How’s this for a conclusion from pro-abortion author Tracy Clark-Florya? Quoting Elizabeth Nash, a policy analyst for the Guttmacher Institute, who is referencing the Texas law now under consideration by the Supreme Court
No matter the outcome, though, new regulations are inevitable. “We’re in the midst of a wave of abortion restrictions,” said Nash. “We’re not seeing that wave abate. We’re expecting to see more.”
Remember, this is the same Guttmacher that reporters instantaneously dial up any time they are writing an article about state legislation. But inquiring minds might want to know if this is exaggeration on the part of the former “special affiliate” of Planned Parenthood, based on the principle that it’s always darkest before the dawn?
Nope. Having analyzed three of their recent publications, they come across as sober analysis of what has taken place the last five years, albeit with quasi-apocalyptic predictions for the future. (See here, here, and here.)
So what is Clark-Florya’s explanation for the headline: “How The Anti-Abortion Movement Keeps On Fighting — And Succeeding”? Presumably that answer will put into perspective the subhead: “Experts say women’s reproductive rights are at their lowest point since the historic [Roe v. Wade] ruling.”
Well, first Clark-Florya channels Nash who argues that there was a wave of “anti-abortion” activism right after Roe. However
“There were many years … when abortion restrictions were not on the forefront in state legislatures,” Nash said. From 1983 until 2010, there was an average of 14 new restrictions per year, according to Guttmacher.
What happened then ? “All that changed following the 2010 midterm election, which saw Republicans take the House of Representatives.” Sure, but don’t forget that Republicans, overwhelmingly pro-life, won control of many, many state houses and a number of governorships.
How did “the conservative shift to power” come about? In no small part (although Clark-Florya does not link the two) because what Nash concedes is “abortion opponents’ greater organization on the state-level, where these massive changes are taking place.”
Our Movement helped many of the state and congressional candidates win–and win again–because we are a grassroots movement. We are built from the bottom up, not like the abortion movement, which is top-heavy.
Near the end Clark-Florya writes
This all sounds rather bleak, and it is, but Nash does see some potential silver linings. “The thing is, with any law, there is always a possibility that it could be repealed, that it could be amended, that there could be a court that would knock it down,” she said.
Which is a stark admission of an enduring truth. The Abortion Establishment can never match our boots on the ground, which is why they rely so heavily on the courts to bail them out.
The problem for them is, the current Texas case (HB2) is built around the commonsense proposition that the abortion clinic’s physical plant should meet higher standards and that abortionists should have admitting privileges at a local hospital when they inevitably botch an abortion.
Chelsea Garcia is a political writer with a special interest in international relations and social issues. Events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel are a major focus for political journalists. But as a former local reporter, she is also interested in national politics.
Chelsea Garcia studied media, communication and political science in Texas, USA, and learned the journalistic trade during an internship at a daily newspaper. In addition to her political writing, she is pursuing a master's degree in multimedia and writing at Texas.
