Biden says he's calling for a "whole-of-government effort to respond" to the Texas abortion law

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
Breaking from Biden:

"I am directing that Council and the Office of the WH Counsel to launch a whole-of-government effort to respond to this decision, looking … to see what steps the Federal Gov't can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions."
8:25 AM · Sep 2, 2021

Link to tweet

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. Joe has the Constitutionality of Roe v. Wade at his disposal.

EXPAND the Supreme Court, Joe to 13. That is the number of Federal Circuit Courts in this country.

[Demsrule86]

4. That is not possible at the moment and would doom us in the midterms...just the attempt.

[vanlassie]

13. Doom Us? Biden won.

[Demsrule86]

66. In the midterms...very important. If we don't hold either house or the Senate...I don't know if we

will ever have a fair election again... we need both of course.

[Moebym]

15. That's my fear as well

But the calls for Biden to expand the court have become deafening.

We've got another "damned if he does, damned if he doesn't" situation.

[Demsrule86]

67. We don't have the votes right now so there is no point in losing votes by announcing we are

going to try to do it.

[KPN]

20. My guess is President Joe has not ruled that out as "not possible" in his "whole of government"

directive. It is possible. The threat of it alone may actually be sufficient as it was in the past for FDR. As for midterms, Americans as a whole are sensible and decent. If Doug Jones could win Alabama in 2018, Dems running against "legalized vigilanteism" can and will win in Texas and elsewhere. The Texas law went a few steps too far -- even for some anti-abortionists. If Congress doesn't act to negate Texas, voters will -- voter suppression and gerrymandering notwithstanding.

[Demsrule86]

68. That is what I am hoping...if SCOTUS thinks it could happen, it might help with some of them...

the institutionalists.

[gldstwmn]

64. Because holding off for the mid terms

has benefitted us so well in the past.

[Demsrule86]

69. If Democrats vote in the midterms as they have done in the past, I expect the Republic is doomed.

We lost a midterm election during the Clinton years (1994) and we lost two midterm elections during the Obama years (2019 and 2014). We must show up for every f'ing midterm no matter what. Imagine what could have been accomplished if we had Clinton's and Obama's back?

We don't have the votes to expand the courts so what is the point of announcing that we plan to (assuming we do and I am not sure of that) and then cost red/purple state Democrats their seats? We will lose the majority in both branches of Congress if we are not careful. We need to use politics to our advantage.

[reACTIONary]

32. Joe could sign a law expanding the court, but...

... the initiative would have to come from congress. Congress would have to pass legislation. Joe can only conquer or veto.

[totodeinhere]

40. Joe can't expand the Court. Only Congress can do that.

The first order of business is to eliminate the filibuster. Without that virtually nothing else gets accomplished including women's rights or voting rights.

[bluedevil4]

2. now this will

be interesting to watch. This will definitely be a precedent for other states going forward . History will be made

[machoneman]

29. Easy: open every military base, hospital, office, etc. and invite TX women in for a free abortion.

Those Gilead R's and that clown Abbott can't do a damned thing on Federal property. And THAT'S a long established fact!

[bluedevil4]

47. great thinking! nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

52. Think that will happen? Can't imagine the howl from the rw.

[bluestarone]

59. YEA!

Would LOVE to listen to them HOWL!

[0rganism]

63. that'd be problematic due to the "Hyde Amendment"

no federal funds can go to abortion providers

even discarding the "free" part, with the woman paying for the procedure in full, you still have a complicated situation. And any Texan who helps the woman get to the base remains subject to those bounty lawsuits.

[sheshe2]

65. Sounds good on paper...

Sounds good on paper...what happens when they go home, arrested?

[Demsrule86]

3. Thank you. President Biden.

[roamer65]

5. When does the Mississippi case get ruled on?

[elleng]

17. Not even ARGUED yet,

decision likely to be issued coming Spring/Summer.

[rurallib]

27. next term which starts the first Monday in October

the decision could be announced any time after argument, although most decisions are haded down at the end of the term in June. Often the most controversial are announced last so it could be @ June 30.

