Misogynist barbarians in Alabama impose forced pregnancy law

[frogwoman]

I think it was back in the time where the idea of something like, for example, Donald Trump becoming President, sounded like something from either a fever dream or The Simpsons.

Everyone knows there is a massive pro life lobby in America though? Obama should have known about it especially and been able to come up with ways to address it. I thought that the confirmation system in the US basically made it impossible for the democrats to appoint people like Garland to the court and that's why he couldn't get someone else.

 

[frogwoman]

I also don't understand how it is that a US president can do stuff like order drone strikes or stimulus packages in Covid etc seemingly without the supreme court, or do laws covering defence and the like not need it?

 

[8ball]

Everyone knows there is a massive pro life lobby in America though? Obama should have known about it especially and been able to come up with ways to address it. I thought that the confirmation system in the US basically made it impossible for the democrats to appoint people like Garland to the court and that's why he couldn't get someone else.

I suspect it’s less about the size of the lobby and more about how many are in positions of power, but with 20:20 hindsight we can all second guess Obama’s decision.

Thinking back a little further, I can remember the odd mumbling about this when Bush Jnr got into power (he had leveraged the evangelical Christian vote very heavily).

Nothing came of it then iirc, which I suppose could have led to a little complacency.

 

[David Clapson]

Everyone knows there is a massive pro life lobby in America though? Obama should have known about it especially and been able to come up with ways to address it. I thought that the confirmation system in the US basically made it impossible for the democrats to appoint people like Garland to the court and that's why he couldn't get someone else.

It's a strong lobby, but 60-80% of Americans want abortion to be legal How Americans Really Feel About Abortion: The Sometimes Surprising Poll Results As Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade

 

[8ball]

It's a strong lobby, but 60-80% of Americans want abortion to be legal How Americans Really Feel About Abortion: The Sometimes Surprising Poll Results As Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade

Yeah, it’s a massive failure of democratic institutions that this should happen. Has been pursued with absolute cynicism.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I also don't understand how it is that a US president can do stuff like order drone strikes or stimulus packages in Covid etc seemingly without the supreme court, or do laws covering defence and the like not need it?

Separation of powers. Under the constitution, the power to declare war is placed with Congress. The power to conduct war is placed with the President, as Commander and Chief of the military. Basically, it's part of the President's job to oversee military operations and oversee the regulatory state. The interpretation of law is the job of the Supreme Court and court system.

 

[frogwoman]

Separation of powers. Under the constitution, the power to declare war is placed with Congress. The power to conduct war is placed with the President, as Commander and Chief of the military. Basically, it's part of the President's job to oversee military operations and oversee the regulatory state. The interpretation of law is the job of the Supreme Court and court system.

I don’t understand why important stuff like abortion is decided in court rather than legislated for, even without a conservative makeup of the court rulings can get overruled anyway with future cases and legal challenges etc.

 

[8ball]

Separation of powers. Under the constitution, the power to declare war is placed with Congress. The power to conduct war is placed with the President, as Commander and Chief of the military. Basically, it's part of the President's job to oversee military operations and oversee the regulatory state. The interpretation of law is the job of the Supreme Court and court system.

That was a “thanks” like, not an “I knew that :smugface:” like.

Your political system seems full of counter-intuitive complexities.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Maybe a lot of people couldn't imagine that he'd be elected and have the chance to leave such a lasting legacy. I still find it hard to believe, even though it happened.

I’m not sure how US ‘democracy’ works really but in the UK I just think of how much Labour don’t really represent their core constituency as to how we always end up with Eton in power.

 

[8ball]

I’m not sure how US ‘democracy’ works really but in the UK I just think of how much Labour don’t really represent their core constituency as to how we always end up with Eton in power.

I’m not sure Labour is entirely unified on who their core constituency is.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I’m not sure Labour is entirely unified on who their core constituency is.

Do we support the working class or not?
Like, err.

 

[Dystopiary]

There'll be plenty of these zealous arseholes that would - and will - make exceptions for their own family members (just like Ceaușescu) cos their case is different, and because they're massive hypocrites who care more about their reputation. Their grandson gets a girl pregnant and they'll "sort it." Not like those other, morally weak, lesser beings. It's going to disproportionately affect people who already lack social capital. What if you live in East Texas and need a termination, how the hell do you get out if you're skint? Anywhere "safe" is miles away.

Women and girls are going to be too scared to get pregancy tests. And what if you procured an illegal (ffs) termination and it started going wrong, knowing you could get into loads of shit either way? There's no way this is saving lives, it's murderous. One way to stop people fighting back I suppose, to force pregnancy and childbirth on millions, like there are mass restrictions on women's and girls' bodies all over the world.

 

[8ball]

Do we support the working class or not?
Like, err.

I don’t think they’re even agreed on who that is.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I don’t understand why important stuff like abortion is decided in court rather than legislated for, even without a conservative makeup of the court rulings can get overruled anyway with future cases and legal challenges etc.

That was a “thanks” like, not an “I knew that :smugface:” like.

Your political system seems full of counter-intuitive complexities.

