Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Activists protesting against the Supreme Court's decision earlier this year. PA

More US states ban abortion as Democrats push back

Another dozen states are expected to follow suit with their own restrictions.

ABORTION BECAME ILLEGAL in three more US states yesterday, further restricting access to elective terminations for millions of women despite some signs of popular and judicial pushback.

Two months after the Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion, nearly 21 million women have already lost access to the procedure in their home states, according to an analysis by The Washington Post.

And with Idaho, Tennessee and Texas joining 10 other Republican-controlled states on Thursday in implementing near-total bans on abortion, that number is set to rise. Another dozen states are expected to follow suit with their own restrictions.

The laws in Idaho, Tennessee and Texas were “triggered” after the Supreme Court on June 24 overturned the landmark 1973 “Roe v. Wade” decision enshrining a woman’s right to an abortion and allowed states to set their own laws.

In Texas, under the new law, doctors could face life in prison and a fine of no less than $100,000 for performing an abortion. Texas and Tennessee make no exceptions for rape or incest, though Idaho does.

State restrictions range from total bans on elective abortions to bans after six weeks, when many women do not even know they are pregnant. Many women have already been forced to travel hundreds of miles to obtain the procedure in other states.

Democratic President Joe Biden condemned the ruling by the conservative-dominated Supreme Court and has pledged to do everything within his power to ensure access to abortion.

The Biden administration notched up a narrow victory in Idaho on Wednesday when a judge ruled that federal law requires doctors to provide abortions to women suffering medical emergencies at hospitals that receive Medicare funding from the government.

In an illustration of the complicated legal landscape, however, a judge in Texas, an appointee of Republican Donald Trump, issued a contrary ruling in a similar case, setting the stage for further court battles.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre welcomed the outcome in Idaho but called the Texas ruling a “devastating decision for women in that state, who can now be denied the same life-saving care.”

Besides battling in the courts, Democrats are hoping abortion will be a galvanizing issue for their candidates in the upcoming midterm elections.

US voters will decide control of Congress in November, with all 435 House seats up for grabs, as well as 35 of the 100 Senate seats and the governor’s mansion in 36 out of 50 states.

‘Health care is on the ballot’ 

“More women today are living with fewer freedoms thanks to Republicans’ relentless war to ban abortion in their states,” Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison said.

“Make no mistake: No matter what state you live in, reproductive health care is on the ballot this November, and GOP candidates will be held accountable for their extreme anti-choice agenda,” Harrison said.

A Democratic candidate notched up a victory in a special election in New York on Tuesday seen as a bellwether of the public mood on abortion ahead of November’s midterms.

According to political data firm Target Smart, women have been outpacing men in new voter registrations in numerous states.

In a Pew Research Center poll, 56 percent of registered voters said the abortion issue will be very important in their midterm vote, up from 43 percent in March.

Abortion rights advocates also recently celebrated a victory in a referendum in Kansas that would have removed the right to the procedure from the constitution of the conservative midwestern state.

The state is a Republican stronghold, but Kansans, by a 59 to 41 percent margin amid unusually heavy turnout, rejected the amendment that would have scrapped language in the state constitution guaranteeing the right to abortion.

Planned Parenthood, which lobbies for abortion access and plans to reportedly spend $50 million on the midterms, called the Kansas vote “a clear warning to anti-abortion politicians.”

While some two dozen Republican-led states are restricting access to abortion, a number of Democratic-controlled states, including giants California and New York, are putting protections in place.

Author
View 18 comments
Close
18 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Flynn
    Favourite Paul Flynn
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:13 AM

    Did you know that if you stand on the Great Wall of China you can actually see the moon.

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Roche
    Favourite Paul Roche
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:53 AM

    Not if he’s in Korea.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eileen Beattie
    Favourite Eileen Beattie
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 7:42 AM

    Brilliant …. love this sort of story. Will I be able to see it in Newbridge? If so I’ll be out with my jacket and a scarf (bloody well cold up here compared to Cork) and a cuppa to have a look

    58
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Helen Whiteley
    Favourite Helen Whiteley
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 7:44 AM

    Wondering the same thing myself Eileen!

