National Republicans Decide to Lean Into Grotesque Abortion Laws

Here’s the shock of the century: after about a week of mostly trying to avoid talking about Alabama’s outright abortion ban passed last week, which would bar abortion even in cases of rape or incest and is wildly unpopular in both Alabama and across the country, national Republicans have now come around to the position that the ban is good.

On Thursday, Vice News reported that the Republican Study Committee, whose members account for over half of the House Republican Caucus, has produced talking points defending the new law. Per Vice News, the leaked document says:

“Committing a second violent act with abortion to a woman who has already been victimized by an act of rape or incest could physically or psychologically wound her further,” the document states. “Every single child should be afforded the opportunity to live, regardless of how they were conceived.”

The document also says that the media is “attempting to use these new developments to create ‘gotcha moments’ for Republicans and a divide within our party.” It also calls abortion in the case of rape a “second violent act,” saying that “every single child should be afforded the opportunity to live, regardless of how they were conceived.” Incredibly gross shit!

You can read the whole document at Vice News.

Of course, it’s not just the media making up divisions. President Donald Trump came out against the Alabama abortion ban over the weekend, despite the fact that the most wildly successful part of his agenda has been the Senate ramming through right-wing, Federalist Society-picked judges who would love it if Roe v. Wade was struck down. Additionally, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who previously chaired the House Republican Caucus for six years and is a member of the RSC, both told Vice News they support abortion exemptions in cases of rape and incest.

The RSC declined to comment; I have also reached out to them and will update this post if I hear back.

It was only a matter of time, however, before a formal Republican organization adopted the Alabama line as its standard. After all, ending safe and legal abortions is something that the Republican Party and the entire conservative movement has dreamt of for years. Why wouldn’t they love what Alabama’s doing?