Democrats Call For Action In Case High Court Does Away With Abortion Rights
"Mississippi was wrong then and it’s wrong today. We must protect women’s right to choose,” Democratic Rep Steve Cohen says
The oral arguments Wednesday before the Supreme Court on Mississippi's abortion ban — and the potential for the high court to use it to nullify its own Roe v Wade precedent — has thrown Democrats on Capitol Hill into overdrive in preparation for the worst.
The 6-3 right-wing supermajority on the Supreme Court — established by Donald Trump's three nominations to the court — could well do away with Roe, which has guaranteed national access to abortion services for nearly half a century.
Progressive Rep Ro Khanna (D-Calif) focused on the need for reform at the court itself, where right now, the nine justices serve lifetime appointments.
“Today would be a good day for the House to take up my bill introducing term limits for Supreme Court justices,” he tweeted.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her press conference Thursday, and called Wednesday's oral arguments a “dark day” for the nation, while noting that the House already has approved a bill which would codify abortion rights in federal law — and take the matter out of the hands of the nation's highest court.
The legislation still awaits action by the Senate.
Rep Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Tennessee, noted Mississippi's history when it comes to asking for important rights to be decided by individual states.
“Two of the last times Mississippi asked for an issue to be left up to the states were slavery and segregation. Mississippi was wrong then and it’s wrong today. We must protect women’s right to choose,” Cohen said from the House floor.
Meanwhile, Washington DC journalist Ezra Klein tried to coax Senate Democrats to take stronger action.
“McConnell ended the filibuster on Supreme Court nominations in order to build the majority that looks likely to overturn Roe. If Roe is overturned, and Democrats keep Congress, will they end the filibuster so they can enshrine Roe's protections in legislation? If not, why not?” Klein tweeted, referring to then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky).
Filmmaker and journalist Chip Franklin predicts an angry and motivated Democratic base coming out to vote in next year's midterm elections if Roe v Wade is struck.
“If the Supreme Court takes away Women’s Rights, there will be a blacklash at the polls to the likes of which history has never seen before,” he forecast.
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