"not so bad as..."

[Cerridwen]

I wonder if the case before the supreme court that is poised to overturn Roe will be viewed as;

"not so bad as..." if it is any less than the pile of vomit alito wrote in his opinion to overturn Roe.

"not so bad as alito's opinion"
"not so bad as I feared"
"not so bad as those 'crazy' people warned"
etc.

How many talking heads, political podcasts, friends, family, or people here, would accept any diminishment of Roe as

"not so bad as..."

edited to add: I believe it is called lowering expectations. Or lowering the bar/standard.

[markie]

1. K&R n/t

[unblock]

2. It has occurred to me that the "leak" was a trial balloon,

and that the final opinion may be something less radical than what was leak.

But it doesn't matter.

They've made it clear that this is where the supreme court's majority head is at, and this is the direction they are heading. If they scale it back, it will only be temporary, until the next step can be portrayed as less of an outrage. They have been methodically moving us deeper into authoritarianism and restriction of civil liberties and rights for decades and will continue to do so.

If they try to get away with done thing less this time, they will try to get away with the rest later.

[Cerridwen]

5. Thank you. I agree. In addition, I think they're doing internal polling

to see how to position their resources.

Fewer resources in states already plowing ahead (puns intended) and denying abortions; more resources in tougher markets to wear down the opposition.

Gawd, I'm cynical.

[Karma13612]

10. I believe the correct term is 'pragmatic'.

And you are right. They are using surgical precision in their tactics. Again, pun intended!

[Cerridwen]

11. :D Thanks!

[Karma13612]

3. I wouldn't be surprised if it WAS a

Trial balloon. And yes, I have heard another closely related turn of phrase:

“Managing expectations”.

It would provide the same results I think. Basically, we are now thinking and voicing all the nasty unthinkable outcomes IF Roe is overturned. If it turns out that instead the SCOTUS decides on a horrendous time limit of 6 or 8 weeks, then many will be relieved. And it may quiet the masses forming now.

But, a 6-8 week limit for abortions would mean that women who have miscarriages further down the pregnancy journey will be viewed as complicit and probably faces legal consequences.

All around, this situation is just completely untenable.

[Cerridwen]

7. I wouldn't be surprised either. I think it's strategic or has been used as strategic.

See my reply #5 above for a little more detail.

[Efilroft Sul]

4. The "not so bad as" thinking is how abused spouses and partners rationalize their situations.

No, it is that fucking bad. And thinking like this only enables the abuser to do worse next time.

[Cerridwen]

6. Agreed. n/t

[gratuitous]

8. For the victims

If your torturer threatens to lop your head off, but only cuts off your dominant arm at the elbow, I suppose a case could be made that it was "not so bad." I can't say whether the torture victim would agree.

[Triloon]

9. Here is a little fact about alito's opinion that

I don't think has had enough air. Alito based some of his opinion on the work of the 17th century British jurist Sir Matthew Hale. Hale was a noted misogynist, witch trial judge, and apologist for marital rape.
Here is a good article on him and Alito.
https://www.propublica.org/article/abortion-roe-wade-alito-scotus-hale#1325809