It’s an election year and Democrats have struggled for a message. If we didn’t recognize it before, we now clearly have one: Do Americans want to hand the direction of the country over to a party that is likely to outlaw or severely restrict abortion, make it harder to vote, allow the banning of books, and whitewash the teaching of race relations in this country.
This is no longer an extreme message — it’s facing reality.
The basic right to abortion, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, which is when the vast majority of abortions occur, has long enjoyed strong public support. Poll numbers have been remarkably stable in the nearly half-century since Roe established the right to abortion as the law of the land. But it has never been a galvanizing issue for those who support keeping abortion available, the way it has for opponents.
Moderate and Liberal people tend to shrug off abortion restrictions as “something that couldn’t happen here.” Now, it’s happening. And the leaked opinion makes clear that what’s happening won’t stop with abortion. Next, extremist Republicans will go after gay marriage and contraception. They are already banning books.
When Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) was asked about his party’s agenda if it regains control, he replied: “That is a very good question, and I’ll let you know when we take it back.”
Democrats must call out McConnell and his Republican cronies. Voters have the right to concrete answers about what kind of future lies ahead.
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