The overturn of Roe cost the GOP. So why are Republicans now doubling down on abortion bans?

[marmar]

The overturn of Roe cost the GOP. So why are Republicans now doubling down on abortion bans?
Misogyny is what turns out their base

By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2, 2023 6:00AM (EST)


(Salon) If there was one inescapable takeaway from the midterm elections, it was this: Abortion is a losing issue for Republicans.

Despite reams of historical evidence suggesting November 2022 was going to produce a "red wave," Democrats racked up dramatic wins, seizing state and federal offices and retaining control of the Senate. Much of the post-election data on why was messy— except when it came to abortion. On that issue, study after study showed that support for abortion rights after the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June was a major — and often deciding — factor. The implicit political advice to Republicans couldn't be clearer: Back off the draconian abortion restrictions. They've done no such thing, however.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) passed a resolution on Monday calling for more attacks on reproductive rights, arguing that the reason Republicans lost so many races in November was that the party wasn't anti-abortion enough. "Instead of fighting back and exposing Democratic extremism on abortion, many Republican candidates failed to remind Americans of our proud heritage of challenging slavery, segregation, and the forces eroding the family and the sanctity of human life," read the resolution. To fix the problem, the RNC argued, Republicans need to pass even harsher anti-abortion laws, such as banning first trimester abortions. This resolution was one of the first orders of business after Ronna McDaniel won a fourth term as chair of the RNC, showcasing how serious GOP leadership is about doubling down on anti-choice politics.

Why Republicans would want to go harder on an issue that most data shows hurts them at the polls is puzzling, initially. But a new study from PerryUndem, which specializes in crafting nuanced polls that dig into the deeper motivations of American voters, suggests why that might be. Their numbers show that, even as the country has grown more progressive on gender and sexuality, sexist views among Republican voters have only grown more entrenched. In addition, the data makes it clear that the driving force behind anti-abortion policies is a belief that women are not smart or moral enough to be allowed control over their own bodies.

....(snip)....

In other words, to keep the GOP base motivated to donate, volunteer, and vote in elections, the Republican party needs to appeal to sexist attitudes. The most effective way to win over misogynist voters is to attack reproductive rights.

As the study shows, the single best predictor of whether someone opposes abortion rights is if they subscribe to negative stereotypes about women and/or are committed to "traditional" gender roles. It's not just that anti-choice respondents were far more likely than pro-choice respondents to believe that "women are too easily offended" or "white men are the most attacked group in the country right now." Abortion opponents were also more likely to deny that it's rape if a man forces himself on his wife. A majority of anti-abortion respondents also believed men understand the biology of abortion better than women do. Over two-thirds of people who support abortion bans agreed "it bothers me when a guy acts like a girl," while only 28% of pro-choice people disliked men they perceive as effeminate. ..........(more)

https://www.salon.com/2023/02/02/the-overturn-of-roe-cost-the-gop-so-why-are-now-doubling-down-on-abortion-bans/

[Hotler]

1. It's the Christians within the party driving everything these days.

You know, the Christians that spew hate towards those not of their cloth.

[Irish_Dem]

2. Obviously votes don't matter any more.

What the people want doesn't matter.

[Johnny2X2X]

3. Dems need to lean into this

There are countless horror stories in Red States already. Abortion is on the ballot in every election at every level. This is the 2024 issue, Republicans want a nationwide ban, only Dems and Biden can stop them in 2024.

And I do mean every single election is about abortion. I don't care if the election is for county drain commissioner, abortion matters. These extremists have to be stopped before they win their first election, the county drain commissioner might be the State Senator for the GOP in 10 years, their position on abortion matters no matter what they're running for right now.

[Botany]

4. "So why are Republicans now doubling down on abortion bans?"

All part of their on going right wing Christo Fascist Coup to stop democracy, the rule by majority,
and the change in demographics which should put the GOP into the dustbin of history. This is
just "red meat" for the mouth breathing base that super rich/Russian assets use to keep power.

[In It to Win It]

5. It didn't cost them enough.

[2naSalit]

7. THIS

^^^

[Mad_Machine76]

11. +1

[Arazi]

13. Yup. I also think they feel it's now or never

The issue is a hot button now but if they lose any momentum, public apathy will sink in and the issue won’t be as explosive.

Republicans are trying to leverage every emotional cultural issue they can for 2024. Abortion has worked for 50 years, they’re not giving it up now. Re-framing it and trotting it back out was a given

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. Rethug wisdom: If you find yourself in a hole, dig faster.

Yeah, it's no solution, but at least you're doing something.

My advice: when R's get bored with all this "pro-life" nonsense, they should introduce bills to stop Social Security. That would be a fantastic move for them.

[Jade Fox]

8. What is missing here...

is an analysis of the internalized sexism of right wing women who go along with these attempts to restrict their own freedom. That seems like the real issue. The predictable sexism of these men seems almost laughable, but WTF are the women thinking?

I don't get it.

[Mad_Machine76]

10. Every oppressed group

has a group that joins their oppressors, hoping they'll be the exception, that they'll be treated better.

[Tree Lady]

12. They sincerely believe it is murder

and there is no changing them unless it happens to their daughters and they see first hand why its not murder.

[Cosmocat]

17. Cause conservative thinking makes them think it doesn't apply to them

And, they could give a fuck all about anyone else, cause LIBERALS!

[Mad_Machine76]

9. I think

that they think that if they suppress enough votes, tear down enough of our checks and balances that they can do whatever they want unimpeded by popular opinion? Also, it seems that right now they're shifting the bulk of their attention to Trans people, drag queens, so maybe they don't notice the new abortion stuff?

[Initech]

14. Because they're a bloodthirsty cult out for absolute power.

And they don't care who they stomp on to get the grand prize.

[Cosmocat]

18. Correct

nm

[Marius25]

15. Because they still "won" the House

so they don't believe it hurts them enough to stop.

[keithbvadu2]

16. It's not a matter of pro-life. It's a matter of control.

It's not a matter of pro-life.

It's a matter of control.

[maxsolomon]

19. They've been waiting to enact these bans for decades.

Strike while the iron is hot.

Many GOP Pols have based their entire careers on this, and know their constituents expect it, because they're likewise 1-issue voters.

I am related to some of them: conservative German-Irish Catholics who've been isolated in middle-class white suburbs their entire lives, listening to conservative celibates tell them every Sunday that it's murder.