Pressured by Their Base on Abortion, Republicans Strain to Find a Way Forward

[brooklynite]

New York Times

Republican leaders have followed an emboldened base of conservative activists into what increasingly looks like a political cul-de-sac on the issue of abortion — a tightly confined absolutist position that has limited their options ahead of the 2024 election season, even as some in the party push for moderation.

Last year’s Supreme Court decision overturning a woman’s constitutionally protected right to an abortion was supposed to send the issue of abortion access to the states, where local politicians were supposed to have the best sense of the electorate’s views. But the decision on Friday by a conservative judge in Texas, invalidating the Food and Drug Administration’s 23-year-old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, showed the push for nationwide restrictions on abortion has continued since the high court’s nullification of Roe v. Wade.

Days earlier, abortion was the central theme in a liberal judge’s landslide victory for a contested and pivotal seat on the state Supreme Court in Wisconsin. Some Republicans are warning that the uncompromising position of their party’s activist base could be leading them over an electoral cliff next year.

“If we can show that we care just a little bit, that we have some compassion, we can show the country our policies are reasonable, but because we keep going down these rabbit holes of extremism, we’re just going to keep losing,” said Representative Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, who has repeatedly called for more flexibility on first-term abortions and exceptions for rape, incest and the life and health of the mother. “I’m beside myself that I’m the only person who takes this stance.”

[3Hotdogs]

1. Bad noos, Nancy. Try taking a stand by offering "reasonable" policies

and you will be primaries and lose your party's nomination.

[Scrivener7]

2. I don't know anything about Nancy, but if she is in there, I assume it was because she

supported all this hook line and sinker to get herself elected, and then saw how monstrous it was and how damaging to her career, and only then, AFTER she helped get it all passed, did she decide to think about the ramifications.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Overturning a judge's decision is not impossible.

You just have to look at his reasoning and find faulty legal logic. Then you appeal the case and present the facts in court. And one of the best weapons is to show how the precedent he is setting is going to apply to everything else that has been decided. In this case, if federal judges get to decide what medication is allowed by the FDA, it would turn into a nightmare.

[intheflow]

4. "If we show that we care just a little bit..."

Love how Nancy encourages her colleagues to act as if they care about women. She sure as hell isn't saying they should have compassion, they should just act like it. Then they'll win and when the Christian Taliban is in power, they can restrict human rights at all levels.

[Victor_c3]

5. It's hard for republicans act as if they care when so most of the policy stances can be summed up

with the words “fuck ‘em” or “fuck it”.

Poor people? Fuck ‘em.
Kids being slaughtered in school? fuck ‘em
The environment? Fuck it
The uninsured? fuck ‘em
Women’s healthcare? fuck ‘em
And so on…