Blog 7

Abortion has been such a hot button issue in this country for so long. Since Roe v Wade the issue has been used to ignite hostility among parties and constituents. Its not a matter of right and wrong though, despite what conservatives have hammered into our heads over and over again. Its a talking point, its a button to press to raise votes under false and misinformed pretenses. 

The fact is that this is not a black and white issue, its not a clear cut right or wrong topic. But the rhetoric that has plagued elections and our news has resulted in something so devastatingly backwards that we can no longer deny that our nation is letting women down in the most barbaric way.

This month Alabama passed one of the strictest abortion bans the country has seen since the outcome of Roe v Wade, a case in which this new law is intended to challenge. In a state already facing dwindling OB-GYN numbers, the incentive to stay or practice in Alabama, or in the rest of the southeast, is lowered as doctors could now risk jail time for providing abortions. While quality, women centered healthcare is already hard to find, this will make it even riskier, and the women of Alabama could pay the price with their lives.

Allowing this bill to pass could create bleak circumstances for women in need down the line, if anti-abortion bills continue to spread across the country. More women will be at risk, and there is nothing pro-life about limiting life saving medical care for the sake of an unpleasant but necessary truth: that abortions are necessary and a fundamental right.

Blog 8

While I agree that the voter turnout after incentive in California is an interesting prospect, I cant help but be alarmed that this is what we may resort to as far as getting voters to the polls. I could quickly see this becoming an issue. How could we regulate this incentive program to keep it fair amongst states? How do we keep this program from being manipulated with the access to voting places for those constituents already dealing with a gerrymandering system? How do we properly provide unbiased information in which to educate voters looking to cash in? If we are truly only motivated my receiving money instead of exercising our rights as citizens for its own sake, how do we keep up maintaining that desire? Surely over time we would have to raise the incentive rate, and who pays for these incentives is also up for debate. The Washington Post article that Betsy cited mentions many options, but not the mechanics that would specifically create this resolution to voter turnout. The article mentions that the voting authorities would be tasked with maintaining accurate voting records, but what all would that entail? Don’t get me wrong, if this is the only way we can get people to the polls, I think that its an experiment worth trying out. But I think we should start first with more voting education at younger ages and across all communities. Focusing more on local elections where voter turnout is lowest, we reignite and redefine that passion that we see in voters for national elections by making it easier to get to the polls. Our issues with creating fair and realistic access to polls is where we should start before we get too far ahead of ourselves and create more issues than we solve.