Graham’s 15-week abortion ban bill is a deadweight around the GOP's neck
Announcing this national abortion ban bill weeks before the midterm elections gift wraps for Democrats a wedge talking point while, in practice, delivers limited lifesaving results.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham managed to anger both moderate and conservative wings of his party with a perilous abortion gambit dropped Tuesday afternoon, just weeks before November’s elections. His rollout is a strategic blunder.
Graham introduced a bill that seeks to create a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy (except in cases of rape, incest or a mother’s life is at risk), leaving room for states to adopt even stricter laws. While I agree with Graham’s goal to save unborn babies and respect support for the bill from venerable pro-life groups like Susan B. Anthony List, introducing it this way is ineffective in the long arc of the pro-life cause.
It’s a move that undermines Republicans who agree with the Supreme Court in returning the matter directly to “We The People.” And it angered progressives who want to weaponize it for November.
It’s a move that undermines Republicans who agree with the Supreme Court in returning the matter directly to “We The People.” And it angered progressives who want to weaponize it for November.
Predictably, Democrats pounced, seizing on Graham’s bill on the very day that President Joe Biden should be on defense, given a painful inflation report whose release led to the worst plummeting stock market since June 2020. This on the heels of a Friday report from the Federal Reserve showing U.S. household and nonprofit organization wealth fell by a staggering, record $6.1 trillion in the second quarter of 2022, even while household debt grew at an annual pace of 7.4% as consumers piled on credit card debt to cope with inflation.
Rating: 5