[ChurtleDawg]

but abortion would not be illegal in the united states with simply overturning Roe. Many, if not most, states would have it in one degree or another.

And abortion was legal in some states, including the worst offender by far, California, before 1973.

[utahagen]

I am aware that abortion would not become illegal in the US simply if Roe V Wade is overturned. (Roe v Wade prevents any state from making abortion illegal; reversing R v W would allow individual states to limit abortions within those states.) My point was that “The number of abortions would remain unchanged as long as people could travel” is absurd. If abortion were illegal in even one out of the fifty states, the number of abortions would go down. Some women would travel for an abortion, but some wouldn't. The author of the posted article is trying to assuage his conscience with his argument that “we've lost the abortion war — permanently.” This conveniently lets him off the hook from having to limit abortions in any way. His argument that freeing states up to limit abortions by overturning R v W would have no effect on the “number of abortions” is nonsensical and would be disputed even by Planned Parenthood and NARAL. If abortion were banned in, say, Alabama, some women in Alabama would travel out of state to abort; some would seek illegal abortions in state; and some would choose not to abort.