CROSSVILLE —
A little while back on these pages a contributor wrote that Mitt Romney, should he become president, “would repeal Roe v. Wade.” Civics 101: the President can’t repeal Supreme Court decisions. He can only appoint Court Justices, and as anyone knows, that’s a gamble. For example, in 1992 the Court heard Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which provided the best opportunity yet to overturn Roe. The muddled final decision did not. Justices appointed by ostensibly conservative presidents did no harm to Roe. In fact, they might have strengthened it. Moreover, as the recent decision on ObamaCare shows, the current conservative Court majority cannot be relied upon to do the right thing.
Another way to overturn Roe is by Constitutional amendment. In the early days following the decision opponents drafted several human life amendments, none of which went very far. That’s because amending the Constitution is a difficult process, requiring two thirds majorities in both Houses of Congress and ratification by three quarters of fifty states’ legislatures. Also it’s theoretically possible for Congress to limit the Court’s jurisdiction, but most Congresses have been loath to do so.
So it’s not likely that any president can do much to overturn Roe. Furthermore, even if the president did succeed in appointing a compliant Court, any such Court would have to wait for the appropriate case, not as easy as some might think. But suppose all of the above happened: a compliant Court hears the proper case and reverses of Roe v. Wade. What then? Would the writer’s “Baltimore City … coat hanger” return? No, it would not. In matters of abortion the nation would return to the status quo ante; that is, the situation that obtained before Roe: some states would permit abortion, some would enact restrictions, and a few would make it illegal. Looking at the current political landscape, one can predict which states would be pro abortion and which pro-life. A woman wanting an abortion but living in a red pro-life state would in many cases be able to drive just a few miles to an abortion clinic in a blue state and have the procedure done there. That’s what women did before Roe.
It’s likely then that permissive abortion will continue in the United States for many years regardless of the White House occupant. Most pro life realists acknowledge this and see changing hearts as the best way to win the battle against abortion. In the culture of death — Pope John Paul II’s phrase — that has developed in the West since the end of World War II, where many see pregnancy as a disease, motherhood as a curse, and children as prohibitively expensive and troublesome (too many children and one can’t buy the adult toys he wants), the fight against abortion remains difficult and is fought mostly by the holy and faithful remnant. Nonetheless the battle is not over.
All the card carrying members of the culture of death can rest easy for now. Of course, this is not all there is to it.
• • •
Stumptalk is published weekly in the Crossville Chronicle. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the Chronicle publisher, editor or staff. To contact Stumptalk, email coordinator Phil Billington at stumptalk@charter.net.
Opinion
STUMPTALK: Repealing Roe v. Wade
- Opinion
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LION AND THE LAMB: More than meets the eye
It was a quiet Saturday afternoon, and my wife Sheral suggested I join her on a shopping trip. In Crossville Sheral went inside a store and I stayed outside looking at the bargain specials. My mind was in neutral, so I almost missed the little boy’s question. He was about seven or eight, evidently had just seen his first Amish family, and they had seemed very strange to him.
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WE THE PEOPLE: No time to govern
Bob Dole’s tribute to George McGovern at the time of his death last year was both beautiful and touching. Speaking of the friendship they shared and the work they did together during their time in the Senate and later in retirement, Dole said McGovern “was one of the finest public servants I ever had the privilege to know.” He went on to say that they knew what they had in common was far more important than their different political philosophies.
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TIDBITS: Be wary of home improvement shows
Sometimes I think home improvement stores need a screening tool of some sort, perhaps some kind of licensing or reference check. For example, before one can walk in and buy that handy dandy table saw, they need three people to vouch that they aren’t likely to cut off a bodily appendage.
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STUMPTALK: Obama’s Benghazi betrayal
“Betrayal” is an ugly word. “To fail or desert especially in a time of need.” Those who pay attention to the actions of Obama are justified in saying we have been betrayed. Think about the IRS and DOJ debacles. Clearly our ambassador and his staff at the Benghazi consulate were betrayed, deserted in their time of mortal need. Obama allowed them to be murdered.
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Lion and the Lamb: When schools go beyond the three Rs
The three Rs, reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic, have always been at the foundation of education in Cumberland County. Recently, however, a fourth R has been added — religion. In permission was granted representatives of The Gideons International to distribute Bibles to fifth-graders in the Brown Elementary School in Crossville, and this took place April 11.
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We the People: Your vote — use it or lose it
A powerful faction within the Republican Party is determined to downsize our federal government. They want to reshape programs that originated to protect common folks like us.
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Stumptalk: The elephant in the room
I recently saw video footage of the president surrounded by the heads of all the services; they had assembled to address the continuing and scandalous problem of sexual harassment in the armed forces. The elephant in the room, of course, was young women in the military serving in close quarters with young men.
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We the People: Reality check, anyone?
Harry Truman had a birthday anniversary in early May. Harry was proud of being from the “show me” state. Republicans who aspire to stop all progress and set the clock back should take a lesson from Truman. He did something besides complain and obstruct progress.
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The Lion and the Lamb: The devil and the IRS
National news these past several weeks has focused on a scandal in the Internal Revenue Service. IRS agents have been targeting Tea Party and other conservative groups for additional scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status. As this story developed over the past several weeks, however, it has become apparent that the IRS problem is much greater than the complaints raised by the Tea Party.
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Tidbits: What's in a name?
Being born in the time before routine ultrasounds, my parents thought I was going to be a boy. I'm not sure if mom was carrying high or low, or if the wedding ring on a string went one way or the other, or what other old wives tale was used to determine I would be a he rather than a she, but that's what they thought and that's how they prepared.
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