Ten Things, Really Eleven, We've Learned Since Roe was Overturned

What have we learned since Roe? A lot really. A list of what has been learned was published recently but it left out the most important lesson.

I'll try to summarize the list provided by the link. Both liberal and conservatives on the issue have splits within their ranks. Anti-abortion has split between those who want to leave the issue with the states and those who want a nationwide ban. To a lesser degree, abortion rights people split over just how far to push abortion rights. 

If the Supreme Court majority thought that by overturning Roe it was washing it hands about abortion and would not need to revisit, the majority may be surprised at the number of cases lined up and headed its way. Overturning Roe unleased more cases, not fewer.

The political landscape was changed by the overturn of Roe. There have been several elections centered on abortion rights. Anti-abortion has lost them all. It's unlikely all elections will center on anti-abortion and in some cases it will win. But both parties agree, politics have changed and both have adjusted. Democrats want to discuss Roe exclusively; Republicans do not want it raised at all.

In some cases, "state's rights" has protected the right to abortion. State Constitutions have been used in some cases to overrule anti-abortion legislation. That was not in the cards held by anti-abortion. It turns our abortion rights are not altogether different from the right to health care, at least as some courts in some states see it.

Religion cuts both ways. There are cases backed up in lower courts that claim abortion rights is part of some religions. It has surprised me how fast this came up and what success it has had. It has been difficult, all but impossible, to stop women from crossing borders to other states to get abortions. The future will see, I believe, a lot more abortions in Mexico and Canada. 

The above are roughly the ten surprises listed in the link. What the link did not discuss was the surprisingly small decrease in abortions from the overturn of Roe. Money came out of the woodwork to pay for travel and for new clinics on state lines. There are clinics near airports. Whether overturning Roe has increased the number of pregnancies carried to term has yet to be determined. It may turn out to be an embarrassment to anti-abortion that nothing much has changed except to harass women.