One Year Post Supreme Court Abortion Ruling: Critics and Supporters Voice Their Opinions

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A year on from the U.S. Supreme Court judgment that upended the nationwide abortion right, both critics and supporters are noting the anniversary with diverse reactions.

Protests from both perspectives are set to take place this Saturday in Washington and all over the nation.

In a public statement, President Joe Biden criticized the court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and promised to safeguard access. The court’s conservative majority reversed the long-standing Roe v. Wade decision on June 24, 2022, which had been in place for almost fifty years.

Biden argued, “States have enacted harsh and dangerous abortion restrictions endangering women’s health and lives, necessitating women to travel extensive distances for care, and potentially criminalizing doctors who provide their patients with necessary healthcare they are qualified to administer.”

Meanwhile, Ronna McDaniel, the Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, commended the ruling. This decision was facilitated by the appointment of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court during former President Donald Trump’s tenure.

“The ruling has safeguarded numerous lives and redirected America on a positive trajectory after years of reprehensible abortion-on-demand practices, putting us in the same category as China and North Korea,” McDaniel stated.

The ruling has made abortion an unignorable campaign issue and has amplified policy disparities between states. Most Republican-dominated states have enforced bans, including 14 where current laws prohibit most abortions at any stage of pregnancy, with certain exceptions for the woman’s health and life, as well as for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. Most Democrat-led states have taken measures to maintain abortion access, primarily by defending doctors and others from prosecution for breaching other states’ abortion prohibitions.

Although public opinion isn’t universally agreed, surveys have consistently shown that most people are against the strictest bans but also object to unrestricted access to abortion at all pregnancy stages.

Biden has been advocating for a federal law to restore abortion access, while Republicans have demanded a national ban. This week, former Vice President Mike Pence, who is vying for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, is urging his party’s candidates to support him in endorsing a 15-week pregnancy ban.

Nevertheless, with Democrats in control of the presidency and the Senate, and Republicans holding the House, there’s no immediate prospect for federal change.

As a result, the abortion debate has primarily been carried out in state legislatures and courts.

These policies have enormous real-world implications, particularly for those living in states with strict abortion bans, as women often have to travel to receive care they used to obtain locally. An increased reliance on networks providing abortion pills has also been observed.

Despite the continuity of abortions, advocates have pointed out an issue of equity. They argue that it’s Black women and women from lower-income groups who are predicted to suffer the greatest loss of access.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Supreme Court abortion ruling

More about Supreme Court abortion ruling

• Supreme Court Overturns Nationwide Right to Abortion
• President Biden’s Statement on Supreme Court Abortion Ruling
• Ronna McDaniel Praises Supreme Court Abortion Ruling
• Effects of Supreme Court’s Abortion Ruling on States
• Equity Issues in Abortion Access after Supreme Court Ruling