This week 25 white male Republicans in Alabama voted to ban abortion in the state at every stage of pregnancy,unless the mother’s physical or mental health is in jeopardy. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill Wednesday, putting in place one of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws.
"If you look at national polling, this isn't where the American public is and it frankly isn't even where mainstream Republicans are," said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. "The harshness of it is pretty shocking."
Nearly 60% of U.S. adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a 2018 survey from the Pew Research Center.
While Gallup reports Americans are evenly split on how they personally identify — 48% of Americans consider themselves pro-life and 48% are pro-choice — as of 2018, 79% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in at least some circumstances.
The Alabama abortion bill is the most harsh yet. It would allow abortion only if the mother’s health was in critical danger, banning it virtually at the moment of conception. It does not penalize women for abortions but could send doctors who perform them to prison for up to 99 years, more than rapists face in most cases. In Ohio, a law signed last month by Gov. Mike DeWine (R) outlaws abortion as early as a fetal heartbeat can be detected, before many women even know they’re pregnant (also without exception for rape or incest). And in Georgia, a new law signed last week by Gov. Brian Kemp (R) outlaws abortion after six weeks, again before many women know.
In those states as well, men voting on the measures heavily outnumbered women. Male legislators in favor of such bills often argue that the issue of abortion is one of morality and that it is a topic both men and women should equally be allowed to debate
Women on both sides of the aisle have long used their personal experiences with pregnancy to support or oppose restrictive abortion laws. For example, Iowa stateRep. Amy Sinclair (R) saidhearing her son’s heartbeat on an ultrasound when she was pregnant at age 19 profoundly affected her concept of when life begins. By contrast, formerDemocratic state Rep. Wendy Davis of Texasand Georgia stateRep. Park Cannon(D) both used their experiences with abortions to oppose restrictive laws in 2013 and this year, respectively.
But in states where personal stories about abortion are not likely to sway the vote, female lawmakers who support abortion rights have sometimes filed protest bills or even made gynecology presentations to make a point.
If you never thought voting was important for State representative these laws just made voting real for all Americans! No one should tell a woman what she should do with her body especially 25 white men !
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