Just this week the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge against Texas’ new abortion law that imposed a practically total ban on the procedure. The ban applies to abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, which is a point where many women have still not even realized that they are pregnant, effectively banning it entirely. An additional part of the new law allowed for private citizens to let authorities know of those getting or helping others get abortions and receive compensation in return.

The law is incredibly problematic, and if the conservative lead supreme court fails to strike it down, it could be seen as an endorsement for other states to enact similar pro-life legislation. Earlier in September, the court allowed the law to be put into effect, ignoring the Justice Department’s pleas that they block the measure.

Despite this, they have recently agreed to review the numerous challenges to the law that have been made since it was put into effect, on behalf of both President Joe Biden’s administration as well as numerous abortion providers across the country.

Justice Sotomayor dissented the court’s rejection of making a decision on blocking or not, stating that the law effectively suspends all abortions in Texas, saying that “The state’s gambit has worked. The impact is catastrophic.”

The Texas case is the most far-reaching abortion law instituted since Roe v. Wade that was not initially struck down, and puts the entire court case in jeopardy. These laws are another sign of a minority of voices dictating public law through unjust representation. Many right-wing states, through impeding on voter rights and gerrymandering, have created a foothold in this nation as well as local politics despite making up the minority of the country. Even when it comes to something such as abortion, 61% of the country states that it should be legal while only 38% believe that it should be illegal.

Politics in the United States is broken, and it seems as if the only party that is actively pushing for changes in legislation is the extreme right-wing, while the others are apathetic on any policy unless it serves to benefit them and their donors’ pockets. Radical action needs to be taken to protect not just the rights of women but also protect the integrity of this country.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-hear-challenge-texas-abortion-ban-2021-10-22/