[maxsolomon]

6. Careful, wouldn't want to make the US Catholic Bishops upset

They might follow through on their threat to deny you the Body of Christ.

[Carlitos Brigante]

10. Personally I prefer the thigh. It's the best!! nt

[scipan]

60. Oh my gawd...😂😂😂

[carpetbagger]

30. Is Cardinal Burke still in the hospital? Kinda hard to speak on vent

And the conferences' general secretary spends his time on Grindr these days. On edit: pisses me off since I seriously considered becoming a Catholic at points in my life.

[wryter2000]

31. He's welcome to take communion in any Episcopal church

The two services are very much alike, the main visible difference being a woman might be conducting the service.

[maxsolomon]

35. since he's Catholic, that probably won't cut the mustard.

but I doubt Rome is going to allow them to carry through on that threat.

[wryter2000]

39. You have a point about Rome

Biden attended the Episcopal church where Trump held up the bible on (I think) inauguration day.

We get a lot of former Catholics because of the child sex abuse cases and because of the anti-LGBT stance of the Catholic church. Our congregation had someone who had wanted to become a nun. We also had a visitor one day who thought she couldn't take communion because she was divorced. She was profoundly moved when she could take communion after decades of being denied.

We aren't "Catholic-lite" for nothing.

[babylonsister]

7. Something's gotta give before every state adopts this atrocity. nt

[rurallib]

28. Expect a rash of adoptions quickly

[dalton99a]

8. Full speed ahead, Joe

[GoCubsGo]

9. These efforts had better include expanding the Supreme Court..

One judge per circuit court (there are 13 of them.) C'mon, Joe! Do it!!!

[notinkansas]

12. Seriously!! How many times does the Supreme Court

have to stab the American people in the back before there is a remedy to this. Installing dubya as president, Citizens United, dismantling voting rights legislation, and now this texas fiasco.

I'm sure there are many more instances of their malfeasance, but just this list is damning.

[MarcA]

53. The SCOTUS has made its decision, now let them enforce it.

They Can't. The Executive can refuse to enforce their edicts.

[maxsolomon]

19. They won't.

Dems need more Power before that is feasible.

[reACTIONary]

36. He can't. It's up to congress, not the exec. nt.

[wnylib]

45. Long term, yes. But not before mid terms.

[mnhtnbb]

11. While this is the right response, it will take time.

In the meantime, clinics are shutting down for fear of lawsuits. Not all women have all the time in the world to find alternative options or the resources to go out of state.

The decision from the Supremes to do nothing is not only cowardly, but cruel. No surprise from a rapist, an Opus Dei handmaiden, an Uncle Tom with a history of sexual harassment, and a man willing to advance his career because of an improper and unethical power grab by Moscow Mitch.

[llmart]

16. Great way to describe them.

My fantasy is that someone comes forward with proof that Boofer Boy paid for an abortion when he was in college.

[KPN]

22. "from a rapist, an Opus Dei handmaiden, an Uncle Tom with a history of sexual harassment, and a man

willing to advance his career because of an improper and unethical power grab by Moscow Mitch"

Perfection!

[NJCher]

23. Did spellcheck edit you

Reprise

[Lonestarblue]

24. Do you have examples of clinics that have closed?

It’s my fear that many clinics serving poor women, especially in rural areas, will close to avoid potential lawsuits. Those women rely on the clinics for their regular healthcare—cancer screenings, birth control care, prenatal vitamins, etc. Those not on Medicaid, and there are millions of them, have no place to go.

Texas Republicans already caused the closing of 81 clinics a few years ago. They are anti-healthcare, and this needs to be used against them in next year’s elections.

[mnhtnbb]

43. Planned Parenthood clinics

stopped taking abortion related appointments. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/09/01/even-if-texas-six-week-abortion-ban-overturned-clinics-close/5681687001/

[Lonestarblue]

44. Thank you. I had not seen that article.

[crickets]

61. Best description ever of these members of the current SCOTUS. nt

[brer cat]

14. K&R

[Botany]

18. Well written. I wonder if Joe wrote it?

Joe is going to use the Department of Health and Human Services and the DoJ to fight for the
rights of women in Texas and across America too.

