Maine Permits Late Term Abortions if Deemed Necessary by a Physician


If ever there was a predictable pattern, it is that extreme politics in on direction will be followed by a strong push to go further in the other direction. Overturning Roe, which put abortion in the hands of states, has been met with states taking very liberal stances on abortion. California has passed very liberal legislation. Now, a small liberal state on the Atlantic Coast, Maine, has passed a law permitting late term abortions that require only the approval of a physician. These will often save the lives of women and, I believe, become more common as time moves on.

I'm not sure this is exactly correct, but these state laws mirror the Roe rules and may be even a little more permissive. This is because of one basic assumption. If the assumption is made the life of the woman is more important than the life of the fetus abortion decisions must be left up to the woman and her doctor. There is no other way to see it. If the there is an assumption the fetus is more valuable than the woman we see all those undefined rules about abortion "to save the life of the woman." There has never been, so far as I know, a clear set of directives that takes the physician off the legal cliff.

It looks like the abortion situation is playing out as predicted. Making several, but not all, states heavy against abortion merely caused an increase in women's rights states. Travel, with interstate highways and low airfares, makes it easier for women to travel for abortions. No doubt once in a while a woman on the fence about an unwanted pregnancy will carry to term. Of all unwanted pregnancies a tiny percentage do not get abortions even post Roe. The overturn of Roe did accomplish perhaps its main objective, to harass women.

Maine's liberal laws about abortion reflects its longstanding independent streak. Unlike Texas and Mississippi which march in lock step with the religious right Maine goes its own way.

Politically changing or independent mined states will be a problem for anti-abortion. Another set of states that are thought to be anti-abortion but may turn out to be otherwise are states that permit imitated measures. A few of these have happened in favor of abortion rights and more are in process. North and South Dakota permit initiated measures but Minnesota and Iowa do not.

Anti-abortion operatives sometimes admit they do not have majority support. Their line is, "We have to change hearts." Actually, they have to change voters minds. Yhey are losing voters.

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