Republicans are reeling this week, days after Ohio voters handily defeated a ballot initiative widely understood to be a proxy fight for a coming proposal to enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution.
Making abortion a “state’s rights” issue always seemed like a temporary stepping stone. The end goal of a national ban codified by Congress is still just a Republican trifecta away of winning the majority in the house, Senate and POTUS. Eventually they will win and seems almost certain this will be priority #1, popular opinion be damned.
Let’s not let up on this at all. Make every single GOP candidate say where they stand on any kind of national abortion ban. Women are furious, as are the many men who support them and their reproductive rights. This issue is also a primary example of the GOP’s ongoing war on freedom in general. Keep making them own it.
Why did Barry G hate America? Who the hell was he, some libby Commie? 
But with SCOTUS in their pocket and making politics ugly enough to foster indifference, maybe they can keep their grip, they figure. We should fear and fight their bet.
"Suddenly dawning on repubs they have a major abortion problem. . . "
This is what will happen when the male members and leaders of the party including the former guy who we’re told helped many a girlfriend obtain an abortion and the male donors to the party including any right wing group that fund raises for the party, e.g. Leonard Leo, Federalist Society, et al had only talked not to each other but to those constituents who are the actual people who think about abortion and access to it on regular basis and plan and coordinate opposing measures.
If they only would have bothered to consult with their female constituents they would have read the handwriting on the wall long ago.
“Mad as hell, not gonna take it anymore, grumble, grumble.”
Gotta just say it. Republicans are slow learners. In short, “fuck around and find out.”
Goldwater was part of the group of early senators who told Nixon it was time to to go. Other than that, he didn’t seem to have any other redeeming qualities.
Right wingers in Congress and state houses have their goals, women in places where Rs are the majority have another agenda and it doesn’t involve rolling over and playing dead.
This is correct.
Unfortunately you know who are even slower learners?
All the Biden handwringing of our beloved base, wonderful stuff. But at least we’re not the other guy, right? RIGHT? 
Reading Josh’s column with posts from other TPM members, I was struck by their insight into the links between the Iraq war and post-Roe Republicans. Besides Republicans thinking they could hold a big Sunday school picnic when the last Planned Parenthood was closed down, they also never planned for, and actively legislated against, policies that would aid those same Precious Gifts From God once they popped out of the female vessels. Broken foster care system, rolling back WIC and other govt. food and education policies. No plans for all the extra babies and unprepared mothers. Though of course, we all want that biological fathers’ lives not be ruined or impeded in any way.
It’s Suddenly Dawning On Republicans That They Have A Major Abortion Problem
Yes, because prior to the Ohio election, there was absolutely no indication that this could be a problem. [/s]
To be followed by restrictions on birth control unless you’ve already bred 6 or more children.
Some repubs might imagine the Duggars are the ideal we should be striving for. Nineteen children and Michelle’s body is in ruins.
Although this abortion ban is kind of handy for them. Because while we are fighting to restore rights, we’re not pestering our overlords about government funded health care.
“This political liability will persist until the GOP finds an abortion message that most voters can accept.” -emphasis added
The only message MOST voters can accept is stop legislating women’s reproductive systems, you idiots.
Of course, if they actually admit to and adopt that position, the Christian Right will likely stop voting. Considering their focus and priorities, that might not be a bad thing. I would never deny them the right to vote, but if they choose not to participate, I’m ok with that.
This classic is always worth a re-watch.
Abortion is and always has been an issue that gave the Right carte blanche to no longer care about the means with which they gained political power. It is the seminal event for the whole Christian Right, and for one reason:
No human soul can argue against someone saying they want to stop babies from being murdered. It carries the absolute bullet proof - even bullet friendly - right of moral certitude.
It even comes with a kicker, an instant and furious zealotry among those who cannot themselves conceive. Like shooting voters in a barrel.
What this does is keep abortion a national issue. That is unable to win at the state level, anti-abortion forces must now insist Republican candidates for federal office, President, Senate and Congress, agree to support a national ban.
But even worse for Republicans is how abortion continues to allow Trump to own the Republican Party. That is as the article puts it:
Then-candidate Donald Trump made it a huge part of his presidential appeal: Vote for me, and I’ll stack the Supreme Court with justices who’ll overturn Roe.
While Roe was the law of the land, national-level Republican lawmakers could go to the floor and rail against abortion, even introduce various restrictions, signaling their allyship with the Christian Right while safe in the knowledge that they wouldn’t have to deal with any political fallout.
To those who voted Republican and “values” was not just code for race, whereas other Republicans including Ronald Reagan merely pretended to oppose abortion while appointing Supreme Court Justices who made sure that abortion remained legal, Trump actually delivered.
That is for the true believer Republicans, Trump unlike all other Republicans actually gave them what they wanted. Trump also delivered to the Republicans who always knew “values” was code for race with his “very find people on both sides” and most of his other words and policies on domestic issues.
So Dobbs has not only forced Republicans, who had been buying power on a credit card of ending reproductive rights to have to pay the bill, it has also given Donald Trump ownership of the GOP.
The backrooms of the world are populated by men who inherited wealth and are pretending to be tough in front of their friends.
Hence big game hunting. No working soul in the history of the world hunts for sport on another continent.
It’s the Right’s caught-the-car moment. In the UK it meant Brexit. The real truth is more like these open cons were manipulated to fruition by outside forces seeking to disrupt the nation.
To an outsider it was plain to see these were arguments nobody really wanted to solve. The preacher impersonators were happy going to Congress amd condemning everything while working the insider trades and K Street.
All someone had to do was tip over bullshit mountain. Just put through too much bullshit at once.
In the UK they can’t even pick their fruits and vegetables. No labor.
