I have occasionally quoted my cousin Mort, a noted cardiologist, on issues involving medical care. He recently shared with me his concerns over the challenge of providing appropriate–or even barely adequate–medical care to women in the wake of the Dobbs decision. In Indiana, this is a huge problem, because–unlike other states– We the People lack any effective electoral mechanism to reverse our GOP-dominated legislature’s assaults on reproductive liberties.
As I was reading my cousin’s email, it occurred to me that while Indiana voters might not be able to mount a referendum, we do have a way to send a message to the pious, self-important legislators who think that occupying a gerrymandered seat in the General Assembly entitles them to overrule people with specialized expertise who actually know what they’re doing.
That message is our vote.
Here’s my proposal: Every pro-choice voter in Indiana should go to the polls and vote Blue “all the way down.” In addition, they should make sure their state senators and representatives know that their vote is tied to reproductive choice–by posting on social networks, writing their legislators, or by carrying a sign or wearing a t-shirt saying “pro-choice voter” when they go to the polls.
As my cousin knows–and Indiana’s Republican legislators evidently don’t– reproductive autonomy isn’t just about being forced to give birth; it is often a matter of life and death.
The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee’s Ranking Member, Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), has recently released a 40-page report detailing the findings of a 10-month-long investigation into the impact of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs vs. Jackson ruling on the practice of obstetrics and gynecology. This was the court’s decision on June 24, 2022, that took away a woman’s previously recognized constitutional right to abortion and gave states the right to limit or outlaw abortions.
In September 2023, Pallone launched the investigation to examine how providers and, by extension, their patients, are impacted by the Dobbs decision. In conducting the investigation to determine the effects on medical practice, the Democratic Committee staff interviewed OB–GYN educators and resident physicians. The investigation disclosed alarming effects that included the following:
- Providers are seeing sicker patients suffering from greater complications due to delayed care caused as a result of the Dobbs decision.
- The Dobbs decision has harmed the training of OB–GYN residents in restrictive states.
- Residency applicants are increasingly concerned about the quality of abortion training programs offered in restrictive states.
- Residency directors are finding restrictions on clinical communication are degrading trust between providers and patients and are robbing patients of the ability to make informed decisions about their health.
- The training of OB–GYN residents in abortion-protective states has been harmed as programs in those states strain their capacity and resources to help train out-of-state residents from restrictive states.
- Restrictive state laws are already leading us to a future with a provider workforce less prepared to provide comprehensive reproductive health care.
- OB–GYN residents and program directors are increasingly frustrated, discouraged, and experiencing negative mental health effects in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision.
- Residency program leaders who participated in the report universally agreed that abortion care is integral to other components of reproductive health care and should not be eliminated or isolated from residency training.
- After Dobbs, OB–GYN residency applicants more strongly preferred programs in states that permit abortion access.
- A patchwork of state restrictions is leading to disparate systems of reproductive health care, worsening reproductive and maternal health care shortages, and fracturing the OB–GYN workforce.
As my cousin concluded (I could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears!), Dobbs was yet another example of the naivete and hubris of a politicized Supreme Court. The Court flouted scientific evidence, overruling knowledgeable and skilled medical practitioners in a field in which they were totally unqualified.
I will readily admit that my recommendation–vote Blue to send a message–might require a few Hoosiers to be single-issue voters this November. Those of us who have already surveyed the caliber of candidates being offered by Indiana’s GOP and the issues they are peddling will have no problem voting Blue from top to bottom, but pro-choice Republicans may find it more difficult (although really, Republicans–have you looked at your statewide ticket? Those MAGA theocrats sure don’t resemble the Republicans I used to know…)
Trump keeps saying that abortion/reproductive liberty is no longer a “big deal” electorally. He’s so wrong.
Even one election cycle that turned Indiana Blue–or even purple–would send a much-needed message to our legislative overlords. And we might even elect competent and thoughtful public servants for a change!
Now and always, vote blue no matter who.
Americans’ credit card debt has hit an all-time record: one trillion dollars.
My barber observed that he gives no thought to political issues which don’t affect his life, even those the mainstream media constantly try to convince him he should care about. Why would my barber’s vote depend on the candidate’s position on abortion/reproductive liberty when he, and many of his customers, are working two jobs to keep food on the table?
