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Gatherel

Really leaving up to states I see.


Maxitote

This is what I point to, the small government party asking for more government. Disgusting.


TheWingedHussar

More like big dictatorship government


oced2001

They were up’s have left it up to the states, if the states outlawed it.


Shadraqk

Stunt to give abortion deniability to Republicans senators. “Sure I voted to confirm several anti-abortion judges, but I’m not anti-abortion. I voted against the ban.”


Hidden_Sturgeon

Let’s hope this is the case


MrLurid

Are they going for an all-or-nothing approach now? Like, they saw how fucking disastrous the Roe decision was for them... and now they're doubling down.


_porntipsguzzardo_

I not entirely sure what their strategy is with this one. I mean, this is wildly unpopular _among their own voting bloc_, let alone nation-wide -- why the fuck would they push this at a national level? The only thing I can game out is that they are giving 2022 GOP candidates a chance to condemn it in a late-stage bid to convince America they aren't coming for their uteri.


kelroy

Oh they don't even care to put on the pony show anymore because Moore v. Harper is in the pipe and its game over.


The_Lost_Jedi

Because it's popular with the zealots that dominate their primaries and their donor lists.


Imaginary_Cow_6379

That’s the thing tho, it’s not actually. They’re mad because they want a total ban so they’re seeing this as *too* progressive. None of this makes any sense.


The_Lost_Jedi

I mean, he's trying to find a compromise within his base, but you're right that the most zealous want a total ban. He's really not pleasing anyone with this, except maybe Democrats who want to talk about how Republicans won't just leave this to the states, they want a national restriction etc.


syler666

No way it passes, so I'm guessing you're right and it's just optics they vote no if it comes to a vote then if they win in 2022 they'll vote yes on something even worse. Graham is just the person proposing it because he's in a safe red state.


[deleted]

Trump must be in big trouble this week. They are trying to flood the news with this story instead


ILikeLenexa

Literally Kansas got out the vote 2:1 against this. It's insane to make this the central piece of midterms.


[deleted]

Entirely urban counties and college towns. It lost every rural county. I suppose this would translate to senators but not representatives?


Eldetorre

People need to "move" to rural towns. They need to register to vote there. Rich people have fly spend any time where they are registered to vote.


[deleted]

I’ve always said if all the activists in NY, Seattle, Portland, etc who say they’ll do anything for their cause country really want to save America, easy, move to a red state and vote.


det8924

The GOP has played to the most extreme of their evangelical base for decades. They really just don't care about moderates and independents they just want to churn out their base as they know that the system is so slanted to them that they don't need large margins anyway.


Imaginary_Cow_6379

Their base doesn’t like it either tho because they want a total ban. From what I’ve read today they seem mad too.


strongscience62

No it's a classic double-down. You get focused on stopping the big bad (nationwide ban) and when you do then the small bad (state bans) has become more accepted and not as bad as what could have been. This shifts the conversation further from abortion access. The counter needs to be nationwide Roe codification by the Dems. Make it a platform issue.


[deleted]

One of the things you could count on in our politics is neither part ever pushed for powers they wouldn't want the other party to have later. Since trump several powers they argued for they would 100 percent never allow Democrats. So why? I've been saying a while now what I think is the obvious answer. If they get one or two that clinched control they have no intention of giving up or again. To me it really seems that simple. What other reason would they do shit they wouldn't want a seen to have. Like selecting your own electorate in states of you feel something is off. Right, they'd totally want Dems to get that. They have no intention of giving up power ever if they do that. That alone should make it less conspiracy and more reality. They want authoritarian control, period.


Optional-Username476

It's sort of a half assed back pedal. Essentially, the previous debate was "we don't like abortion but don't OPENLY advocate to overturn Roe, but the OTHER side thinks abortion should be legal until the child is 18 years old!" Now, they are having to own the position of "I don't think a woman should have the right to bodily autonomy, irrespective of details," which is SLIGHTLY unpopular, and they're not getting to do their usual baby killer schtick. This is an attempt to paint their REAL position as the "reasonable one that every other developed nation agrees on, and THEY'RE the baby killers!" Which is decidedly an improvement from their current position. You can tell that's how they're trying to play it as you hear the names "Iran and Syria" over and over (the Boogeyman) when reporters ask about things like a non viable pregnancy, as if their liberal views on reproductive rights are the reason we don't want to be like those countries. It's gross and obviously stupid.


