Okay, a day late this week (under HBO's new "Thursday drop" schedule), if you missed Last Week Tonight with John Oliver this week, the Main Story was about healthcare, but specifically Medicaid. The report is terrific. Extremely interesting, largely about changes that have been made to the program, largely by specific states who administer it, all of which are creating hurdles for the people the Medicaid is meant to assist. And in some cases, essentially eliminating access. The piece is very detailed, information, galling, fascinating and often extremely funny.
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If there’s any further evidence needed for how terrified Republicans are by the Arizona Supreme Court ruling Tuesday on a draconian 1864 total abortion ban that jails doctors and anyone assisting the woman involved, it’s Trump’s own statement attempting to save himself.
When asked about the court ruling, Trump said that he felt it “went too far,” but added “It’ll get straightened out by the governor, and anybody else who will bring it back into reason.” This is officially known as desperate flailing. First of all, Trump’s position on abortion starts with repeatedly taking credit for appointing the U.S. Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade – an action that specifically made the Arizona ruling possible. You can pretty much stop there, because it’s so damning, but there’s much more. Second, Trump also appointed judges who around the country are ruling on behalf of abortion bans. Not to mention banning the abortion pill mifepristone which has made its way to the Supreme Court. Further, only days ago, Trump released his supposed “abortion policy” which was that states should decide. And just days later, we saw the result of that: a total abortion ban than jails doctors and anyone who assists the woman getting an abortion. Those are foundational problems for Republicans and Trump on abortion, and damning ones, whatever Trump tries to say. And what he says just shines a light on them all. For instance, in saying the court “Went too far” ignores the reality that that’s the risk you take when leaving abortion law up to individual states and not have a national abortion ruling, as Roe v. Wade was. In addition, by saying the court “Went too far,” Trump may think he’s appealing to Independents (never mind that he didn’t say how “too far” they went…), but what he’s really doing is spitting in the face of his most loyal extreme-right base of “evangelical Christians” (sic) for whom a total abortion ban is the only option. Moreover, when he says the Arizona law will get “straightened out by the governor” who will “bring it back into reason”– he’s not only living desperately on hope and a prayer, but far more importantly, if that actually comes to pass, he’s putting the fix into the hands of the Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs… whose idea of reason when it comes to abortion is most surely completely different from Trump, his extreme-right base and “evangelical Christians” (sic). (And by the way, making this ace Trump policy of "No problem, dude, it'll be straightened out by the governor" all the more troubling for him and the entire Republican Party is that, just this morning, the MAGOP House in Arizona blocked an effort to repeal the 1864 bill!! Yes, really. So much for, y'know, Republicans being part of "bringing it back into reason.") But if the Democratic governor straightening it out hopefully does come to pass, it won’t be soon enough to keep the law from going into effect in just 12 days. And importantly, too, even if it does get fixed, the damage is done – the headline of total abortion may is out there and written in stone. It shows everyone that “This is the Risk,” this is what you get from Republicans and Trump’s “I’m responsible for ending Roe, and now leave it to the states” even if it gets fixed (by the Democratic governor in Arizona – your state might not be as lucky). There’s another thing Trump said, as well. That if he is president and a national total abortion ban came across his desk, he wouldn’t sign it. I believe that the correct response is – HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Putting aside that the make-up of Congress will near-certainly not allow for such a bill to be based, if it ever was, and a total abortion ban was passed by a Republican House and a Republican Senate – a bill that is the fevered dream wish of Trump’s extreme-right base and the “evangelical Christians” (sic) -- I can see no way on earth that Trump not only wouldn’t giddily sign the bill, but would try to turn it into a TV special with marching bands and fireworks. To not sign it would mean immediately losing his base that would rise up against him, and that would be so out of character for Trump that it is unimaginable. The point being that Trump merely saying this, that he wouldn’t sign a bill, is yet additional evidence of how petrified he is of the horrifying message Arizona’s 1864 total abortion ban sends to American voters. Of course, in the end, next to nothing Trump says – no matter how shuffling towards the center or lying or terrified – matters. Because only three things matter here. 1. Trump happily takes credit for ending Roe v. Wade, which made the 1864 Arizona law possible. And makes all the state abortion bans possible. 2. Trump says abortion laws should be left up to the states. Which is what made the 1864 Arizona total abortion ban possible. Anything else he says is just ephemera. And worse, anything he says, no matter how flimsy and false, only serves to remind people what his two foundational positions are. And there’s one other bit of evidence from Tuesday to show how terrified Republican officials and spokesmen are about the 1864 Arizona total abortion ban – On April 9, the day the Arizona Supreme Court ruling was announced, Media Matter looked into how much time the three major cable networks gave to the story. MSNBC gave it 2 hours and 20 minutes. CNN gave it two hours. And Fox? They discussed the story for 12 minutes! Yes, Fox tried to bury it. It’s the ol’ ostrich gambit. If we can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. Unfortunately for Fox, I am certain the court ruling got full coverage on all the local Fox affiliates in Arizona – where it actually matters, and most because Arizona is a Swing State and has a major U.S. Senate race in helping determine control