My apologies if I overexplained. In my defense I live in a red state with neighbors who literally believe in a "demon haunted world." It's one of my many character flaws, which I'm forever trying to correct.

 

[8ball]

My apologies if I overexplained. In my defense I live in a red state with neighbors who literally believe in a "demon haunted world." It's one of my many character flaws, which I'm forever trying to correct.

No, you really didn’t. Governments are complicated.

I think your neighbours may have a point, the way things are panning out.

 

[spring-peeper]

My apologies if I overexplained. In my defense I live in a red state with neighbors who literally believe in a "demon haunted world." It's one of my many character flaws, which I'm forever trying to correct.

There are times that I prefer the overexplained...

 

[story]

Taking bets now on how long it’ll be before women are restricted in dress, behaviour, alcohol, access to public spaces etc in order to stop unwanted pregnancies.

Following the logic of the gun lobby: more guns being the solution to too many shootings, more restriction is the answer to the problem caused by restricting abortions.

If unwanted pregnancies are the problem, taking care of the unwanted offspring is not the solution, nor is getting men to take responsibility for impregnating women. Clearly the answer is to stop women being sexually active.

Atwood said nothing in the book was invented, but I doubt she realised it was prophetic.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Taking bets now on how long it’ll be before women are restricted in dress, behaviour, alcohol, access to public spaces etc in order to stop unwanted pregnancies.

Following the logic of the gun lobby: more guns being the solution to too many shootings, more restriction is the answer to the problem caused by restricting abortions.

If unwanted pregnancies are the problem, taking care of the unwanted offspring is not the solution, nor is getting men to take responsibility for impregnating women. Clearly the answer is to stop women being sexually active.

Atwood said nothing in the book was invented, but I doubt she realised it was prophetic.

I would also look for a rollback of financial freedoms such as the ability to get credit or hold property in your own name. Women being allowed to have credit cards and buy houses has only been a thing since the 1970s.

My entire independent life is mostly possible because of those changes.

 

[teqniq]

Separation of powers. Under the constitution, the power to declare war is placed with Congress. The power to conduct war is placed with the President, as Commander and Chief of the military. Basically, it's part of the President's job to oversee military operations and oversee the regulatory state. The interpretation of law is the job of the Supreme Court and court system.

i am seeing some tweets saying that Obama could have 'codified' Roe v Wade. If I understand correctly would this mean it would have been written into Federal law? If so a missed opportunity?

 

[story]

I would also look for a rollback of financial freedoms such as the ability to get credit or hold property in your own name.

Yup. Maybe gun ownership too, somewhere further along. Driving licence, education….

 

[stdP]

Atwood said nothing in the book was invented, but I doubt she realised it was prophetic.

Like much of the best sci-fi, The Handmaid's Tale was a very, very small extrapolation of a world that already existed.

 

[story]

i am seeing some tweets saying that Obama could have 'codified' Roe v Wade. If I understand correctly would this mean it would have been written into Federal law? If so a missed opportunity?

See the last few pages for this discussion.

 

[story]

Like much of the best sci-fi, The Handmaid's Tale was a very, very small extrapolation of a world that already existed.

She may have had a sense of wanting to warn of the potential for this development, but predict it?
When the book was published (1985) did any of this seem so close?

 

[Raheem]

The reason we have the word contraception is because it prevents conception. Do an image search for “conception”.

I just got lots of pictures of tractors.

 

[David Clapson]

My apologies if I overexplained. In my defense I live in a red state with neighbors who literally believe in a "demon haunted world."

It's hard for us heathens to grasp it until we go there. I had a girlfriend in London who was Pan Am cabin crew, seemed very liberal about everything. Years later I stayed with her family in Miami - fucking evanagelicals! All the kids home-schooled so they woudn't learn about dinosaurs. They prayed for me and told me I was going to hell. I went to church with them once, out of curiosity. We had to stay behind after the service for a meal and a special session for everyone in the congregation who needed individual prayers, which was pretty much a list of 40 people with cancer. They were all too far gone to be with us. It went on and on and on, with the pastor frowning with extra special reverence for each person.. It was the perfect demonstration of the futility of the whole charade. All of the careful management of the children's social lives, sending them to Christian colleges where drinking and fucking get you thrown out, all the time wasted watching shitty Christian bands and movies, saying grace at all the meals in restaurants, and the Lord does fuck all about your cancer.

 

[David Clapson]

Is their a racist angle to pro-life? Do some of them think that it's OK for white women to have an out of state abortion, and they're hoping that the law will only really affect black women who can't afford it?

 

[8ball]

I just got lots of pictures of tractors.

I think we’re using different search engines.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

i am seeing some tweets saying that Obama could have 'codified' Roe v Wade. If I understand correctly would this mean it would have been written into Federal law? If so a missed opportunity?

Yes, he missed an opportunity.

 

[teqniq]

Yes, he missed an opportunity.

thank you

 

[8ball]

Is their a racist angle to pro-life? Do some of them think that it's OK for white women to have an out of state abortion, and they're hoping that the law will only really affect black women who can't afford it?

Their “great replacement” theory doesn’t exactly gel with black women being selectively prevented from having abortions.