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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTranscript: Biden Remarks On His Executive Order for Protecting Reproductive Health Care Services
It's easy to notice that media often neglect President Biden's daily speeches; probably per their bosses' policy to give minimal and minimizing coverage of an effective Democratic president.
But what Joe Biden said today deserves full media coverage on behalf of Americans that made that media rich.
Joe Biden's bold statement on behalf of the American majority today (excerpt shading is omitted for readability):
"...todays Supreme Court majority is playing fast and loose with the facts. Even 150 years ago, the common law and many state laws did not criminalize abortion early in pregnancy, which is very similar to the viability line drawn by Roe.
But the Dobbs majority ignores that fact. And the Dobbs majority ignores that many laws were enacted to protect women at the time when they were dying from unsafe abortions.
This is the horrific reality that Roe sought to end. The practice of medicine should not emphasize should not be frozen in the 19th century.
So, what happened?
The dissenting opinion says it as clear as you can possibly say it. And heres the quote: Neither law nor facts nor attitudes have provided any new reason to reach a different result than Roe and Casey did. And thats has changed excuse me and All that has changed is this Court. End of quote.
All that has changed is this Court.
That wasnt about the Constitution or the law...
It was about a deep, long-seething antipathy towards Roe and the broader right to privacy. As the justices wrote in their dissent, and I quote, The majority has overruled Roe and Casey for one and only one reason: because it has always despised them, and now it has the votes to discard them.unquote...
... what were witnessing wasnt a constitutional judgment. It was an exercise in raw political power. On the day the Dobbs decision came down, I immediately announced what I would do.
But I also made it clear, based on the reasoning of the Court, there is no constitutional right to choose. Only the way the only way -- to fulfill and restore that right for women in this country is by voting, by exercising the power at the ballot box...
I know its frustrating and it made a lot of people very angry. But the truth is this and its not just me saying it; its what the Court said: When you read the decision, the Court has made clear it will not protect the rights of women. Period. Period.
After having made the decision based on a reading of a document that was frozen in time in the 1860s, when women didnt even have the right to vote, the Court now now practically dares the women of America to go to the ballot box and restore the very rights theyve just taken away.
...One of the most extraordinary parts of the decision, in my view, is the majority writes, and I quote, Women
its a quote now, from the majority Women are not without electoral or political power. It is noteworthy that the percentage of women who registered to vote and cast a ballot is consistently higher than the percentage of the men who do so. End of quote.
Let me repeat the line: Women are not without electoral
and/or political or let me be precise; not and/or
or political power.
Thats another way of saying that you, the women of America, can determine the outcome of this issue...
I dont think the Court or, for that matter, the Republicans who for decades have pushed their extreme agenda have a clue about the power of American women. But theyre about to find out, in my view.
Its my hope and strong belief that women will, in fact, turn out in record numbers to reclaim the rights that have taken from them by the Court.
And let me be clear: While I wish it had not come to this, this is the fastest route available. Im just stating a basic, fundamental notion.
The fastest way to restore Woe [sic] Roe is to pass a national law codifying Roe, which I will sign immediately upon its passage at my desk.
And we cant wait. Extreme Republican governors, extreme Republican state legislatures, and Republican extremists in the Congress overall all of them have not only fought to take away the right our rights but theyre now determined to go as far as they can.
Now the most extreme Republican governors and state legislatures have taken the Courts decision as a green light to impose some of the harshest and most restrictive laws seen in this country in a long time. These are the laws that not only put womens lives at risk, these are the laws that will cost lives.
What were witnessing is a giant step backwards in much of our country. Already, the bans are in effect in 13 states. Twelve additional states are likely to ban choice in the next coming in the coming weeks.
And in a number of these states, the laws are so extreme they have raised the threat of criminal penalties for doctors and healthcare providers. Theyre so extreme that many dont allow for exceptions, even for rape or incest. Let me say that again: Some of the states dont allow for exceptions for rape or incest.
This isnt some imagined horror. Its already happening. Just last week, it was reported that a 10-year-old girl was a rape victim in Ohio 10 years old and she was forced to have to travel out of the state, to Indiana, to seek to terminate the presnency [pregnancy] and maybe save her life. Thats the last part is my judgment. Ten years old. Ten years old. Raped, six weeks pregnant. Already traumatized. Was forced to travel to another state. Imagine being that little girl. Just Im serious just imagine being that little girl. Ten years old.
Does anyone believe that its the highest majority view that that should not be able to be dealt with, or in any other state in the nation? A 10-year-old girl should be forced to give birth to a rapists child? I can tell you what: I dont. I cant think of anything as much more extreme.
The Courts decision has also been received by Republicans in Congress as a green light to go further and pass a national ban. A national ban. Remember what theyre saying. Theyre saying theres no right to privacy, so therefore its not protected by the Constitution, so leave it up to the state and the Congress, what they want to do.
And now my Republican friends are talking about getting the Congress to pass a national ban. The extreme positions that theyre taking in some of these states. That will mean the right to choose will be illegal nationwide if, in fact, they succeed. Let me tell you something: As long as Im President, it wont happen, because Ill veto it.
So the choice is clear. If you want to change the circumstances for women and even little girls in this country, please go out and vote. When tens of millions of women vote this year, they wont be alone. Millions and millions of men will be taking up the fight alongside them to restore the right to choose and the broader right to privacy in this nation, which they denied existed.
And the challenge from the Court to the American women and men this is a nation. The challenge is: Go out and vote. Well, for Gods sake, theres an election in November. Vote, vote, vote, vote. Consider the challenge accepted, Court.
