It’s terrible for women. It’s wrong for Ohio. And Democrats — whether pro-choice or pro-life — must reject it.
Pro-choice Democrats should be particularly disturbed by some effects of voting yes on Issue 1. Doing so would nullify one of the nation’s most liberal abortion laws, which allows abortion up to 22 weeks, and replace it with the most radical abortion law in the country, allowing for late-term abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, including when science confirms an unborn child is capable of feeling pain.
Democrats rightly tell the American public to trust and follow the science. Issue 1 fails to do so.
Ohio Democrats are pragmatic progressives. This ballot initiative is anything such. For comparison, most European countries limit abortion to 12-16 weeks after abortion.
Even if the extremism of Issue 1 doesn’t phase some Ohio Democrats, the threats to the mother’s life should concern all.
Current Ohio abortion law requires many health and safety protections for women seeking the procedure, including that it’s performed by a licensed practicing doctor who can transfer a woman to the hospital if something goes wrong. Issue 1 ends that provision, allowing women to be subjected to shoddy, unlicensed abortion providers who could endanger their lives.
Issue 1 is out of step with most Democrats — regardless of our spectrum of opinions on abortion rights. It’s also out of step with most Ohioans and Americans. A recent survey conducted by Marist Poll found that 76% of Americans support significant restrictions on abortion, including limiting it to the first trimester. According to the Guttmacher Institute, only 13% of Americans support abortion after 20 weeks gestation.
Abortion rights are the most deeply divisive issue in American politics. Extremism will not solve it but only worsen it. Issue 1 forecloses any opportunity for Ohioans to come together to create sustainable solutions that will satisfy most of its citizens — both pro-life and pro-choice.
Progressivism, at its heart, upholds the belief that everyone deserves societal acceptance and support regardless of their background.
Throughout history, various cultures have emphasized the inherent dignity of every human. This dignity involves not just the right to life but also the right to a life lived with respect and opportunity. As protector and promoter of these rights, the state plays an instrumental role, especially for our most vulnerable populations: the elderly, the uninsured, single parents, LGBT communities, and the unborn.
Issue 1 fails to uphold that progressive tradition. Democrats must reject it.
Kristen Day is the executive director of Democrats for Life of America.
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