Even the state legislatures are realizing the hard lined abortion restrictions aren’t really a good look.
In both states, the GOP controlled state house sunk anti abortion bills, which signals perhaps a surprising new trend. Before, anti abortion efforts would be defeated at the ballot box. Think Kansas. But the most GOP controlled state legislatures were working on further restricting abortion.
Florida recently passed a 6 week abortion ban, making it one of the restrictive states in the nation when it comes to abortion. Governor Ron DeSantis knew it wasn’t popular and that it wouldn’t be a general election seller should he be the GOP nominee for president next year. So even though his spearheaded and championed the bill, he quietly signed it on Friday at 11:00 at night, hoping no one would notice.
But Nebraska and North Dakota aren’t even going that far, and are cutting this whole thing off at the pass.
Nebraska had a heartbeat bill on the table. That’s the same as DeSantis’s 6 week abortion ban, essentially. It failed by a single vote. An early GOP supporter changed his mind on the bill, proposing a last minute 12 week ban instead. It didn’t fly. Because he abstained, the bill can now be filibustered by Democrats into eternity.
And South Carolina had an even more strict bill. There was no language on a time frame for an abortion ban. Which means that it could be interpreted as banning abortion from day one. The bill again failed by a single vote, with a handful of GOP women state senators voting against it.
At the end of the day, this is most likely a wise strategy. The GOP should focus on Biden’s failing economy, inability to lead, and an authoritarian control by forcing Americans to buy electric cars only, taxing them up the whazoo to do this.
Finally, the GOP doesn’t seem so radical after all. Let’s hope other states follow suit in thinking this whole abortion thing through.
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