Watch Out What You Wish For

If it's possible, the odds just got longer that Republicans will win the White House in 2008.

The Supreme Court, packed with Republican appointees, just delivered the Pyhrric victory long awaited by Republicans, upholding the federal statute outlawing partial birth abortion.

A significant majority of Americans support abortion rights -- though not, specifically, partial birth abortion -- and this decision will serve as a shot across the bow of those who are pro-choice but vote Republican anyway, for non-abortion-related reasons.  It's safe to assume that fewer pro-choice people will find the Republican Party tolerable today than did yesterday.

For a full explanation of why that is, read this, which contains this:

Now, before we get down to yelling and throwing furniture over who sits on the Supreme Court, I want to say something carefully considered and moderate: I hope the Republicans get what they so vocally want, a Supreme Court that overturns Roe vs. Wade.

I hope it with all my heart. I hope they do it next term, by fiat if there’s no appropriate case on the docket. No right-to-life terrorist wants to see Roe v. Wade tossed out more than I do. Do it today. I’ll sign the petition.

I say this because overturning Roe v. Wade would be the end of the Republican Party as it exists under President Bush.  End Roe and it ends the period of special indulgences for radical social conservatives.

I do go on.

Comments

[Frank]

The big question about Roe is not should it be overturned because of the court's personal beliefs on abortion, but whether or not it is bad law. The fact is, Roe v Wade should never have happened. If you read the constitution from front to back, nowhere in there is it written that a woman has the right to an abortion.

This, like most social questions, should be decided at the state level, by a popular vote. But when the left has an agenda that it knows won't win in the polls, they push it through the courts.

I'll not pretend that I am pro abortion, but more importantly, I am for upholding the constitution.

I wonder, have you ever read the description of how a partial birth abortion is performed? How anyone in their right mind can have an understanding of that "procedure" and then condone it is beyond me.

[Conrad]

I find it difficult to credit the theory that there are a statistically meaningful number of people who would have voted for the Republican nominee if only the US Supreme Court had held that the right to hoover a partially born infant's brains out is protected by the Constitution.

An ABC News poll found that just 23% of the American people believe that partial birth abortion should be legal. Are any of those people remotely likely to have voted Republican under any circumstances? I seriously doubt it.