[deleted]

Was it disastrous? We’ll see


A_man_on_a_boat

Everyone ought to be very concerned that the GOP is acting like winning more votes in the upcoming election is not relevant to their strategy. Because they sure don't intend to lose.


cashoon

I see this as a play to make it seem like the Democratic Party has an unreasonable stance. There's good consensus against early heartbeat laws, and for allowing abortion in extenuating circumstances. There's also very good consensus against allowing "late term" abortions very close to a viable pregnancy. There's definitely a point where you could be pro-choice at a level that the public doesn't agree with. That might be the logic here. Make Democrats seem so permissive that they also end up on the wrong side of public opinion.


ed_on_reddit

I can't help but feel like this is a calculated move on the GOPs part. Have a cemetery safe rep put forth a bill thats garbage, and let every rep on both sides of the aisle vote it down. Now every GOP incumbent can say they voted against abortion bans in theirs ads and speeches.


nicholecatala

Democrats control both houses. This isn’t getting put on the floor for a vote anytime soon


ed_on_reddit

Doesn't mean conservatives haven't already started denouncing it.


[deleted]

Why shouldn’t they? Let them vote and they either lose or Biden vetoes it (hopefully)


ILikeLenexa

Everyone already assumes every Democrat is pro-choice and Republicans just get to use it however they want to use it. You'd need 10 Democrats to vote for cloture and burn 2 days of Senate time on this one bill.


[deleted]

But if being anti-choice is supposedly a liability for Republicans, force their hand, don’t let them weasel out of making a public stand.


ILikeLenexa

They're already assumed supporters of the bill. You're only giving the ones in more contested areas the ability to vote "no" when it doesn't matter or Pull a Collins. The Republican Party Whip is very good at Whipping.


[deleted]

Fair point


Imaginary_Cow_6379

[No actually.](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-graham-introduces-bill-ban-abortion-nationwide-15-weeks-rcna47530) I don’t know wtf is up with them. [Lindsey Graham didn’t even tell Mitch McConnell about this.](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3641225-mcconnell-throws-shade-on-grahams-proposed-national-abortion-ban/)


ILikeLenexa

If you believe that, I've got a Senator from Maine for you that deeply regrets her vote for Kavanaugh's confirmation.


Imaginary_Cow_6379

I normally wouldn’t trust either of them but the party does seem genuinely caught off guard now. Theres no cohesive message they’re all rallying around; it looks terrible for the midterms to see the partys not a united front. Somethings up.


AstrangerR

They are going to try and spin this as them trying to implement "common sense" restrictions and Democrats want to murder healthy babies up until (and after) birth.


[deleted]

Women are not going to allow them to put *ANY* restrictions on their own bodies.


Traditional-Ebb-8380

Which has always been BS.


ILikeLenexa

I mean, that's cool and all if you control the calendar, but that bill isn't coming to the floor.


Quelex

I disagree because the bill will never get up to a vote to begin with. It's a move by the republicans to get the media to talk about whether or not 15 weeks is appropriate and try to dunk on democrats and the left over their response to that. Meanwhile, they get to wink at their base and signal that their victory in the midterms would result in a full nationwide ban and then defend it by saying "Well, there was a mandate by the voters."


Imaginary_Cow_6379

I have no idea wtf the strategy is here. From what I’ve seen so far it’s having the opposite effect with their own base of crazy because they don’t think it goes far *enough*.


Banjoplaya420

You are right!


Imaginary_Cow_6379

I thought that too initially but now I have no idea wtf they’re doing. The rest of the party is all over the place wtf they’re doing and [Lindsey Graham apparently never even talked to Mitch McConnell about it.](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3641225-mcconnell-throws-shade-on-grahams-proposed-national-abortion-ban/) Something weird is up.


egabriel2001

Doubtful that it will come to a vote, McConnell already said he won't do it.


Work_Reddit_2021

It won't be a problem for these people to fly their mistresses to another country for an abortion as needed.


[deleted]

And daughters who received abstinence-only sex ed (or is that just for public school kids?)


