Pretty big news. This is short term until the Supreme Court decides on the issue next year. But really Roe V Wade has been eroding for decades and this signals another nail in the coffin. At this point it might be better to end it and allow the political ramifications to unfold.
“The Supreme Court early Wednesday let a Texas state law take effect that allows private citizens to sue to uphold a ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, potentially creating a new template for states to impose strict restrictions on the procedure.
The court’s decision to not act on an emergency petition from Texas abortion clinics comes as the justices prepare to more broadly reconsider the right to an abortion it established almost 50 years ago. In May, justices agreed to review Mississippi’s ban on the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy — a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade , the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Those arguments are expected later this year, with a ruling in 2022.“
I’m trying to figure out what justification they have for granting other private citizens the right to sue private citizens who have caused them no harm.
That’s the part of this law that is odious…all kinds of bad.
Let the dog catch the car. In many red states abortion is effectively almost illegal because of the deep challenges with access because of restrictive laws and harassment of abortion doctors.
And yes it could cause serious political ramifications with major backlash from women and corporations. We will see.
This part is interesting. You can sue the abortion providers but why wouldn’t you sue the woman actually getting the abortion? If abortion is murder isn’t she mostly culpable?
“Beyond outlawing abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, the Texas law, signed in May, would deputize citizens to file civil suits against abortion providers or anyone who helps facilitate the procedure after six weeks, such as a person who drives a pregnant person to the clinic. Individuals found to have violated the law would have to pay $10,000 to the person who successfully brings such a suit — a bounty abortion rights advocates warn will encourage harassment, intimidation and vigilantism.”
I know others will come here saying, “Texas is not banning abortions.” and technically, you would be correct. But …
About 85 to 90 percent of people who obtain abortions in Texas are at least six weeks into pregnancy — many women don’t realize they are pregnant that soon — meaning this law would prohibit nearly all abortions in the state.
The law would prohibit all but 10% of abortions preformed in Texas, making it basically a ban.
The intent is to bankrupt the clinics through defending the lawsuits.
I would bet anti-abortion organization will be finding individuals to act as the “plaintiffs” and submitting large numbers of lawsuits making the clinic defend each one.
The reality is they are already suffering due to radically reduced access in red states. Red states will continue to use this as a wedge by tinkering with more and more onerous restrictive laws that the conservative Supreme Court will ignore. Why not just allow for a full scale ban on abortion in red states? At least that would be honest.
I think its time to let it be what it will be…personally I believe that ruling to essentially ban abortion is going to have a backlash of epic proportions
