50 WAYS

50 WAYS

“There must be 50 ways to leave your lover….”

–Paul Simon

The Supremes voted last week to overturn Roe vs. Wade.  Technically they said it was up to each state to determine whether or not abortion was legal.  So instead of one over-riding constitutional right for all Americans we now have 50 different states weighing in on the matter.  This means that whether or not you can have a legal abortion depends on your zip code.

For example, in Minnesota where abortion is legal, it is surrounded by states that either have or intend to ban abortions.  Katy bar the door, here they come from all over to gain access to abortion health care by traveling to Minnesota and other states where it is still legal.  Not only will existing clinics be overwhelmed, I’ve heard that there might even be traveling clinics set up across the border, maybe in RVs.

Major companies are featuring reimbursements for people to travel to states where abortion is legal.  Time will tell about the impact.

Attorneys General in abortion permitted states have said they will not prosecute anyone from a state where abortion is banned for coming to their state to get the procedure.

This raises the question about medication induced abortions, which are FDA approved.  Some states have threatened to ban these as well.  Can they really stop the mail?

One wonders if this is just a harbinger of coming attractions.  Using the same logic that the Supremes used in overturning Roe, Justice Thomas has indicated that other rights could be in jeopardy—e.g., contraception and same sex marriage.  Apparently if a right is not spelled out in the Constitution, it is not a right.  Never mind that when the Constitution was ratified blacks were slaves and women couldn’t vote.

We are now left with a crazy-quilt patchwork that will not only be confusing, but counter to the idea that we are all Americans who have equal protection under the law.  Instead, we have 50 ways to gain or lose your rights.