Posted on 05/06/2022 8:23:24 AM PDT by Kaslin
Buckle up. America is in for a rough ride if the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court regarding abortion turns out to be reflective of the final copy. In the long run, this opinion may end up healing the country, at least to some extent. A morally charged and complicated issue like abortion is best decided in the political arena. Allowing the voters of each state to decide the rules for themselves will not satisfy everyone. It may satisfy almost no one since there will be outlier states on both sides that will impose rules unpopular with the other. But the political system at least allows advocates the opportunity to make their case to their fellow citizens. That opportunity itself has value in a democracy, and that's America's best hope for long-term health on the emotional and divisive abortion issue.
In the short term, though, look out. The left and right are both in an angry mood. The left, in particular, is in "burn it down" mode. There are already calls to nuke the filibuster and allow a bare majority of Congress to impose a new abortion law or even to expand the Supreme Court in an effort to overturn this reported decision. The leak of the decision could easily end up being just the first norm-changing result. With liberal or conservative majorities, the Supreme Court has acted, in general, as a refreshingly collegial island isolated from the national storms raging in America. Famously, conservative Justice Antonin Scalia's best friend on the court was liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In a polarized country where few are even interacting with those they disagree with, this was both unique and commendable. The thought of one of the court's trusted staffers breaching the confidentiality that has for so long defined their system was inconceivable. Those days are sadly over.
The truth is that Congress has put the court in an awful bind on many issues. Lacking the political courage to write laws that clearly define the rules, Congress often punts on controversial issues with ambiguous rules that force too much discretion to the court. Both parties do this. Some on the court are eager to use this discretion to, in essence, write their own laws. This has placed the court in the national crosshairs from each side. Now, with the latest reported ruling, the temperature will turn up to previously unprecedented levels. As someone who believes the court overstepped on creating fundamental rights where they did not exist in the Constitution, the decision is welcome. As someone worried about the future of this relatively solid (by America 2022 standards, at least) institution, this is a time of great potential danger.
On the election front, many Democrats welcome the court's reported decision. They were on course for a potentially historic-level shellacking in the coming midterm elections. There's no guaranteeing that the court's decision will change that outcome, but anything that shakes up the status quo dynamic is potentially good news for them.
More broadly, abortion is one of, if not the single most emotional and sensitive topics that America wrestles with. To say that the country is not in a healthy place to handle an issue as sensitive as that would be a vast understatement. Too many on the left have decided that the American right is composed of irredeemable deplorables who need to be destroyed. This decision will only exacerbate that view. When you decide that your opponent is not only wrong but evil as well, you are willing to do nearly anything to stop them. America already faced a year of often violent left-wing rioting. Radicals have already called for protests at the justices' homes and posted their addresses online. Fencing is already going up around the court building. We have to pray that a reprise is not coming, but we should be prepared for that possibility.
Those on the right should handle this moment with humility, calm and compassion. We may disagree with the left on abortion, but this is not a time to dance in the end zone. People have passionate views on the topic that come from a good place. You may think they are wrong, but this is not a time to rub it in.
The best result of all this may be a more federalist system where the rules in deep red states vary greatly from the rules in deep blue states. There are downsides to that, but there are huge downsides to the current system as well. America is already facing record levels of internal migration, often driven by political, cultural, COVID-19 and economic factors. The court's decision, and the huge differences in state regulatory regimes to follow, will likely accelerate this phenomenon. That's not ideal, but it's better than many alternatives.
America has been through many challenges in its history. Recent times have been as highly charged as any since the 1960s, or maybe even the 1860s. Some on the left and the right are openly doubting America's capacity to continue, given the course we are on. Here's to hoping they are wrong. For those who care about the country and want to keep us from falling apart, this is a time for cool heads.
One size fits all is not the solution. We have 50 states. They can do as they see fit on this issue and not be forced to knuckle under to bureaucrats far removed from any constituency. Its always been a States Rights issue.
I think it’s great! Isolating all of the baby killing ghouls in 3 or 4 states is prob. the best way to segregate the communists!. Not my preferred method of, ahem, problem solving, but it should work!
This nation's decline has accelerated...greatly. I weep for my children...and even more so for my grandchildren.
“this is not a time to dance in the end zone”
Who’s doing that??
Only thing I’m hearing how THEY are gonna burn down the whole country
This ruling has ZERO effect on states that allow abortion.
ZERO.
Why a staffer? I still say that it's Breyer. He has one foot out the door and will be off the court before any disciplinary apparatus can be triggered. He is the most logical source.
The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses for it must needs be that offenses come but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery ABORTION is one of those offenses which in the providence of God must needs come but which having continued through His appointed time He now wills to remove and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him. Fondly do we hope ~ fervently do we pray ~ that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword as was said three thousand years ago so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.'
Call it nature, call it karma, call it human conflict - but God will demand a price.
What you say of course is reasonable. However the left is not reasonable and will keep pushing its agenda on everyone, no matter how demented that agenda is.
We are now to the point where the left insists on abortion, and sometimes infanticide, everywhere, the sexual mutilation of children, censorship of free speech, seizing bank accounts of dissidents (i.e. truckers in Canada), etc.
They will not quit until they control every aspect of your life, from how you worship to whether or not your kids can procreate to whether or not you will be allowed to sell and purchase. They will not stop.
There are striking similarities between slavery and abortion. Many slaveholders were honorable people, and they twisted logic and reason to justify that horrible practice.
We see the same thing going on with the “pro-choice” folks today. It’s the exact same thing! They twist logic and reason to justify a horrible practice.
“For those who care about the country and want to keep us from falling apart, this is a time for cool heads.”
I’m not too sure about that.
This country is long overdue for a bitter fight - one in which good prevails.
If the fight over abortion rights gets “ugly”, and defenders of abortion-on-demand are discredited, humiliated, frustrated and angered - that’s nothing but a good thing any way you cut it - short run, long run, whatever.
The same is true for defenders of stolen elections, defenders of a corrupt media, defenders of a corrupt academia, and defenders of treasonous America-Last corporate globalism.
Let them be humiliated.
Let the Tree of Liberty be watered.
You’re right. It is not time to stand around saying, “Everyone remain calm”. At least Ashli Babbit tried to do something. I was there on January 6th but I didn’t make enough waves. The stolen election was a biggie. The southern border is a biggie. We need to take to the streets more often. And we may need to assemble on Lexington Green, armed and ready.
We knew that when the Supreme Court refused to evaluate the evidence of massive fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election.
The American People, the USA, and the world would have been spared serious danger had the justices not failed their duty, the USA, and the American People and instead had sought and exposed truth, whatever it be, through an honest and thorough evaluation.
Unfortunately for America and the world, the Supreme Court justices lacked the courage, integrity, and wisdom to do that.
Oh, yes, Kevin McCarthy has already tried and failed three different frown samples since 8:30 this morning!
PROBABLY?
“For those who care about the country and want to keep us from falling apart, this is a time for cool heads.”
I’m not too sure about that.
This country is long overdue for a bitter fight - one in which good prevails.
If the fight over abortion rights gets “ugly”, and defenders of abortion-on-demand are discredited, humiliated, frustrated and angered - that’s nothing but a good thing any way you cut it - short run, long run, whatever.
The same is true for defenders of stolen elections, defenders of a corrupt media, defenders of a corrupt academia, and defenders of treasonous America-Last corporate globalism.
Let them be humiliated.
Let the Tree of Liberty be watered
**************************************
I have not read of the view point I share with you and huge numbers of others as well expressed as you have iterated it here. I am very happy with this comment!
Probably???? Really???
It will not be a few states more like half
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.