Republicans don’t intend for this issue to be left to the states. See the mifepristone ban we all know about. We can’t even pretend we will have alleged “differing opinions.”
The recent mifepristone issue is a matter of FDA compliance with general federal regulation of drug approvals, nothing about abortion in particular, and not even about anything involving politics.
The FDA stood in violation of general statute that wasn't focused on abortion. The executive branch didn't address the complaint. A legal mess ensued.
@barney@mas.to @mentallyalex@beige.party @Tengrain @GreenFire @JamesBazan @edwardchampion@universeodon.com @AnneTheWriter1
The downside risk to calling for a national standard is that the standard might be a bad one :)
It's the all the eggs in one basket issue.
But to this point, it's easier to find strong consensus on a state by state basis considering the diversity between regions and communities in the US.
It will be hard to build a good national consensus here. It's much easier to build that at the state level. And maybe, the state experiences can help shape a national consensus over time, but only if the states do start out with the job.
@barney@mas.to @Tengrain @TonyStark @edwardchampion@universeodon.com @GreenFire @JamesBazan @mentallyalex@beige.party
@volkris @barney @Tengrain @TonyStark @edwardchampion @GreenFire @JamesBazan @mentallyalex
Very good point about when differing opinions hold #abortion to be acceptable. But as long as we have it on a "crazy quilt" state-by-state basis, health care will be impossible for women to plan, and doctors will be dangerously hesitant to provide needed care.
We need a national standard, even if it's a minimal national standard.