Election-Related Repro Rights Round-Up
November 8, 2010
A few good commentaries on what last week’s midterm election results mean for reproductive rights:
Ms Magazine: Election 2010: Pro-Choice Sustains Big Losses; Abortion Not Deciding Factor notes that 13 of the Democratic house losses were anti-choice Democrats defeated by anti-choice Republicans; “Perhaps more telling, 24 House Democrats who lost had voted yes on the Stupak/Pitts Amendment.”
Lisa Hymas at Grist: What does the election mean for population and reproductive rights? points out that at least 10 governorships have flipped from pro-choice to anti-choice.
Miriam at Nuestra Vida, Nuestra Voz: 2010 Elections showed Latino/a impact, particularly in key Western races explains that:
In the aftermath of the election, the National Latina Institute will focus on saving the landmark health care law which will cover an estimated 9 million Latinos and increase funding for community health centers – a lifeline to many in our neighborhoods.
Will at Amplify: Bait-and-Switch Politics: Welcome to the 112th Congress. Will (depressingly) predicts:
The 112th Congress will be dominated by fights over social issues, from abortion to family planning to abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Two years from now, we will look back on November 2, 2010, as the day that far-right Republicans used a wave of economic frustration to usher in the most anti-choice, anti-sex ed, anti-LGBT, anti-family planning, anti-contraception Congress in our nation’s history.
Jodi Jacobson at RH Reality Check: No Anti-Choice Mandate, But Don’t Worry, They’ll Make One Up. Jodi also has a bummer of a prediction: “We will see almost immediately a range of efforts to focus on restricting reproductive and sexual health and rights.”
Dionne Searcey at the Wall Street Journal’s Law Blog: Colorado Voters Slam Personhood Measure (found via Reproductive Rights Prof Blog). The fetal personhood amendment in Colorado that we mentioned was defeated by a 3-1 margin. Searcey notes that a similar measure is on the ballot in Mississippi next year.
Nancy Northup at the Center for Reproductive Rights: Election Perspective from Nancy Northup, declares that “We will continue to work for the day when reproductive rights, like First Amendment rights, are protected from the outcome of elections.”
