Article Summary –
The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, has led 21 states to either ban or severely restrict abortion, prompting some voters to use ballot initiatives to protect reproductive rights. Critics like Michelle Velasquez argue that leaving abortion decisions to the states compromises women’s health and subjects them to fluctuating political conditions, while studies highlight negative impacts on women’s reproductive health and access to healthcare services in these states. Despite the Supreme Court’s inaction on cases like Texas’ near-total abortion ban, public opinion largely disagrees with the Dobbs decision, with two-thirds of Americans supporting legal abortion in all or most cases.
After the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion, former President Donald Trump, his running mate Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and other Republican lawmakers have consistently argued that abortion regulation should be decided by the states.
Since the Dobbs ruling, 21 states have either prohibited or heavily restricted abortion, while voters in several states have turned to ballot initiatives to protect reproductive rights.
Michelle Velasquez, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s chief strategy officer, stated that allowing states to determine abortion legality poses risks to women’s health.
“Leaving it to the states means half the population is at the mercy of their state’s political climate,” Velasquez explained to the Wisconsin Independent. “These political winds can change over time as well.”
Polling indicates that two-thirds of Americans disagree with the Dobbs decision, and the majority of state voters support legal abortion in most cases.
On Oct. 7, the Supreme Court declined to hear a case from the Biden administration challenging Texas’ rejection of a federal law mandating emergency abortions. This left a lower court’s ruling in place, leaving the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act and Texas’ near-total abortion ban unresolved at the national level.
“The Supreme Court’s inaction to protect pregnant individuals’ health is disgraceful,” said Mini Timmaraju, president of Reproductive Freedom for All. “Trump’s stance that states should decide on abortion implies allowing denial of life-saving emergency care.”
Studies reveal that overturning Roe has led to dangerous reproductive health consequences for women.
The Commonwealth Fund study released in July observed that the Dobbs ruling drastically affected reproductive health care access and the treatment of pregnancy complications in 21 states with abortion bans or restrictions.
The report highlights that abortion bans have forced providers to exit states, exacerbated the maternity care crisis, and jeopardized contraception and infertility treatments.
“People are dying due to inadequate care, as doctors fear legal repercussions if they misinterpret the risks,” Velasquez noted.
Velasquez emphasized that abortion should not be a state-by-state issue, unlike gambling or marijuana.
“Abortion involves fundamental freedoms and human rights that shouldn’t vary by state,” Velasquez said.
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