Ohio Abortion Ballot Access: Voters Want It But the GOP to Change the Rules Saying No

 

Ohio Citizen’s Want Abortion Ballot Initiative 

(GOP to change rules and not allow)

This story from citizens in Ohio reported on by SALON.com underscore what the headlines states as clear as a bell… when the GOP can’t win, they change the rules to ensure that they never lose again – case in point:

“Can't win, so they cheat – the GOP tries to keep abortion rights off ballot after big losses”

GOP lawmakers pushing these efforts want 41% of voters to block ballot initiatives that 59% of voters support

Last year, after the U.S. Supreme Court ended the federal right to abortion, voters in KS, CA, MI, VT, KY, and MT used the ballot initiative process to show their support for reproductive freedom, both by defeating GOP-backed anti-abortion measures and approving constitutional amendments aimed at preserving abortion access.

Those losses for anti-abortion Republicans and their wealthy backers have led the party to ramp up its attacks on the ballot initiative process itself in several states.

The New York Times reported: “The biggest and most immediate fight is in Ohio, where a coalition of abortion rights groups is collecting signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that would prohibit the state from banning abortion before a fetus becomes viable outside the womb, at about 24 weeks of pregnancy. Ohio organizers were confident that the measure would reach the simple majority needed for passage, given polls showing that most Ohioans — like most Americans — support legalized abortion and disapprove of overturning Roe. But, now Republicans in the state legislature are advancing a ballot amendment of their own that would raise the percentage of votes required to pass future such measures to a 60% supermajority (not the current simple majority). The measure has passed the Ohio Senate and is expected to pass the House this week.” 

My 2 Cents: As is well known, when it comes to rules – the GOP will only abide by them when they fit their agenda. 

If not, well … they just change the rules to ensure that they never lose again at the ballot box, or with a ballot initiative, or like when they lose an election and keep challenging the rules. And, when they lose that way, too, well they initiate an insurrection to change the outcome (e.g., Trump losing in 2020 and still not conceding and did on January 6).

Basically it comes down to this for this “new” GOP: “We don’t like the rules of the election process, so dammit, we’ll just change the rules of the game.” It’s just that simple.

But, I also believe that this “anti-everything, only us GOP mentality” is about the get a rude awakening across the country – wait and see at least in my humble opinion – millions have figured out that GOP tactic and this case in Ohio shows that.

Thanks for stopping by.