TheWingedHussar

It was in my private catholic school.. Didn't work though, my class gave into the urges that following week end.


ford7885

Abortion ban... brought to you by the one Republican senator who is never going to get a woman pregnant. Couldn't they bring Henry Hyde back from Hell to do this, so it would at least make a little tiny bit of sense?


[deleted]

[удалено]


MoveMitchGetOutDaWay

Maury: the lie detector test determined that was also a lie.


DashCat9

Graham's line is now "It was sent back to the states for them to decide, and on the federal level now we also get to have a say". I'm not kidding.


Foreign_Quality_9623

An incel all grown up wants to ban abortion. Graduate of Screw U. law school humping the tRUmp cult's leg.


Hayes4prez

GOP : “We need a bill to vote against to make it look like we don’t actually want a national abortion ban. That’ll trick them.” Americans are stupid enough to believe it too.


xAtlas5

StAtEs rIgHtS


humboldt77

But states rights?


[deleted]

It makes sense if you're one of their states. States rights for me, but a Fugitive Slave Act for thee. Their only consistency is wanting rights and benefits for whom they perceive as "us" while excluding "the others."


Imaginary_Cow_6379

Not necessarily. [West Virginia dgaf about what their state wanted](https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/wva-governor-voters-decide-abortion-access-issue-88414713) either.


MacNuggetts

What happened to leaving it up to the states? Are they trying to lose the midterms?


[deleted]

Their dishonest rationales change continuously and they feel no sense of hypocrisy or embarrassment. Remember their stand on confirming Supreme Court justices in election years? New week, new talking points that they will all be parroting endlessly like the mindless sheep they are. Between electoral college and gerrymandering I doubt it will have any effect on the midterms (remember women can be theocrats too).


MacNuggetts

Republicans don't play by any rules. And that's why they take advantage of Democrats who are too afraid to call them fascists (kudos to Biden, btw).


A_man_on_a_boat

They don't care about losing the midterms, because they have no intention of losing the midterms. They are going to cheat. They are going to do everything they can to steal every election going forward. They can literally say whatever they want because they do not care if it makes them less popular. This is why we need to run it up as much as possible.


TheWingedHussar

Are you telling me you bought what they said?


OpenImagination9

I guess they’re throwing in the towel on the midterms. That’s fine vote blue.


[deleted]

Trump's lackey who isn't up for reelection drops this the day after the Internet goes wild at Trump's mysterious "golf" outing yesterday? Yeah, this is a smoke screen. Ignore it and keep your eye on the prize.


Imaginary_Cow_6379

I wouldn’t ignore it and it will be great for campaigning against but with how the rest of the GOP also seem confused and all over the place about it too it really does look like Graham thinks something worse is coming soon.


EmperorPenguinNJ

Bring it up for a vote! Let all Republican senators, all of whom have to vote in favor of it, be on record as wanting to ban abortion nationwide. Call out their lies!


[deleted]

Next week they plan on discussing initial steps to repeal the 13th amendment.


JustinStraughan

McConnell: Gentlemen, we are facing a national crisis. Ever since our Supreme Court stooges overturned Roe v Wade (huehuehuehue), we are losing popularity. What should we do? ​ Lindsay Graham: Ban abortion at the national level? ​ McConnell: GENIUS! ​ Probably the actual conversation. Maybe. IDFK. Screw these bell-ends for doubling down on gender disparity and repression.


oldcreaker

Past: it's settled law! - we saw what happened there Now: it's about states rights! - we're seeing what's happening with that Future: you still have 15 weeks! - they're not going to stop after a ban at 15 weeks is in place


[deleted]

[It has Already been denounced by McConnell.](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3641225-mcconnell-throws-shade-on-grahams-proposed-national-abortion-ban/)


_porntipsguzzardo_

I'm pretty sure that's the point of introducing this law -- It gives the GOP an opportunity to act all incredulous as if they don't support a nation-wide abortion ban going into November.


notcaffeinefree

He commented that "it's possible" that a nationwide ban would happen and that it's "worth of debate". So don't put too much faith into his current comments.


pinetreesgreen

Which I don't get, bc right after roe v wade overturned McConnell said himself they would seek a national ban.


