"Stupid, just stupid," said one GOP strategist. Earlier this week, the Reason Roundup covered South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham's expected national abortion ban bill. Graham indeed introduced such legislation on Tuesday. His bill would make it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison to perform an abortion at or after 15 weeks gestation. There would be exceptions for pregnancy by rape and incest, as well as when a pregnant woman's life was at risk*, but no exceptions for severe fetal birth defects or a mother's health. States would be free to enact stricter laws if they wished, but not more liberal rules.
Graham's bill is purely politics, at this point. There's no chance that it will become law. Graham has said that he hopes the bill will work as a midterm election rallying point for Republicans.
