Arizona Republicans' leaked abortion strategy is an insult to voters

Republican legislators let a dirty little secret slip out on Monday.

They don’t much respect you.

That seemed clear in a document leaked on Monday, exploring the many ways Republican lawmakers could snooker Arizona voters into allowing the Arizona Legislature to continue dictating when and whether women have the right to an abortion.

On Monday, a House attorney accidently blasted out the PowerPoint presentation detailing the Republicans’ possible strategy to foil the Arizona Abortion Access Act, the voter-led initiative that would enshrine the right to an abortion into the state constitution.

Already more than a half a million voters have signed a petition to put the AAA Act on the November ballot, hoping to restore abortion rights that evaporated when Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Now come the Republicans, trying to puzzle out a plan to confuse enough voters to defeat the AAA.

Step 1: Pretend their plan protects abortion

First up, the strategy calls for the Legislature to send a competing plan to the ballot, one Republicans would sell as “complimentary” to the AAA initiative.

“Choose any short title (‘Protecting Pregnant Women and Safe Abortions Act,’ or ‘Arizona Abortion and Reproductive Care Act’ or ‘Arizona Abortion Protection Act’),” the strategy advises.

Only this proposal wouldn’t protect a woman’s right to abortion. Instead, it would codify restrictions already in place.

Face it, Republicans: Your party is now pro-choice

“MOST IMPORTANT,” the document says, the plan “protects Legislature’s authority to ‘enact laws rationally related to promoting and preserving life and to protecting the health and safety of pregnant women.’ ”

You read that right. The “Protecting Pregnant Woman and Safe Abortions Act” would actually be about protecting the Legislature’s authority to take what is a highly personal decision out of a woman’s hands.

Ah, but our leaders aren’t done yet, according to the strategy.

Step 2: Try to confuse voters even more

Phase 2 of the plan calls for putting two additional questions on the ballot to try to “dilute” the vote for the AAA:

The Heartbeat Protection Act, limiting abortion to six weeks, and the 15-week Reproductive Care and Abortion Act — which, as it turns out, wouldn’t allow abortion for a full 15 weeks.

“In reality, it’s a 14-week law disguised as a 15-week law because it would only allow abortion until the beginning of the 15th week,” the strategy notes.

It is, apparently, all about confusing voters.

Trump pushes the panic button: On Arizona abortion

As one bullet-point notes: “Changes narrative — Republicans have a plan!”

Other selling points?

“Voters would read Legislature’s referral first on the ballot if the HCR/SCR is transmitted to Sec of State before AAA is filed.”

“Puts Democrats in a defensive position to argue against partial birth abortions, discriminatory abortions, and other basic protections.”

Republicans must think we're dumb

Of course, the honest thing to do would be to simply put the state’s 15-week law on the ballot as a completing plan, allowing voters to decide which one should be law:

A ban on abortion after 15 weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest, or a return to Roe, allowing abortion to the point of viability and beyond under certain circumstances.

It’s unclear whether the Republican legislators will employ the strategy laid out on Monday, given their clear preference for forcing women to live in 1864, when abortion was a crime.

But the fact that this strategy could even be drafted and considered by Republicans sends a clear message to Arizona voters:

They think we’re flat-out dumb.

Reach Roberts at [email protected]. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRoberts.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Republicans think they can confuse voters into nixing abortion