Democrats last line of defense against anti-abortion agenda

This is a life or death issue. When abortion is illegal, it makes it more difficult for people to access safe abortion care. Abortion is basic health care that approximately 1 in 4 American women will need in her lifetime. Whether we know it or not, someone around us has had an abortion, and someone around us will need one in the future.

For nearly half a century, we have been able to determine our own futures thanks to the reproductive freedom guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, but it seems we’re going backward. 

Seeing that leaked draft was jarring and scary. These constant efforts to undermine access to abortion and pack the courts with right-wing ideologues has likely led to the demise of Roe. This is going to impact people in rural areas who already have to travel lengthy distances to get to any sort of abortion center. When it’s made illegal, it will make it even more difficult for Manistee County women to get the health care they need.

Make no mistake: This is a direct result of the Republicans’ far-right extremist agenda. For years, Republicans in Michigan have campaigned on the right to life, but right to life for who? Because it’s not the right to life for mothers who are at a higher risk of diabetes and dangerous blood pressure levels should they keep their pregnancy, and it’s not a right to life for families who can’t afford to keep their babies and give them safe homes.

Now, we have Republicans running on platforms to ban abortions with no exceptions.

We need to re-elect Gov. Whitmer and Attorney General Nessel; we need to make sure we elect more Democrats in our legislature who will take the 1931 law off our books, and we need to send these extremist Republican candidates packing.

It could not be more clear that our reproductive rights are on the ballot this November, and Democrats are our last line of defense against Republicans’ anti-abortion agenda. 

Rebecca Amidon

Manistee Township