Why Texas’s draconian law is good for progressives

This week, the Supreme Court declined to weigh in on a new, controversial Texas law on abortion. The law makes it illegal for women to have abortions after their pregnancies reach six weeks. Unlike other laws, enforcement is left to the general public. Add to that the lack of exceptions for rape or the life/health of the mother and you have the most draconian abortion law in the nation.

Most women are well past six weeks when they learn they are pregnant. This is a draconian law that, even if it survives and goes into effect, will not stop abortion. It will just force poor women (rich women will just go elsewhere) into back alleys and more will suffer and die. (Way to be “pro-life,” Texas)

The draconian nature of this new law may be part of what makes it good for progressives. According to Gallup, one in four Americans views abortion as an important issue. That same poll shows that about 26 percent of Republicans and 27% of Democrats will only vote for a politician whose views on abortion match their own. This is good news for pro-choice America because there are more Democrats than Republicans.

When Pew looked at abortion, they found that about 60 percent of Americans want it to be legal in “all or most cases.”