Abortion laws on Texas that were given a nod of approval by SCOTUS in a shadow-docket decision may engulf the US quickly:

thanks to EarlG at democraticunderground.com

Quotes from Barry Goldwater on mixing religion and politics:  

Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they’re sure trying to do so, it’s going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise. I know, I’ve tried to deal with them.

• Said in November 1994, as quoted in John Dean, Conservatives Without Conscience (2006).

Those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. And let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed.

   *   Acceptance Speech as the Republican Presidential candidate, San Francisco (July 1964)

From day 1 religious have tried to take over many of the various branches and functions of government. Might I say more specifically in this country, Christian religion and its many sects, have tried to take over the government. As Barry Goldwater so cogently observed these religious want to take over government to impose their version of heaven on earth. And their version of heaven will be a hellish tyranny.

The reason I quoted Goldwater is simply to show that people from the right also understand that mixing religion and government is a truly bad idea. It was so fundamental of a fear to the founding fathers that banning religious tests for public office was written into the body of the constitution. Also in the first amendment to constitution “freedom of religion” is enshrined.

This comes up this weekend because as of midnight Wednesday a new Texas law spawned from the extreme religious right banning abortion took effect. The idea that such a law exists is worrying even though it is not the lone abortion law in this country. The troubling aspect of this law is that the US Supreme Court decide in what is being called a “shadow-docket” decision that totally ignored stare decisive or standing decisions on this issue.

And of course for those who do not live in Texas the worry is that their states will act as quickly as possible to push through similar laws. Thus abortion may be quickly extinguished in much of the US as Republicans do all they can to satisfy the extreme religious within their ranks. Those are the same extremists that Barry Goldwater warned against.

Also remember that these laws will most likely be enforced against the poor. Those with wealth and privilege will still be able to go where abortions are legal – in the US or abroad – to have an abortion. 

The other thing to remember is that the stated reason behind the Republicans push to outlaw abortion is their concern with life. What a bunch of good old Iowa pig shit. First thing they would do is to fully fund women’s health clinics with a focus on birth control. The best way to stop abortions is to stop unwanted pregnancies.

If they cared about life Republicans would do all they could to give every child the best chance to succeed from day one. That would mean making sure parents or a single parent would have the income to feed the child well and raise it in good surroundings. Republicans would also make sure schools were well funded and again make sure the child had good food and living quarters. 

And in a bow to our pandemic times, Republicans would make sure that all children are either vaccinated or attend a school with good ventilation and a mask mandate so their supposed precious lives would survive a pandemic that may attack all. This is a far cry from what Republicans like Abbott, De Santis, Ducey and of course our own Covid Kim Reynolds have done or will do.

Which brings me to my point. A question I have had bothering me forever. Why are Republicans so crazy about stopping abortions when they refuse to do anything to stop unwanted pregnancies, refuse to give children any and to a decent life and of course refuse to follow their own laws when they want an abortion?

The best I can figure is that first most of those who will be caught in their little traps will be poor and female. Actions of Republicans over the years have shown that if there is a group that Republicans hate it is poor women. If these women “sin” – that is have unprotected sex – then they must be punished. And what is that punishment to be, you ask? 

That punishment is a kind of scarlet letter punishment. First they must be made to bear the child that is the product of their “sin.” The pregnancy and then the child will be a very obvious symbol that they “sinned.” And the mother will continue to be punished by denying any aid to help the child grow and succeed. Unfortunately Republicans are not just punishing the mother. They are also punishing all family members.

But they must pay for their “sin.”  Through such policies Republicans guarantee that society as a whole will pay also.