An abortion ban by other means in Pennsylvania?

In this issue:

So-called ‘ridesharing’

Drivers

Fig. 1. “Clarkdale Classic Gas Station, Clarkdale, Arizona,” Photograph by Alan Levine, October 28, 2016, via Wikimedia Commons, CC0.

There is a new blog post entitled, “Why Uber is not merely a ‘technology platform.’”

Gilead

Abortion

Fig. 2. Sign at demonstration in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, May 3, 2022. Janni Rye, via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

According to rank-and-file GOP lawmakers and lobbyists, there are murmurs within the caucus of plans to use their early advantage to pass at least two amendments to voters in May 2023. The amendments would impose voter ID requirements and make it easier for the legislature to override regulations.

“It just makes sense,” said one House Republican who asked for anonymity to talk about internal discussions. “We have to run them early because Democrats wouldn’t.”

But Republicans’ most prominent — and most controversial — proposed amendment is not in the running for passage. Four GOP sources told Spotlight PA that after November’s electoral backlash, the party will likely not attempt to pass an amendment that would ensure the state constitution doesn’t protect abortion access.

“The folk I run with remember Election Day and think running the [abortion] constitutional amendment would be a really stupid idea,” a skeptical House Republican lawmaker told Spotlight PA. . . .

Still, groups such as Planned Parenthood PA see high stakes in the wonky debate over how to approve new regulations.

In a statement, Signe Espinoza, executive director of the reproductive health organization, said that giving the General Assembly more power in the regulatory process could impact abortion access.

“If this passes, they can and likely will use it to end the regulations that allow clinics to provide abortion care,” Espinoza said. “It may not be explicit as the ‘no right to abortion’ constitutional amendment, but the end result is the same — an erasure of the health care rights we have had for nearly 50 years.”^[1]

Stephen Caruso, “Pa. Republicans fight to prolong House majority and pass far-reaching constitutional amendments,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 17, 2022, https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/pa-republicans-fight-to-prolong-house-majority-and-pass-far-reaching-constitutional-amendments/

Competitive authoritarian regime project

Fig. 3. President Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Clarence Mitchell during signing ceremony of the voting rights act. Yoichi Okamoto, August 6, 1965, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

“We know it is a popular thing and most Pennsylvanians would pass a stricter ID law,” [Kadida] Kenner said, “but what most Pennsylvanians don’t realize is they will definitely suppress the vote” — particularly in communities of color.^[2]

Pennsylvania

2022 election

Fig. 4. John Fetterman as mayor of Braddock, photograph uncredited and undated, via Next Pittsburgh,^[3] fair use.

Democrats won 102 seats on Election Day — a one-seat advantage in the 203-member chamber. But the death of one Democratic lawmaker and the resignation of two more to take higher offices currently leaves Democrats at 99 members and Republicans at 101.

Both parties have claimed the authority to schedule the special elections to fill those vacant seats. Democrats scheduled them for Feb. 7. Republicans scheduled one for the same day and two more for the May primary.

If Democrats get their way, they will seize the majority in February. If Republicans do, the chamber will likely have an even 100-100 split at some point that month, which would forestall most action from either party until May.

The dispute is now in court.^[4]

^[1]Stephen Caruso, “Pa. Republicans fight to prolong House majority and pass far-reaching constitutional amendments,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 17, 2022, https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/pa-republicans-fight-to-prolong-house-majority-and-pass-far-reaching-constitutional-amendments/↩
^[2]Stephen Caruso, “Pa. Republicans fight to prolong House majority and pass far-reaching constitutional amendments,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 17, 2022, https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/pa-republicans-fight-to-prolong-house-majority-and-pass-far-reaching-constitutional-amendments/↩
^[3]Kim Lyons, “Braddock Mayor John Fetterman keeps on truckin’ in his quest for the Senate,” Next Pittsburgh, March 11, 2016, https://nextpittsburgh.com/features/the-challengers-braddock-mayor-john-fetterman-keeps-on-truckin/↩
^[4]Stephen Caruso, “Pa. Republicans fight to prolong House majority and pass far-reaching constitutional amendments,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 17, 2022, https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/pa-republicans-fight-to-prolong-house-majority-and-pass-far-reaching-constitutional-amendments/↩

Irregular Bullshit