of the Senate. And national Fox trying to hide the story from its viewers can only serve to make them surprised on election night when the results come in from Arizona. But then, Fox viewers being surprised by election results is pretty much standard these days. Trump and Republican officials are terrified by the Arizona 1864 total abortion ban law. We can tell by their words and their actions, many which I noted yesterday. The thing is – they should be terrified. And the thing is, this is what they’ve wished for, for decades. A total abortion ban. In fact, taking this "wish" further, I've always sensed (rightly or wrongly) that at least some or perhaps many Republican politicians weren't as strongly anti-abortion as they cried out in righteousness for their wish, but rather it was a great issue for them to appeal to the evangelical base and get votes and donations, and ride along on that wave of support, always sure in their mind that total abortion wouldn't ever become real. Or for many of them, even thinking that ending Roe wouldn't likely ever happen. But it was a great campaign issue, bumper stick slogan and battle cry. A wish. Maybe not probable, but oh, what a wish. A total abortion ban. It's the proverbial dog chasing the car, one day amazingly catching it, and then not knowing what to do with it next. As I said yesterday, be careful what you wish for. You might get it. Yesterday, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that an 1864 law essentially banning all abortion superseded a state law passed two years ago. Horrific as this was for women in the state, it’s a disaster for Republicans across the country, including those who support a national ban on abortion. (The only exception in this 1864 law is to save the life of the mother. But even with that one caveat, it’s worth remember that just the past year there are been cases where courts in Red states got involved to overrule doctors in what the life-risks were to women.) Let’s put this in perspective: It’s not just that this law is from 160 years ago – but Arizona wasn’t even a state in 1864, only a territory. It wouldn’t become a state for another half-century. More to the point, in 1864, the status of women was so low that they weren’t allowed to vote. That right wouldn’t come until 1920, when the 19th Amendment was passed. In fact, the Arizona world of 1864, especially for women, was so incompatible with today, so draconian, that the age of sexual consent and marriage for girls in the state was 10 years old. And that’s the year Arizona will now have on the books for basically outlawing all abortion, rather than one passed two years ago. If anything can send up warning flares for the 2024 election, this was it. So high that even many Republicans in the state – and elsewhere – are expressing concern. Kari Lake, who is a candidate for the U.S. Senate from Arizona, decried the court ruling and called for current Democratic governor Katie Hobbs (who defeated Lake for the position) to start working to create a “common sense” bill that could pass the state legislature. It should be noted that Lake herself didn’t suggest what should be in that “common sense” bill – likely concerned that her “sense” isn’t as common as the rest of the state, especially since about 70% of registered voters across the country have expressed support of Roe v. Wade. This includes Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani who joined Lake in disagreement with the state Supreme Court decision. But best of all was Steve Bannon, of all people, deeply concerned on his podcast about the ruling. Which is especially weird because you’d think he would widely embrace an abortion ban. Indeed, you’d think most, if not many MAGOPs would be singing the praises of an abortion ban in Arizona, since a national abortion ban seems to be on the party’s wish list and planning. So, why then are they so deeply concerned and upset about court ruling you’d like was their greatest wish?? Well, you see, there is a petition to put an abortion rights bill on the Arizona ballot this fall, and if it gets on, it only would need a majority vote to pass. It needs 400,000 signatures to quality – and at the moment, it has 500,000! And there are still several months to go for supporters to gather even more signatures. Now, keep in mind that special elections for abortion rights have passed by wide margins in every state where they’ve been on the ballot, including in Red states like Kansas and Ohio. Republicans have fought desperately to keep such bills off their state ballots, to no success so far – in fact, the Florida state Supreme Court just allowed such a bill to be eligible for the state ballot. And again: this Republican concern has been, as I said, even in Red states, where the losing debate has been over banning abortion after 6 or perhaps 15 weeks. Imagine now an abortion debate is over a total ban! And then remember that this isn’t a Red state, or even a Blue state, but…a Swing State. Arizona really matters this year, a lot. And not just for the presidential race, but there’s a major Senate race, as well, critical for control of the U.S. Senate. It’s between Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake – hey, remember her??! No wonder the Steve Bannons of the world and others are horrified by this total abortion ban in Arizona. It’s one thing to call for it and rile up your base. It’s one thing to pretend you’re shuffling towards the center, just to get in office, where you can than push for a national abortion ban after you’re elected and safely in office. But…but…to actually have a real total abortion ban on the books staring voters in the face as they head to the polls in November, that’s the worst nightmare an anti-abortion advocate can have. Oh, my, be careful what you wish for. The issue, too, isn’t just a focus on Arizona, but across the country. For two reasons. First, Democrats can point to Arizona and show, see, this is what Republicans really want. A total national abortion ban. Elect Republicans to the Senate and House – and presidency – and this is likely what they will push for if they get control. Is that a risk you’re willing to take?? No matter how much Republicans are trying to flim-flam the public and shuffle towards the center. Just look at Arizona. See what they have there. An actual, real, true, honest total abortion ban. And second, only days ago, Trump released in shuffle-footed