Opinion: A vote for Donald Trump is a vote to further restrict reproductive freedom
“I was proudly the person responsible for the ending” of Roe v. Wade, Trump bragged in a video he released earlier this week outlining his position on abortion. He then declared that abortion laws should be decided at the state level. He took no position on federal abortion bans, making no commitment to sign or not sign federal legislation that lands on his desk. Trump’s stance on abortion changes with the wind. In the lead up to the 2016 election, Trump said in an interview that there should be some form of punishment for a woman who has an abortion. Several weeks ago he mused about a 16-week federal ban. He likely possesses no strong moral conviction on abortion one way or the other. He will change positions or say whatever he believes will help him at the moment. At this point he believes this states rights stance will help him in the election. I doubt it.
Understand what “returning it to the states'' actually means for the women of America. Depending on your geographic location, you may have full, partial or no right to an abortion. For example, the day after Trump posted the video, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled to allow a near total abortion ban to take effect. The law, written in 1864, outlaws any abortion except if the procedure is necessary to save the mother's life. Anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion can be convicted of a felony and sentenced to 2-5 years in prison. Apparently, Trump has no problem with that. He must also be in agreement with the extreme total bans in 14 other states and counting. While Trump says in the video that there should be exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, this is empty, only a hope or a suggestion. He is trying to make himself look more moderate. In reality, he has no way to enforce that wish for less cruel bans at the state level.
Trump says state level control is “all about the will of the people.” But is it? Only 26 states have the right to citizen-initiated ballot measures which can be voted on in general elections. With a lot of groundwork, those states might be able to pass abortion laws or protections that reflect the will of their citizens. Deep red Kansas and Ohio are cases where citizens voted to protect abortion rights despite the opposing desires of their legislatures. For the rest of the states, it is unlikely that the “will of the people” will prevail. In purple North Carolina there is undoubtedly a clear majority who oppose strict abortion bans. We do not have citizen-initiated ballot measures and the state is so heavily gerrymandered that our radical Republican supermajority legislature can decide if they want to go further than the 12-week ban they passed last year. If extreme GOP Gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson is elected and signs a six week “heartbeat bill” into law, as he promises, it will definitely not reflect the “will of the people.”
The leave-it-to-the states strategy creates chaos and doesn't actually work in the long term. Much of the state legislation is challenged in court where it may be upheld or overturned and is usually appealed. Eventually, the major abortion questions will end up at the conservative Supreme Court again. Already, the case about Mifipristone, the abortion medication, is there. The courts have an outsized influence on this issue that often does not reflect popular opinion. The only true long-term solution is federal legislation. Public polling suggests the “will of the people'' would be legislation to restore the reproductive protections granted under Roe. If we elect enough Democrats, that is what they will do.
Donald Trump doesn’t care about protecting women’s reproductive freedoms. He doesn’t truly hold pro-life convictions. It’s all about what will help him politically. Insiders say Trump refers to abortion as a “political loser” and he has tried to walk a careful line ahead of the election. However, should he be elected he will not need to consider swing voters and will absolutely bend to the will of his extreme pro-life base. Don't believe Trump's attempts to paint himself as a moderate on abortion. A vote for Trump and Republicans is a vote to further restrict reproductive freedom.
More: Opinion: Supreme Court case on mifepristone is anti-abortion politics disguised as concern
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Debbie Resnick is an Independent Agent with Impact Launchpad — a group focused on projects that support the 17 UN SDG's and dedicated to “making great ideas happen.” She is a politically active concerned citizen, parent and volunteer.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Opinion: Donald Trump would allow extreme abortion bans if elected
