I’m worried that the focus on all of the pregnancy care problems Republican abortion bans have created, along with other care having nothing to do with pregnancy–and which are real and serious problems–ultimately will give Republicans an out. Yes, the ongoing horror show might galvanize a lot of normies and people on the fence: I can definitely understand that argument and see its validity.

But I also can imagine how Republicans will shift the debate much farther to the right than Roe v. Wade was. At some point, Republicans will back off some of the extremist positions, such as no abortion ever, and add some life or health of the mother exceptions. The extremists might not be happy: TEH SLUTZ! will use loopholes. But those exceptions still will prevent a lot of wanted and needed abortions, while, at the same time, allowing some Republicans to appear reasonable and moderate. Unfortunately, our shit-for-brains political press corps luvs themselves that crap.

There are many affirmative cases to be made for abortion, ranging from the complexities of life to protecting religious freedom (and thus, the American Way of Life), and we need to make those arguments. Too often, over the last several decades, I’ve watched the left, construed very broadly, cede the moral and ethical contours of the debate to the fundamentalist Christian right (e.g., ‘legal, safe, and rare’). The ethics are on our side, so let’s take them back.