attempt to obfuscate his position. One the one hand, claiming responsibility for overturning Roe v. Wade (which is the main outrage for abortion rights supporters) – while on the other hand, insisting that all he supposedly really wants is for each state to decide for themselves about abortion. And then days later – WHAM!! There is Arizona ruling that there should be a total ban on abortion. Imagine him going on the campaign trail and crying out for states making the decision – as “What about Arizon???!!” is shouted out by the vast majority of women listening around the country. Not to mention all the men who support abortion right. And anyone else horrified by a total abortion ban. And the specter Arizona causes for a national abortion ban. This is what so many MAGOPs have been crying about wanting for years. A total abortion ban. And in Arizona – a Swing State, with a major Senate race being contested -- they got it. And lest anyone think I'm exaggerating the huge importance of this court decision in Arizona -- after I wrote this article offline yesterday and went to code it for posting today, I first checked my email. And there was a fundraising email for Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Arizona, Ruben Gallego. Its subject like was, "a dark day". As the expression goes: don't take my word for it, here's what the candidate himself said, and how his note opens. It's like he was looking over my shoulder...or I was looking over his -- Robert, I am incredibly disappointed. Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it. The guest on this week’s Al Franken podcast is Mini Timmaraju, President & CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. As Al writes, “Reproductive rights are under attack all over the country and will be one of the most important issues in the election this November. Abortion bans and limits on reproductive help are extremely unpopular and could be bad news for the Republicans enacting them. This is a must listen for reproductive rights!”
Last week, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) underwent stem cell treatment for cancer. He also has subsequently shown up wearing a protective face mask. As has been pointed out at length, Scalise voted against allowing stem cell research and was also outspoken about the use of masks, saying that "This isn't about science-it's about government control." Not surprisingly -- and even not inappropriately -- there has been a great deal of commentary calling Scalise a massive hypocrite. I look at it differently. I am very glad that Steve Scalise got stem cell treatment, and I hope he has a full recovery. Stem cell research has been a major advance for medical science, and the attention brought to it being used is critical. I'm also glad he's chosen to wear a mask. I think that wearing masks still is very important, and seeing him wearing one helps make that point. Indeed, Scalise could have rejected both options, and their messages would have been lost. In fact, if he avoided stem cell treatment and wearing a mask, and the worst happened as a result, it not only would have been tragic, but it also wouldn't have allowed for a convincing "If only he had…" argument, since the loss could have occurred for any number of reasons. So, again, I've very glad he got stem cell treatment and is wearing a mask. And I hope he recovers as added evidence of their benefits. I am also incredibly glad that both options were available to him. Because if Steve Scalise and most of his fellow-elected Republicans had had their way, stem cell research would have been made illegal. And masks wouldn't have been promoted for their safety value. And people would have died. Maybe tens of thousands, maybe far more. What I also hope is that after his stem cell treatment and use of a mask, Steve Scalise has a Scrooge-on-Christmas-Day moment and joyously learns from the three ghosts who visited him in the hospital. I hope he helps Tiny Tim get stem cell treatment so that the little child doesn't die. And I hope he calls out to a boy below his window to buy up the biggest box of masks to send to the Cratchit family. And I hope he surprises employees when they all get back to work the very next day and he gives them a big increase over minimum wage to help assist their struggling families. Keeping in mind that Scalise didn't learn anything about gun control after getting shot (and happily recovered), it's no guarantee that he'll learn anything here. But we'll see. And I hope. After all, he is again recovering now. Out of the hospital. And Yes!, the bed is his own. The room is his own, the high-backed chair is his own. Best and happiest of all, the Time before him is his own, to make amends in. "I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future!" Scalise repeated, as he scrambles out of his chair. "Time be praised for this! I say it on my knees!" And in the end, Scalise was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more. He became as good a friend, as good a congressman, and as good a man, as the good old capital knew, or any other good old capital, city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alternation in him, but he let them laugh, for he was wise now and rejoiced to see that, with good, others had their fill of laughter. And it was always said of him that Scalise knew how to keep the spirit of goodness well and pass scientific research legislation, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. And so, as Chiquita Brooks-LaSure -- current Administrator for Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act -- observes, God Bless Us, Every One! On this week’s ‘Not My Job’ segment of the NPR quiz show Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, the guest is Martinus Evans, who was told by his doctor in 2012 to “lose weight or die,” and he’s since run eight marathons and founded the “Slow AF Run Club.” (For those without your decoder ring, “AF” stands for a phrase that rhymes with “As Luck.”) He’s since lost around 80 pounds and weighs in at about 300 pounds. As you might imagine, his conversation with host Peter Sagal is open, interesting, inspiring and very entertaining, often very funny.
This is the full Wait, Wait… broadcast, but you can jump directly to the “Not My Job” segment, it starts around the 18:40 mark. |
AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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