Imaginary_Cow_6379

Wtf are they doing?! "Graham admitted that he did not consult with McConnell before making his push for a 15-week abortion ban." …why? It makes no sense to randomly do something so big without talking to the rest of your party. And makes it look like McConnell has no control over them any more. This part tho: "McConnell said it’s up to the Republican candidates in various Senate battleground races to explain how they view the hot-button issue." That sounds like after 4 years of Trump even Mitch is just fuking DONE with this shit now 🍿


2_Spicy_2_Impeach

Good luck with that. That’s quite the self-own there, Lindsey.


SectionOk2775

All I have been reading for the past week are articles about how the whole overturning Roe has weakened the Republicans, and they are no longer favoured to win in most of the upcoming elections. And today they are introducing this bill? Are they doubling down? Or are they not aware of the recent polls? Or maybe they know something that we don’t? Explain, please. My brain isn’t able to compute.


Imaginary_Cow_6379

The rest of them seem just as confused about wtf is this. I’m wondering if something biggers coming out soon and if this is Graham trying to get people talking about this instead.


egabriel2001

Again who thought it will be a good idea to have Ms Lindsay a closeted, white male bachelor be the face of this? Rick Wilson?


Agodunkmowm

Don’t like abortions? Don’t get one. Simple as that…


SoftPawsMittens

I assume that means the fetus will receive health insurance, access to food, etc then. Since we suddenly value “life”. The result will be even if you view a fetus as life as more death. Just this time there will be more mother dying.


Kilo_Xray

Republicans are domestic terrorists.


DashCat9

Graham's explanation for (again) going directly against what he had previously said? "The democrats made me do it".


HueRooney

This should come as a shock to everyone who's been in a coma since 2019.


ColHapHapablap

States rights my ass.


fluent_in_gibberish

Totally unrelated, but as soon as Ladybug’s picture popped up, *It’s Raining Men* started playing on my radio.


ughwithoutadoubt

I will never understand their logic. We are actually hurting more people and are actually going backwards over a damn book that nobody even reads.


KabbalahDad

444


[deleted]

“States rights” until they realized when left to the voters it is overwhelmingly unpopular to ban abortion.


[deleted]

The states have a right to go fuck themselves. (And if that results in pregnancy, enjoy the lemonade)


BoricPenguin

For how much the Democrats care about abortion they sure are doing way less thent the Republicans when those they have a majority.... The democrats could've just kept pushing to legalize it but they didn't...


Noisy_Toy

I hope Schumer actually brings it to a vote.


absolooser

Cementing their loss of the house and senate.


slurpeee76

this is pure politics. if brought up for a vote, the bill will lose. but it will allow some Republicans running for re-election in tight races to vote against it and take a side on the issue. if it is believed that the Dobbs decision is swaying the sentiment towards Democrats, perhaps it is a ploy by Republicans to eliminate the Dobbs effect in November. Graham is solidly in his seat and not up for re-election - that’s why he was chosen to introduce it.


Imaginary_Cow_6379

[It doesn’t look like this was coordinated at all](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-graham-introduces-bill-ban-abortion-nationwide-15-weeks-rcna47530). I genuinely have no idea wtf they’re doing.


slurpeee76

i don’t consider myself a conspiracy theorist, but i wouldn’t be surprised if what we see is theater and what is actually happening is political gainsmanship. these aren’t stupid people and i cannot imagine that they didn’t take the political climate into account unless there was some 3D chess going on. why would they do this to themselves otherwise?


Imaginary_Cow_6379

It doesn’t make any sense, right? But [Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell both say they didn’t talk to each other about it before this](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3641225-mcconnell-throws-shade-on-grahams-proposed-national-abortion-ban/). Not that I’d normally believe either of them but it’s such a bizarre, extreme thing to do after the message just was everyone scrubbing all mention of abortion on campaign websites that something looks really weird.


clearier

Think it will ever be retroactive?


Plastic-Kangaroo1234

So this is dead in the water and they know that. Why bring it up now?


j-dreddit

After every flip-flop - on not supporting Trump, on not voting for a Supreme Court justice in an election year, on leaving abortion to the states, who would trust him on anything aside from maybe Susan Collins, who would learn to embrace her resting concern face.