But in the meantime, Im signing this important executive order. Im asking the Justice Department that, much like they did in the Civil Rights era, to do something do everything in their power to protect these women seeking to invoke their right:
In states where clinics are still open, to protect them from intimidation.
To protect the right of women to travel from a state that prohibits seeking the medical attention that she needs to a state to provide that care.
To protect a womans right to the FDA-approved Federal Drug Administration-approved medication thats been available for over 20 years.
The executive order provides safeguards to access care. A patient comes into the emergency room in any state in the union. Shes expressing and experiencing a life-threatening miscarriage, but the doctor is going to be so concerned about being criminalized for treating her, they delay treatment to call the hospital lawyer who is concerned the hospital will be penalized if a doctor provides the lifesaving care. Its outrageous. I dont care what your position is. Its outrageous, and its dangerous.
Thats why this executive order directs the Department of Health and Human Services HHS to ensure all patients, including pregnant women and girls experience pregnant experiencing pregnancy loss get emergency care they need under federal law, and that doctors have clear guidance on their own responsibilities and protections no matter what the state no matter what state theyre in.
The executive order protects access to contraception that Im about to sign.
Justice Thomas himself said that under the reasoning of this decision this is what Justice Thomas said in his concurring opinion that the Court should reconsider the constitutional right to contraception to use contraception even among married couples.
What century are they in? There used to be a case called Connecticut v. Griswold [Griswold v. Connecticut], which was declared unconstitutional in the late 60s. It said a married couple in the privacy of their bedroom could not decide to use contraception.
Right now, in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Affordable Care Act guarantees insurance coverage for womens health services, including including free birth control. The executive order directs HHS to identify ways to expand access to reproductive health services, like IUDs, birth control pills, emergency contraception.
And equally important, this executive order protects patient privacy and access to information, which looking at the press assembled before me, probably know more about it than I do.
Im not a tech guy. Im learning.
But right now, when you use a search engine or the app on your phone, companies collect your data, they sell it to other companies, and they even share it with law enforcement. Theres an increasing concern that extremist governors and others will try to get that data off of your phone, which is out there in the ether, to find what youre seeking, where youre going, and what youre doing with regard to your healthcare.
Talk about no privacy no privacy in the Constitution. Theres no privacy, period.
This executive order asks the FTC to crack down on data brokers that sell private information to extreme groups or, in my view, sell private information to anybody.
It provides private health information it protects private health information in states with extreme laws.
And the executive order strengthens coordination at a federal level. It establishes a task force, led by the White House Department and the Department of Human Services, focused specifically on using every federal tool available to protect access to reproductive healthcare.
You know, let me close with this: The Court and its allies are committed to moving America backward with fewer rights, less autonomy, and politicians invading the most personal of decisions.
Remember the reasoning of this decision has an impact much beyond Roe and the right to privacy generally.
Marriage equality, contraception, and so much more is at risk. This decision affects everyone unrelated to choice beyond choice. We cannot allow an out-of-control Supreme Court, working in conjunction with the extremist elements of the Republican Party, to take away freedoms and our personal autonomy.
The choice we face as a nation is between the mainstream and the extreme, between moving forward and moving backwards, between allowing politicians to enter the most personal parts of our lives and protecting the right to privacy yes, yes embedded in our Constitution.
This is a choice.
This is a moment the moment the moment to restore the rights that have been taken away from us and the moment to protect our nation from an extremist agenda that is antithetical to everything we believe as Americans...."
Full Transcript:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/07/08/remarks-by-president-biden-on-protecting-access-to-reproductive-health-care-services/
Our badass Democratic president -- Go Joe!
ancianita
(36,133 posts)Here is the shitty flotilla of amicus curiae sent by male led religious groups and male led political physicians' orgs and the usual Koch-funded orgs that directed SCOTUS how to write its decision.
NOTHING in that decision, as Biden says, includes any new science or expertise that's any different from Roe or Casey. It's JUST NEW JUSTICES paid for by Koch. $500,000,000 bought the stripping of five constitutional rights from women and MAKE WOMEN CRIMINALS IN THE USA.
https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/11/we-read-all-the-amicus-briefs-in-dobbs-so-you-dont-have-to/
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,414 posts)ancianita
(36,133 posts)msfiddlestix
(7,286 posts)fills me with gratitude and much needed optimism,
ancianita
(36,133 posts)I think transcripts are better anyway, because a lot gets lost in the attention driven pace of a speech, and we can't quickly grasp the huge importance of many of our party's positions and analyses until we get to actually read them.
msfiddlestix
(7,286 posts)While reading the transcript, I can hear Biden's voice in my head and there was one line that sort of didn't work contextually.
If it was a written essay,OP or other format/platform, it would have required a little editing. But I know who the person is, and what is on their mind, I know to skim over and through those grammatical mistakes because I understand the context perfectly.
All that to say, yes reading the transcript works better for me.. thanks again..
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,414 posts)A transcript can't show where the speaker gets fired up about the message.
I saw President Joe on local broadcast (2 of 5 stations carried it live), with closed captioning turned on. CC messes up a lot; the transcript gets it right. Should be a video somewhere to go along with this transcript.
msfiddlestix
(7,286 posts)But at least a transcript provides the consumer the actual words if they missed the speech, don't have to rely solely on tv or twitter punditry analysis. I decide what was great and greatest about the message.
It isn't hard for me to "hear" his words, messaging in my mind. Those of us who've been acquainted with Biden for several decades can transpose text to sound in our imaginations easily.
It's also nice to have available for fact checking idiocrats who lie and snivel about what was and wasn't actually said.
But I hear ya, passion in tone isn't fully captured in text alone..