Gordon. The fact that your barber has to work two jobs is precisely why he should be giving thought to political issues. He fails to understand that all political issues affect his life in some way. Perhaps while you are in his chair you could give him some examples of that fact. If, that is, you understand it. If you don’t, review the speeches given yesterday at the Democratic National Convention or read more of Sheila’s columns or keep up with Heather Cox Richardson or, better yet, do all three.
Gordon, Republicans used the single issue of owning a gun to get people to vote for them for years, even though they couldn’t afford to buy the ammunition.
The Dobbs decision was, primarily, the wet dream from the Catholic Justices on SCOTUS who have yet to emerge from the dark corners of human civilization that reveres women rather than control them. Abortion/women’s health care is basically about controlling women, something ALL male-dominated/written/enforced religions have done for thousands of years.
The list of consequences is chilling and indicative of the utter lack of intellect practiced by Republican ideologues. They truly lack the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their actions. Since Republicans, mostly, give not a single damn about anything but getting elected and staying in power, they cloak themselves in self-righteousness that is the ultimate hypocrisy.
As I’ve said many times before on this blog: Everything Republicans touch dies.
My wonderful OB-gyn is leaving Indiana due to this issue. She has daughters of her own and her husband is an attorney. Need I say more?
Gordon:
your service provider is in the flow of now, popular opinion, for self defence.
you probably face to face with him,and at the time.verbaly overheard. recent discussions with the public im having,non construction,general population. many the average day to day life, that npw deny any association with politics.
they are scared. and non opionions they are hiding. trumps army `of idiots,blind mice and so called strong men,pox news,lies etc.are making their impact. i dont social media im face to face. if they are tired of being in this oppression, they need to know they are. vote blue…
p.s. is that pro choice T a political statement,allowed in a voting area?
best wishes all, you know your job/..
OBs won’t be the first specialty leaving Indiana. Pediatricians in Southern Indiana have left because the government refuses to address the air pollution, which causes many problems for young people and impacts the elderly. Duke Energy and Koch own Indiana’s coal belching business, so they don’t care about the quality of life for Hoosiers—it’s all about profits. Indiana is literally being sacrificed for the whole of the Midwest, and our MAGA politicians don’t care one iota.
As Vern pointed out, our oligarchy has ALWAYS been a patriarchal system due to religions practiced all over the world, but Christianity, specifically in the US. Women and minorities have gained some rights and, by law, are more equal than ever, but in reality, the Bible justifies women as subservient to men. Any law that removes that role is “destroying family values.” Some MAGAs have even twisted “family values” into meaning “American values.”
For the reasons Sheila’s cousin gave, and plenty more, abortion should be a federal decision to make it uniform across the country. Sneaking across state lines to have abortions is so 1950ish.
My beautiful 24 year old granddaughter Jennifer died at 5 months pregnant trying to carry her baby girl to term against all medical advice to abort. She had one daughter at age 18; between 19 and 20 years old she developed a possibly fatal seizure disorder. The choice to continue the pregnancy was hers and hers alone but we lost both of them; she died about 3 weeks after John Travolta’s son Jett died of the same type seizures. The best medical care and medications could not save either of them; an abortion probably would have saved Jennifer’s life to live to raise her 6 year old daughter who continues to grieve her loss at age 22. The point to my loss is that we will never see statistics regarding the deaths of mothers and babies due to forced continuation of life threatening pregnancies.
Gordon; does your barber believe his vote is for his benefit alone and that only his personal views on issues are the reason for elections? I am 87 years old; the results of this vital election on November 5th will determine the future of generations of much younger Americans in 2025 and beyond. I will not be here to benefit or be victimized by the results but I will vote for the benefit of my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and beyond and for the future generations of other Americans. The self-centered “why should I care about that issue” is strictly a Republican foundation to benefit their relatively small cult of followers.
As President Joe Biden stated near the end of his speech last night at the DNC, “I love my job. But I love my country more.” and he passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris. And he reminded us that we are trying to save the soul of this country; not to please one barber or Donald Trump.
It is a violation of the law to do “politicking” within 50′ of a voting place. People wearing clothng with political statements may be asked to wear something over them, turn them inside out, or even leave the polling area. This is not new. Let’s not give anybody an excuse to deny us our vote.
Point taken! I forgot that. So just post something to social media, or email your Republican representative!!
I don’t believe that this country is still the politically naive place it was in 2016 simply because since then, Trump and his mouth have been digging the hole he is in ever deeper. His ego-powered mouth cannot stop digging. Now, he has reinforced his self-destruction with JDV.
