For the first time in four decades, the Republican Party has removed a federal abortion ban from its platform. The newly revised 16-page document no longer calls for constitutional changes to ban abortion nationwide but instead advocates for state-level legislation to protect fetal life.
The platform affirms, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process, and that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.”
This shift marks a significant departure for a party that historically aimed to overturn Roe v. Wade. “If you truly are pro-life, then you are celebrating this move because it is taking it to the states,” commented Scottie Nell Hughes, a political commentator and strategist, emphasizing the potential for conservative-leaning states to enact pro-life laws.
Republican Senator Ron Johnson noted that the platform aligns with the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, which allowed states more discretion in regulating abortion. “It acknowledges what happened with the Dobbs decision,” Johnson remarked, framing the change as a move towards state-level determination of abortion laws.
However, abortion rights advocates criticize the shift, arguing it undermines reproductive freedom. Karen Musick from the Arkansas Abortion Support Network expressed concerns about restricting access to abortion rights at the state level, stating, “Our state doesn’t want people to have the right — the human right — to take care of their own bodies.”
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