Roe Is Dead & Democrats Want Us to Vote—for What, Exactly?

Anti-abortion politicians have won, and in response, Democrats are sticking to their same old script.

PublishedJune 24, 2022

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For decades, anti-abortion lawmakers at every level of government have led a scorched-earth campaign to make abortion as inaccessible and stigmatized as possible. Congress effectively banned abortion for poor people, and state legislatures enacted over 1,300 bans and restrictions since 1973, when Roe was originally decided. For the most part, the Democratic Party has responded to this strategy with feckless statements, impotent exploratory committees, and refusals to say the word “abortion” aloud.

Now, the Supreme Court has reversed Roe v. Wade, and it seems like Democrats have learned nothing. For a party that consistently implores us to “just vote” all our problems away (even though the Supreme Court is in now way accountable to the electorate), the supposedly pro-choice Democratic lawmakers we do elect don’t seem to be doing a whole lot.

Case in point: Shortly after Roe was overturned, the Democratic-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee announced it will “hold a hearing next month to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America.” In other words, pregnant people have been stripped of all rights and reduced to state-controlled incubators, but a discussion of that will have to wait for the Senate to return from recess. Abortion access has been effectively routed in most of the country for years. People were already being arrested for miscarriage and abortion before the ruling on Friday. And we’ll get a whole Senate committee hearing on this existential crisis—in more than two weeks!

Voting is good. In fact, organizing and voting—in addition to voter suppression, gerrymandering, and an overall highly undemocratic political system—are how the anti-abortion movement pulled off this outcome. But given Democratic leaders’ responses to the fall of Roe so far, it’s clear (and has been for years) that they have no plan to save our reproductive rights.

Here are some of the worst responses from Democrats so far.

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“Vote on or before November 8"

Former President Barack Obama is right: We do need “judges who will protect all, and not just some, of our rights.” But many of us have voted, and there’s been little to show for it from elected Democrats beyond a committee hearing next month. Does he have any other ideas??

Early during his term, Democrats had the opportunity to codify Roe into law. Instead, they fundraised off the perennial existential threat to Roe, and now, here we are!

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“Can you chip in $15 so we can WIN these midterms?”

For years now, abortion funds across the country have been getting people the abortion care they need through tremendous financial, logistical, and legal barriers. But Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) apparently believes that, in the immediate aftermath of this Supreme Court ruling, that your money is better spent on donations to politicians. Are we really fundraising off this moment, and not directing people to legal defense funds for pregnant people, or independent clinics?? That’s just embarrassing.

Pelosi released a statement on Friday saying that Republicans have achieved their “dark and extreme goal of ripping away women’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions” before adding: “Make no mistake: the rights of women and all Americans are on the ballot this November.”

But what do we do until November? And what’s the plan once we elect more Democrats?

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“It’s a little anticlimactic”

Apparently, the inevitable policing and criminalization of pregnancy isn’t exactly the blockbuster ending House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) wanted to see—he told one reporter, “It’s a little anticlimactic.” As whip, mind you, Clyburn could be applying pressure to get his caucus to take meaningful action on abortion. But it’s hard to imagine Clyburn doing that when he seems entirely unfazed by the wholesale gutting of our human rights.

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“I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh”

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said he trusted Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh when they lied about understanding Roe as “settled legal precedent.” That about tracks with my perception of his political IQ. This, mind you, is the man who is preventing any and all possibility of legislation to protect reproductive rights in Congress by upholding the filibuster, and rejected the life-saving Child Tax Credit because he was concerned that low-income parents would use it to buy drugs. But vote blue no matter who, am I right??

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A victory for the “extremist MAGA court”

“American women are having their rights taken by 5 unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) tweeted early Friday.

Donald Trump hasn’t been president for a year and a half now, and Democrats control both chambers of Congress as well as the White House. But predictably enough, the Democratic strategy appears to be about making the fall of Roe all about Trump, as opposed to, say, meaningful legislative action to protect reproductive rights.

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“I’m pro-life”

As the old adage goes, when people tell you who they are, believe them. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) has been clear for years that he opposes abortion rights, yet top Democrats went all-in for him in his primary against progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros, who supports abortion rights. Now, they have themselves to thank for Cuellar’s truly abhorrent yet entirely predictable response to the fall of Roe: “I’m pro-life.” This from the man who fired a 28-week pregnant staffer after she requested maternity leave.

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