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciara McCorley
    Favourite Ciara McCorley
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 9:59 AM

    Download the iss app to your phone Eileen -I am also in newbridge and its a brilliant app -alarm goes off to let you know when its due to pass -I’ll be out tonight looking up at it -crutches and all

    11
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Leah Burgess
    Favourite Leah Burgess
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 3:03 PM

    Naas is on the line

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan O'Reilly
    Favourite Alan O'Reilly
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 7:50 AM

    The moon being upside down is surely a bigger story!

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 11:51 AM

    Vews (and photos) through a telesope are upside down. Same with view through one’s eyes but the brain turns them up “the right way”. Someone just forgot to flip the photo.
    There was an experiment years ago where people were given spectacles which showed everything upsidedown. It took a couple of days but eventually their brain adjusted so they could see normally! They had a few more unpleasant days when they stopped using the glasses.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank Semple
    Favourite Frank Semple
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 7:44 AM

    Clear sky over Dublin tonight, is the moving station visable with the human eye?

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen McMahon
    Favourite Stephen McMahon
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 7:55 AM

    It’s easily visible with the human eye. To ne honest it looks like a very large shooting star in my opinion. I have used a basic pair of binoculars and made out good detail.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karol Doran
    Favourite Karol Doran
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:16 AM

    It is extremely bright in the night sky, moving at a fairly fast pace. You can’t miss it.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Irish Coffee
    Favourite Irish Coffee
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:50 AM

    That is no moon!

    I wll tell the kids it’s the Emporers Shuttle arriving :-)

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dark 10 (Kevy Revy)
    Favourite Dark 10 (Kevy Revy)
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 4:49 PM

    Lol, he’s just here for a look around… We’ll send him packing, probably would like it much like the airwaves adds.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Padriag O'Traged
    Favourite Padriag O'Traged
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 7:23 AM

    Oh so that’s the moon! Thanks Journal!

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Owen Brady
    Favourite Owen Brady
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:17 AM

    Pass the beer nuts please

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matt
    Favourite Matt
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 10:53 AM

    Do you live in the west? Cloud cover?

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Burke
    Favourite Alan Burke
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:00 AM

    That’s my thursday evening sorted so :)

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patitas
    Favourite Patitas
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 7:35 AM

    Grand, my boss lives in the moon. I will tell her to have her coins ready so she doesn’t miss this one…

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fergus O'Neill
    Favourite Fergus O'Neill
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:44 AM

    Astronomy Ireland have a page showing where this will be visible here

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rudy Hellzapoppin'
    Favourite Rudy Hellzapoppin'
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 2:21 PM

    I’m delighted that the picture above is captioned.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Roche
    Favourite Niall Roche
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:58 PM

    Just saw it passing by. That was very cool! Thanks for the tip off. It was moving a lot faster and much brighter than I thought!

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Thornton
    Favourite Kevin Thornton
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 1:30 PM

    bet ya €5 the clouds come out to watch as well always the same frigging irish weather

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eve
    Favourite Eve
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 9:53 AM

    I’m so excited!

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rob O Reilly
    Favourite Rob O Reilly
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 10:57 AM

    Will a person not on the line see the station at all ? I remember when the shuttle flew over after launch and most people could see it. What’s different here ?

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eileen Beattie
    Favourite Eileen Beattie
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 10:53 AM

    Thanks Ciara

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paddy Green
    Favourite Paddy Green
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 9:01 PM

    Clouds in Dublin as per usual. Caught a glimpse but nowhere near the moon.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute celtic lady
    Favourite celtic lady
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 8:48 PM

    Stupid cloud about to obscure the moon at 20.48 grrrrr

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Leah Burgess
    Favourite Leah Burgess
    Report
    Oct 11th 2013, 12:52 AM

    Got some pics and a video so a very happy camper here.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tesla Tower
    Favourite Tesla Tower
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 6:06 PM

    Cool. Anyone interested space x are the new movers in space exploration and they have some cool ideas if you like these type of things.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chris Creagh
    Favourite Chris Creagh
    Report
    Oct 10th 2013, 9:31 PM

    Just spent past hour and a bit looking to the sky’s on lovely clear night and didn’t see a thing:( glad didn’t spend good money on that ha

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds