This really burns me(Re: Florida Ballot Measure on Abortion)

[ScratchCat]

Here in Florida, as many know, we have a ballot measure to restore women's reproductive rights. It's known as Amendment 4. Here is the text of the amendment:

Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion: No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.

Very basic; nothing radical at all. Its polling around 65-70%, depending upon what polls you trust(polling against it is under 25%).

But just a few days ago, what do I start seeing? Damn signs which read "Vote No on 4!". They've got another blinking billboard type ad on a major highway that reads something like "Vote against anti-baby laws" with pictures of babies and whatnot. The second one is ridiculous on multiple levels, one of which trying to liken a ballot measure passed by the people to laws passed by partisans.

I have rarely - like never - seen a political party campaign against a ballot measure, especially a popular, non-controversial one like this(when over 70% of the population support something, its not controversial). It just enrages and disgusts me to no end, and I am a male. To further give context, they didn't even try to "campaign against" the ballot measure that was to restore the right to vote to felons. This is the first time I ever remember an administration actively campaigning against a ballot initiative(they are doing on legal marijuana too).

Has this occurred in other States with pro-choice ballot initiatives? Have the anti-women conservatives had the gall to actually campaign against the initiatives? I'm just at a loss with people in general. The Orwellian double speak that Republicans have begun to engage in is mind boggling(a ballot initiative supported by 70% of citizens is now a "bad law", but a Statute passed by 51% of congress, 100% along parry lines, is "the will of the people". Its insanity).

Anyway, this will pass easily, it just angers me to see money spent trying to stop the restoration of women's rights.

[getagrip_already]

1. Easily?

There have been a few recent threads saying both the abortion and cannabis amendments arent getting the 60% needed.

I agree with you because i believe polls are undercounting the roe wave thats coming.

But it wont be easy. We need every possible voter to the polls.

[ScratchCat]

3. There's never been a poll showing that Amendment 4 wasn't getting 60%

Not sure where they got there data, because I've never seen one saying it was close. There's been news and paper articles wondering why DeSantis would even "campaign" against the Amendments because its so outlandish to do so.

[JT45242]

2. Hopefully ... it will backfire

It may help to GOTV for people in support of all these reforms (abortion rights, cannabis) and lead to a huge BLUE WAVE through FLorida.

I really think that R's are betting heavily on the wrong horse and these ballot issues will lead to a near total destruction of the republican party.

[ScratchCat]

4. I see it a little differently

IMO, Amendment 4 allows Republican women to go to the polls, vote to restore their rights and also punch a straight Republican ticket in every race. It gives women cover to not have to vote out Republicans to restore their rights. Its the same in other Red States, I suppose - The GOP loses no support or voters if a ballot measure is passed, but they certainly lose voters and support if they come out as pro choice. Its all a game to them.

[JT45242]

5. Then we need to advertize what happened in Ohio... tehy passed an ammendment and voted for Rethugs

And they still passed what was clearly an unconstitutional abortion ban,

Laws are only as strong as our will to enforce them.

And especially with partisan hacks in supreme courts at the state and federal level.

[ScratchCat]

6. I believe the wording of the Florida Amendment

Was designed to essentially prevent the Florida Legislature from ever having the power again to regulate abortion pre-viability or when a doctor says the health of the mother is at risk. The amendment knee-caps them completely.

[Timeflyer]

7. High control Christian religious groups raise mega-bucks demonizing womens reproductive health care and

they use those bucks (once they've lined their own pockets nicely) with propaganda like these signs. This is typical. Volunteer to be an women's clinic escort and experience the never-ending war on women's bodily autonomy. Unbelievable, but real.