Anti-reproductive rights extremists in the Florida Legislature are on the brink of going too far. A proposed ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy (that in reality could be as little as one or two) will strip fundamental rights to bodily autonomy from millions of people, exposing the ugly lie behind all the boasting that Florida is the freest state in the nation. Hypocrisy has become a trademark of state leaders, but this will be a new low — and the sense of betrayal must be particularly strong for people facing the possibility of forced pregnancy who are represented by female lawmakers.
It’s entirely possible to oppose abortion while recognizing that carrying forward with an unwanted pregnancy — a right that would become even narrower after 15 weeks — could doom many of their constituents to a lifetime of poverty or in some cases even put their lives at risk, either through health complications or inextricable ties to abusive partners. Giving women a narrow escape hatch, then setting a 15-week ban on abortion, even for victims of rape or incest, was a cruel compromise last year; slamming that portal shut just a year later is a signal of callous disregard for anyone in this state with ovaries and a uterus.
If Florida Republicans can stomach that, they should then consider political reality, which was written in the tears that filled Sen. Alexis Calatayud’s eyes as she explained why she couldn’t vote “yes” on the Senate version of the legislation (SB 300) during its hearing in the Senate Health Policy Committee on Monday. The Miami-Dade Republican — one of several GOP lawmakers who pulled off upsets in districts that were expected to favor Democrats — said she’d made promises she intended to keep. She supported the 15-week ban passed last year, but during her campaign, told voters in her district that she would not support further restrictions. It’s a promise she kept, even though it’s probably going to cost her politically. We can easily imagine a scenario where GOP leadership uses threats against other legislation or individual budget appropriations to keep some lawmakers in line.
