Views of the Presidential Candidates and US Citizens
Abortion definitely appears like a partisan issue, especially during the current presidential election. All Democratic candidates are pro-choice, meaning for abortion, and all Republican candidates are pro-life, meaning against abortion. However, abortion is not so simple a subject.
Within each party, Americans are divided on the subject of abortion. According to the Pew Research Center, the Democratic Party is divided with 60% pro-choice and 35% pro-life. The Republican Party is divided with 39% pro-choice and 57% pro-life. Despite these in-party divides, the Republican Party leans to the pro-life side and the Democratic Party to the pro-choice side.
Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt
The Supreme Court heard the controversial abortion case Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt on Wednesday, March 2.
People are claiming that Texas’s abortion laws passed in 2013 are an “undue burden” for women trying to obtain an abortion.
The Texas law requires all abortion clinics to have hospital admitting privileges and to meet the construction standards of surgical centers, measures that appear logical until looked at closely. Hospitals rarely give abortion clinics privileges and abortions are rarely surgical, meaning that dozens of abortion clinics were shut down for no good reason.
With the death of pro-life Justice Antonin Scalia, a 4-4 decision looks very likely, and would allow these states to shut down even more clinics. Thus, it is crucial for pro-choice advocates that Justice Anthony Kennedy votes in their favor.
The Supreme Court’s decision is expected in June 2016.
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