A Win for Democracy in Ohio!

 

The people of Ohio decided, in an August election devised by Republicans, that no, maybe they do want a simple majority to determine referendums to the constitution, and maybe they do want more direct representation about what does make it onto the ballot. This vote was also about abortion--a referendum to enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio constitution is on the ballot this year. 

I'm basically going to reiterate what I said around this time last year regarding the vote in Kansas--bodily autonomy, one's right to privacy and self-determination are popular. People do not want their private life dictated to and understand the personal stakes of having a choice. They know that it is not right for the state to deny a 11-year old rape victim the medical intervention for a pregnancy no reasonable person would make her carry. They understand that making a pregnant patient wait until the heartbeat of their doomed fetus stops, at the risk to their own health, is simply wrong. They don't want doctors criminalized for giving needed medical care. 

Abortion rights are popular and receiving that care should remain safe and legal. It is up to anti-abortion people to try, finally, to actually concentrate on legislation that might make that procedure more rare--by concentrating on access to health care. trying to resolve what is broken in the health care system regarding high infant and maternal mortality, strengthening the rights of pregnant workers, ensuring affordable and safe child care, and other measures that make it easier and safer to carry, bear and raise a child. 

But they should relent on the idea that they should make choices about other people's bodies. And Democrats should not be timid about supporting reproductive rights.