The GOP just brought a ton of shit on them in the next election especially with women.

[NJCher]

25. Loved the last part

About “bizarre scheme.” 😆

Thank you Pres Biden! This is just what I would expect from my president.

[Botany]

26. Joe not only was a senator, a vice president, but he taught law for years too.

I have no doubt that he could have written that statement.

[Xoan]

21. Mess with Texas and abort ...

Barrett.

[wryter2000]

33. Jill Wine-Banks this morning on Stephanie Miller said

The DOJ might be able to bring a civil rights case against the law.

[MrModerate]

34. Set up National Guard "field hospitals" in existing providers' clinics...

And contract with those providers to deliver care.

It's none of the State of Gilead's business what goes on in a federal facility.

[Evolve Dammit]

37. the "whole of America" (not just "gov't.") needs to respond to this power grab. n/t

[Autumn]

38. President Biden will go down as the greatest president in our history.

[totodeinhere]

41. Even greater than Obama? I don't think so. n/t

[Autumn]

42. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, as am I. Mine is that Biden will go down as the greatest

president in our history. He's already well on his way.

[wnylib]

46. He's definitely one of the greats.

But would you rank him above Washington, Lincoln, and FDR? I would rank him among them, but I don't think that he has surpassed them....yet.

[Autumn]

54. I think that now I would rank him equal with Washington, Lincoln, and FDR considering what he has

stepped into and has had to deal with so far. And it is so early in his term so yes, I think he will surpass them.

[Polybius]

71. How is he among them?

He's been President for 7 1/2 months, he's not on the same level right now as Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, JFK, FDR, and Obama. Perhaps at the end of his term.

[wnylib]

72. He is among the greats because of

the things that he has already accomplished in the few months that he's been in office.

There was NO vaccination program in place when Biden took office. He created one and got vaccines out to millions of people. He had No briefings during the transition but assessed the situation in Afghanistan and made the hard decisions necessary to get us out of the mess that Bush/Cheney created 20 years ago and that Trump made worse. He supervised the successful evacuation of thousands of people in the largest airlift in history.

He took office during an attempted coup and set a tone of courage just by taking the oath of office outdoors as customary in DC.

He has appointed the most diverse staff and cabinet in US history.

He has a vision of diplomacy instead of war, but does not hesitate to use weapons when necessary. He is taking a firm stand against the MIC. (The last president to do that died in office.)

Those accomplishments in just 7 1/2 months put him in the great category. There are more that I have not mentioned. Imagine what else he can accomplish during the rest of his term.

[bucolic_frolic]

50. I wonder if we will ever know, or when we will know, which is to say when historians

have access to the inside contemporary accounts, as they now do with FDR and Ike for example, of how much and what advice Biden was putting in Obama's ear. I'd bet it's more than we know at this point.

[Polybius]

70. Highly unlikely

Very good, most definitely.

[bucolic_frolic]

48. Rule of law, and perhaps especially the criminal code

should not be about trickery, nuance, loopholes, and making a mockery of the foundations of law. These Texas laws will do much to create chaos, litigation, confusion, fear, and perhaps even violence. You couldn't do worse if you made speeding tickets punishable by 10 years in jail and forfeiture of all assets.

[Hekate]

49. Biden is a good and decent man, and turns out to be exactly who we need in this time. nt

[BeckyDem]

51. +1

[SunImp]

55. Thanks President Biden

[ananda]

56. If any justice is susceptible to the force of the DOJ, it's Kavanaugh.

Arrest and impeach the bastard!

[lagomorph777]

57. Time to expand SCROTUS. They are a terrifying threat to the country.

Add four Justices immediately.

[Hugin]

58. At first I was leaning toward an airlift...

But, in retrospect that action seems too Afterganistan.

So, how does carpet bombing them with condoms grab you?

[crickets]

62. Thank you, Joe. 💙