Oklahoma -- Anti-Abortion law.

[Lenonis]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/19/politi...iminalization/

Bill summary -- Makes performing an abortion for anything other than saving the life of the mother a felony that will result in 3 years jail time plus loss of license.

I would really like to NOT have this thread become about abortion -- given that it will get locked and it's a pointless debate.

But here is my question -- whether or not you agree with legalized abortion you have to admit this is blatantly unconstitutional and they admit it'll get struck down fast in court -- so why on earth would they pass this?

Oklahoma is a red state -- the GOP isn't going to lose the state so I don't understand why they'd make a move like this clearly targeting their base.

Here is what I see as the flaws in this strategy:
1) It just continues to give the Dems ammo on the "war on women" -- not a good time to do so when their presidential candidate has high unfavorables with women.
2) It's going to cost money to defend, and is an admitted waste of time which is going to erode their stance of being fiscally conservative. Especially since last I checked Oklahoma's finances aren't exactly in great shape.
3) It highlights the importance of the Supreme Court as they claim it may result in Rowe vs. Wade to be overturned. That is quite likely to result in women on the fence to vote Dem to get a more liberal nominee in that 9th slot to prevent this from happening.

It seems very bad timing and quite likely to backfire -- so I'm honestly wondering what the strategy around this was? Is Oklahoma turning purple or something and the GOP is trying to rally their base to keep their local power? I'm confused!

[Reeve]

Blatantly unconstitutional. If it gets signed by the governor, I have little doubt a court will issue an injunction to stop it until it can get overturned.

[Independent voter]

It's an election year, if the law sticks the politicians win, if the law get's thrown out the politicians say "they tried" and win.

[Stop Pretending]

They can sign any law they want, the Supreme Court will slap the state and the law down. Fucking Oklahoma, rivaling Texas as the dumbest run states in the US.

[ringpriest]

There is an entire lobbying/solicitation industry that revolves around right-wing social issues lobbying - since debate on many of the issues they focus on (abortion, gay marriage, etc) is close to ended on the legal level, they've started pushing stuff like this in already red states. It serves several purposes: it lets them tell all their supporters "look at what we did" (and serves the same purpose for the state legislators who voted for it) and then, when the Supreme Court (or another court) strikes it down, they can go back to those same people and say "look what the evil liburls did! Give us money to stop them!" and the cycle repeats. It's a self-licking ice-cream cone.

There's also the possibility that they're hoping for an R win in November, and getting a hearing in front of a much more conservative SCOTUS in a couple of years.

[Eviscero]

The US is becoming more progressive, its electorate is changing, and the traditional power distribution is being challenged in unprecedented ways. The reactionary right is feeling its oxygen being cut off and is issuing desperate gasps trying to be heard. Many of the ideologies of yesteryear are going to continue to be eroded, and this is a scary prospect for many and so they get louder.

[Barnabas]

Blatantly unconstitutional. If it gets signed by the governor, I have little doubt a court will issue an injunction to stop it until it can get overturned.

It's following federal law that has been on the books for awhile. Why hasn't anyone fought it successfully yet in court? Truth is states just haven't followed it until recently.

[Reeve]

It's following federal law that has been on the books for awhile. Why hasn't anyone fought it successfully yet in court? Truth is states just haven't followed it until recently.

How does this follow federal law that has been on the books for a while?

[Kujako]

Ah the "pro life" states with horrific death penalty laws and practices. Would be funny if not for being so tragic.

[Lenonis]

Ah the "pro life" states with horrific death penalty laws and practices. Would be funny if not for being so tragic.

Yeah, I think Oklahoma actually leads the country in executions?

EDIT -- per capita, not raw numbers. I think Texas wins the raw numbers battle.

[Kujako]

Yeah, I think Oklahoma actually leads the country in executions?

EDIT -- per capita, not raw numbers. I think Texas wins the raw numbers battle.

They also have "problems" with their lethal injection cocktail, leading to prolonged and painful deaths.

[Casterbridge]

Ah the "pro life" states with horrific death penalty laws and practices. Would be funny if not for being so tragic.

As someone who is pretty neutral on both these, though admittedly probably a bit more pro-life, I never understood why people find this stance funny?

I'm not particularly for the death penalty personally, especially when I find the justice system more than little screwed up, but I can understand the logic, one is about defending someone that has done nothing, and the other is about executing someone who, at least in theory, committed very serious violent crime.

I mean if I turn it on it's head it seems just as strange that someone would be so vehemently pro-choice and at the same time so very anti death penalty.

I've probably endangered this thread, but I've always found quotes like the one I've listed more than a little odd.

Anyway as far as the OP goes, no way that's going to stick and pretty sure they know it, as someone posted earlier no matter the outcome the politician wins by saying "we tried".

[Daelak]

As someone who is pretty neutral on both these, though admittedly probably a bit more pro-life, I never understood why people find this stance funny?

I'm not particularly for the death penalty personally, especially when I find the justice system more than little screwed up, but I can understand the logic, one is about defending someone that has done nothing, and the other is about executing someone who, at least in theory, committed very serious violent crime.

Bolded to show the error in your argument.

[josykay]

So... they can say "We tried, but that stupid, infiltrateded by bloody liberals SCOTUS denied us!"... IMO knowingly creating an unconstitutional law should be fined, since it is only a waste of time and money...

[Jotaux]

If I lived there I would be pissed at the waste of tax money. They have to spend time and money to put this bill through and then time and money will have to be spent by the courts to smack it down.

[Eliseus]

Unconstitutional? No where in the constitution does it say you should be able to legally kill another human if you didn't plan your pregnancy. Nice try though.

[Endus]

Unconstitutional? No where in the constitution does it say you should be able to legally kill another human if you didn't plan your pregnancy. Nice try though.

Roe v. Wade.

This has been settled for decades. Thanks for playing.

[dextersmith]

What if you have it done elsewhere?

[Reeve]

As someone who is pretty neutral on both these, though admittedly probably a bit more pro-life, I never understood why people find this stance funny?

I'm not particularly for the death penalty personally, especially when I find the justice system more than little screwed up, but I can understand the logic, one is about defending someone that has done nothing, and the other is about executing someone who, at least in theory, committed very serious violent crime.

I mean if I turn it on it's head it seems just as strange that someone would be so vehemently pro-choice and at the same time so very anti death penalty.

I've probably endangered this thread, but I've always found quotes like the one I've listed more than a little odd.

Anyway as far as the OP goes, no way that's going to stick and pretty sure they know it, as someone posted earlier no matter the outcome the politician wins by saying "we tried".

Yeah, I'm pro-choice, but neutral on the death penalty. I think for those who are pro-life, but pro-death penalty, the reasoning is that a baby hasn't yet done anything to deserve death, while the death row inmate did something to earn it.

[Daedius]

What's the deal with numerous states of the US going backwards on their Laws...

Religious people should really fuck off from Politics, especially in the 21st century.