Monday, May 9, 2022

The fate of extreme laws out of step with public norms : tragedies and repeal

Update: June 24,  2022: As the Supreme Court demonstrates their being out of step with public opinion on gun safety yesterday and anticipated Roe v Wade overturn today, their public opinion support has sunk to 25%. Expect a revolt from the public as the Court no longer gets any respect. The revolt will take the form of state legislation, executive orders, and downright workarounds. Sadly, to avoid threats from those carrying concealed pistols, we will not be able to have airport-type scanners to keep wannabe killers and robbers out of our private shopping centers that ban armed visitors. https://news.gallup.com/.../confidence-supreme-court...

How the abortion underground is prepping for a post-Roe v. Wade world

What happens to laws that become out of step with social norms.. They eventually get repealed, but not before there is pain and suffering, or the unpopular law is ignored and unenforced.   That is the fate when many states or future federal laws are so extreme they are supported by relatively few or anti-abortion laws become federal.  Polls also show that the Alito draft which has no exceptions for rape, and incest, is only supported by a small minority of Americans, per a recent Pew poll.  https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/05/06/americas-abortion-quandary/.   A CBS poll show Roe v Wade retention is the highest in its history and women feel threatened . Most who support Roe see Supreme Court's potential overturn as a danger to women, other rights — CBS News poll - CBS News        So far how will this translate to the midterm vote and turnout?  Not much yet, but it may be too early to feel.  The problem are is with younger voters who do not see how voting can make a difference. CNN poll: The Supreme Court's draft opinion on Roe v. Wade hasn't shaken the midterm landscape - CNNPolitics     Pro-choice activists have their work cut out for them. 

Conversely, that extreme position banning abortion with no exceptions has 27 %, a very striking minority.  If overturning Roe triggers anti-abortion laws on the books in 22 states, many of those states have no exception for incest or rape, and some of them even have no exceptions for the life of the mother.  Thirteen of these extreme laws have no provisions for enforcement at this time.  https://www.businessinsider.com/trigger-law-states-failed-to-plan-for-end-of-roe-v-wade-2022-

Laws have been on the books calling adultery a crime, that marriage is only legal if it is between a man and a woman,  anti-gay practices,  or proposals that any woman or anyone assisting them is guilty of murder, subject to years in prison.    Such extreme laws have eventually been ignored, not enforced, or eventually overturned.   Until many of these laws were overturned,  history is ripe in fiction and in real-life politics of blackmail,  and many a  politician has had to resign once the banned deed was exposed or alleged. The recent Texas law enforced by vigilantes opens the door of blackmail wide open by giving legalized cover to accusers.. Many a woman or teenager has committed suicide to avoid facing prosecution or burning at the stake or torture or even public embarrassment, shame, social ostracism, or parental ire.    Much of the tragedies have happened within the recent memory of those of us over 50.  Nathanael Hawtnorn's "the Scarlet Letter" was required reading in school.  Even in the 1970s in my experience in a district attorney's office, the common attitude was that adultery was a crime but never persecuted as such, meaning not everything that is a crime is enforced by law authorities. No specific criminal penalty had been attached to the adultery law in Colorado, but finally, in 2013 that statute was repealed. Bill to repeal of Colorado adultery law signed – The Denver Post

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