Women's control of their own bodies is on the line in Supreme Court fight, and both sides know it

Anti-abortion crusaders are giddy with excitement over the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, looking for it to tip the Supreme Court to the point of overturning Roe v. Wade. It may not work out quite that way.

While it’s true that historically Republicans have mobilized their base more effectively around judicial nominations, the flood of recent state laws putting extreme restrictions on abortion rights and access have definitely focused the attention of people who support reproductive freedom. And the Republican effort to make everything about abortion may not play well during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Abortion is health care, but “It’s also a really important symbol of women’s place in society at a time now when women feel like we are being attacked and denigrated,” Naral Pro-Choice America’s Ilyse Hogue told The New York Times. “If you are looking at this activated base of women who were already politically engaged, I do see this new fervor.”

In just six months last year, states in the South and Midwest passed 58 new abortion restrictions. Also in 2019, the Pew Research Center found public support for abortion to be “as high as it has been in two decades of polling,” with 61% of people saying it should be legal in most or all cases. In other words, this Supreme Court vacancy might be a great Republican base issue, but it’s not a majority issue for them by any means.

That said, the far right is pouring money into mobilizing the Republican base around this Supreme Court seat. The anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List has increased its existing $52 million budget for this election cycle by $500,000 specifically for a nomination battle, and Concerned Women of America will be bringing anti-choice activists to Washington, D.C., to lobby Republican senators.

Republicans have a huge infrastructure and massive funding to bring to this fight. But Democrats have majority public opinion and an unprecedented amount of energy, as the tidal wave of money pouring into Democratic campaigns via ActBlue over the weekend showed. Democrats also have the popular side of other key issues before the Supreme Court. The fight is on. Again. Even more.

from Daily Kos https://ift.tt/3hOF62J