The excavation will be grand by November 5th, but nobody can predict what the army of no-longer-needed shovelers will do starting November 6th.
I’m sorry to disagree with your cousin, but what has happened to the Supreme Court is not the result of some politicization, but rather a religious takeover by the combined efforts of the Catholic Church and the Evangelicals. Five of the six Republican appointees to the Court are Catholic and the other one is a former Catholic. Two of those Catholics are reliably reported to be members of Opus Dei. No, it’s not politics; it’s religion that is being conducted in those once open-minded and intelligent halls. If we truly want to have a religious free government we need to start calling it out when we see those boundaries breeched. As for me, I do not want to see ANY religious majority on the court.
If you weren’t able to watch the speakers at the DNC last night, please google to find and watch the speeches of the three female citizens that spoke about their heartbreaking post-Roe experiences – especially Hadley Duvall’s, from KY.
Here is a youtube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hKkAcaSgY0
Theresa, I must disagree with your disagreement: the SCOTUS we have is the result of the Koch funded Heritage Foundation, brought to us by way of Mitch McConnell, who is in it for the money, along with all of the oligarch class.
Vote BLUE all the way down to the “last” turtle!
Mitch D; you can argue about who brought it about, how and why but you cannot argue that it is not a Catholic/’evangelical takeover of the Supreme Court.
For the last several posters and others interested, this is a great article about Leonard Leo’s Federalist Society and Opus Dei:
https://churchandstate.org.uk/2022/02/catholic-dark-money-the-federalist-society/
JoAnn, I could not have put it better.
Interestingly, pre Roe neither the Catholics, who followed the teachings of Thomas Aquinas that the fetus became human at the quickening, nor the Southern Baptist Convention really put that much effort into abortion. It wasn’t until they found political power that went into the pro life position that both became true believers.
The second job of the barber in the 6:47 am comment above is an adjunct professor of economics – a profession which does not pay as much as the job of hair cutting. The professor is an expert in the very profitable banking industry in America, the industry that is the primary beneficiary of the record-setting credit card debt threatening the financial well-being of our citizens. He recognizes massive debt, at interest rates so high they were once considered usurious and illegal, as a financial emergency for the people, that should be a part of the 2024 discourse over presidential candidacy.
The professor also understands that who is elected president can have an impact on nationwide regulation of consumer credit, but the divisive issue of abortion/reproductive liberty, on which there is widespread expertise and emotional opinion, is primarily a state issue.
I have a suggestion. The week before the election, I think every doctor in this country should go on strike until Women’s Healthcare is an absolute right to every woman no matter her station in life or her zip code. Puberty, childbearing and menopausal women need healthcare because we haven’t been getting it for at least 2 years but for me, more like 65 years. We’re sick of it and we’re not going back to the old ways. The public needs to hear from these doctors, nurses and PAs that the time for healthcare is now and we must vote with our feet if we have to. Blue!
There are 3 Indiana Supreme Court justices who are up for election for another 10 year term who voted to uphold the abortion ban. Vote NO on them!!! Sorry I don’t have their names readily available. It is worth the research. It would be so impactful to have BillBoards up across the state telling people this information!!!
I don’t see how OB-GYN training programs can survive in the State of Indiana because abortion care is a necessary part of the training to become competent. How can an OB-GYN resident get the necessary experience to handle a life-threatening pregnancy complication that requires emergency termination of a pregnancy? I don’t know why anyone considering becoming an OB-GYN would consider training in the State of Indiana. I would anticipate that someone who took OB-GYN training in Indiana since the inception of the total abortion ban might be denied hospital privileges in a state that allows abortions without taking additional training. After Indiana’s total abortion ban has been in effect for a number of years, I believe that we will see even less access to obstetrical and gynecological care than we have now. According to an interview I saw with Dr. Caitlin Bernard, Indiana already has OB-GYN deserts, especially in smaller communities. As time goes on and without a federal law protecting the right to abortion care, his will just get worse, with the upshot being that women will die unecessarily.
Vernon, Amen!
Even Leviticus that so many anti-abortionists pin their opposition to reproductive health care to is so clearly written from a paternalistic, male dominated perspective. It’s centered almost solely on the behavior of men, leaving women no sexual agency. And even worse if a man is to be put to death for his sexual transgressions, the woman involved has to share the same fate.
An interesting sidelight is that though the chapter on sexual behavior does seem to prohibit homosexuality between men it makes absolutely no reference to lesbian sexual relationships.