The United States Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the decision that guaranteed women’s right to have an abortion. The ruling, ending the 49-year-old decision, puts abortion policy at the discretion of states, many that have restricted and outlawed the procedure in recent months.
The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling is being described as the most significant curtailing of an established constitutional right in court’s history. The opinion written by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. is similar to a draft that was leaked by Politico in May.
“We hold that Roe and [the 1992 Planned Parenthood vs.] Casey must be overruled,” Alito wrote. “The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely — the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.”
The opinion was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. concurred, but did not join the majority opinion. He said he would have upheld a Mississippi 15-week ban on abortion, but would have not overturned Roe v. Wade.
“The court’s decision to overrule Roe and Casey is a serious jolt to the legal system,” Roberts wrote.
Justice Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented.
“Today, the court … says that from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of,” their dissent read. “A state can force her to bring a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs.”
–
UPDATE: LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS REACT
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said the ruling is “devastating.” “I never imagined we would be a country where my granddaughters would have fewer rights than I did depending on where they live,” Hahn said. “This ruling will not end abortion — even for women living in red states. We must ensure that California and pro-choice states across the country continue to be a haven for reproductive rights.”
Representative Mike Garcia, whose 25th Congressional District includes part of the Antelope Valley, said: The only thing that the Supreme Court determined today is that the constitutional path to legislate on this issue is now at the state level. As Californians, even after this ruling, you will continue to live under the same laws and access to abortion. The events today will not change access to abortions as constituents in California. Your access is still granted legally up to the point of fetal viability.”
LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis said she was “outraged.” “This decision is an assault on people’s freedom, one’s bodily autonomy,” Solis said in a statement. “And although this decision comes as no surprise, it is devastating. Pregnant people will die, families will suffer, and this is just the start.
“Clarence Thomas’ concurring opinion sets the stage for what’s to come,” Solis said. “They plan to overturn rulings that safeguard same-sex relationships, same-sex marriage, and contraception. The majority opinion, combined with Thomas’ concurrence, is yet another tragic example of extremist viewpoints in our government controlling our lives.”
–
ACE says
DO THE LOCAL DRY CLEANERS STILL GIVE YOU BACK YOUR CLOTHES WITH THOSE METAL COAT HANGERS..?
OR WILL THOSE DIFFERENT COLORED PLASTIC ONES AT WAL MART WORK JUST AS WELL..?
JUST ASKING…
Skibum says
As Clarence Thomas wrote in his concurrence of the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe V. Wade, he now would like to review other prior court precedents including those rulings not specified in the U.S. Constitution that allowed same sex marriage, sexual relations privacy and contraception. Well, if he is so adament about wanting to review and support the overturning of prior Supreme Court precedents, it is logical to wonder why he glaringly left another huge Supreme Court precedent off of that list… the precedent that says inter-racial marriage is the law of the land. That is not in the Constitution either. And you know why he intentionally left that one out? He is in a inter-racial marriage with his wife, Ginny. Talk about inequality and being unethical! He ONLY wants to review prior court precedents that DON’T personally affect him. Although it is perfectly fine with him to go back and reverse prior, long-standing Supreme Court precedents that only affect the rest of America… you and me included. How shameful and unethical is that!?
Tim Scott says
Garcia trying to distance himself from his extremist political party.
Too late you oathbreaking scum.
Beecee says
“Representative Mike Garcia, whose 25th Congressional District includes part of the Antelope Valley, said: The only thing that the Supreme Court determined today is that the constitutional path to legislate on this issue is now at the state level. As Californians, even after this ruling, you will continue to live under the same laws and access to abortion”
Distance himself?
Nah he just knows the commies are going to continue to commie. Pretty straight forward, lop.
Tim Scott says
LOL…so we can see from this response that you don’t have any clue about economics. Or do you care to try to explain how communism relates to abortion?
Go ahead, I’m always open to the possibility that you will try to defend some nonsensical thing that you have said. There’s a first time for everything. But I’ll not be surprised if you just slink off and tell yourself lies about how right you are, then move on to posting nonsense about something else that you don’t understand.
Beecee says
“LOL…so we can see from this response that you don’t have any clue about economics. Or do you care to try to explain how communism relates to abortion?“
Well for some reason it just ends up that it’s the commies that want to kill the babies…
I can’t explain,
But maybe you can…
Enlighten us sage.
Tim Scott says
You are well beyond any possibility of enlightening you, and we are still clearly shown that you have not clue one what a “commie” is.
Beecee says
Again who’s is this “we” you speak of?
Tim Scott says
“We” is anyone that reads your comments. By saying the idiotic thing you are saying you demonstrate that you do not know the meaning of the word “commie” and just spout it as a random slur because you aren’t clever enough to even be offensive effectively.
Beecee says
Maybe your right,
Maybe Marxist would be a better description.
Marxist it is!
Tim Scott says
Maybe you don’t know jack about Marx either.
Yeah, that’s also clear. Well done. Anything else you want to spout off about without having any actual clue?
Beecee says
You got it Marxist!
SB says
Because Tim Scott understands everything.
Abortion is more often a shameful convenience than anything else.
facts are facts
Magnetlady says
How did you come to that ”brainless” conclusion? He’s only stating what will happen in CA.. In other words, ”NOTHING CHANGED”!!
Tim Scott says
LOL…given your posting history scarecrow you should probably steer clear of the word brainless.
Meanwhile, it’s pretty obvious what Oathbreaker Mike is up to here. He has backed the extremist GOP agenda every step of the way, but doesn’t want to get kicked out of office for it.
Pack the supreme court with extremists who will legislate the evangelical’s Christian Sharia theocracy into existence from the bench? Yeah, oathbreaker Mike pushed for that.
Overturn election results in order to install a minority rule totalitarian? Yeah, oathbreaker Mike pushed for that.
Sweeten a permanent freedom from paying their fair share, or in fact any share, of taxes for the elites by tossing in a temporary break for everyone else that would not only expire but reverse to actually raise their taxes? Yeah, oathbreaker Mike pushed for that.
Cancel a popular program providing healthcare coverage to millions without even having any sort of regulation in place to counter the chaos that would have ensued across the healthcare and insurance industries? Yeah, oathbreaker Mike supports the party that pushed for that.
Pass a federal abortion ban that would in fact reverse this claim that he just made about “no worries California, no effect on us”? Yeah, oathbreaker Mike supports the party that is pushing for that.
In short, oathbreaker Mike is just tossing out a quick disclaimer so that he can avoid saying anything about his actual position, because as an extremist with a position that only appeals to a very small segment of the electorate that he is supposed to represent that is the only chance he has to get reelected.
Sonya says
Waaaaaaaaaa!
I didn’t get what I wanttttt!
And I want to force my beliefs on the entire nationnnnn!
Waaaaaaaaaa!
Waaaaaaaaaa!
Tim Scott says
Yes that is exactly what the proponents of Christian Sharia have been saying for fifty years.