The White House is failing to meet this moment
President Biden needs to use executive authority to save women’s lives
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By Evan Wolf
Senior Writer
Most Americans agree that women should have freedom over their own bodies.
61% of Americans believe that women should be able to have legal access to an abortion. This includes over a third of Republican-leaners. That’s a strong majority of the country. It cuts across party lines. And it’s not even close.
Public opinion was consistent with settled law. Until June 24th. That’s when the Supreme Court announced its ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. American women no longer have a Constitutionally-protected right to get an abortion.
Roe gave women autonomy over their own bodies and health. Six right-wing Supreme Court judges took that away. This is especially true in Republican-controlled states. They are already cracking down on abortion.
More women will turn to back-alley abortions as a last resort. Safe options will become illegal in Republican-controlled states. Sexual abuse and assault survivors will be unable to make their own decisions about their own bodies if they are impregnated.
We knew this was going to happen. The decision was leaked to Politico at the beginning of May.
President Biden made a public address after the ruling was made official. He said the “cruel” ruling puts women’s health at risk. He said that voters need to elect officials to put abortion rights into law. He reiterated this point in a mass fundraising text.
Make no mistake, President Biden is correct. The blame for this decision falls on six right-wing judges. The blame falls on a radical Republican establishment hell-bent on waging a culture war for their own political gain. A far-right faction is using our nation’s highest courts to overturn settled law and roll back Americans’ human rights.
West Virginia Senator and so-called Democrat Joe Manchin deserves blame too. On May 11, he voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act. This would have protected a woman’s right to have an abortion. Only, it didn’t pass, in large part because Manchin voted against it.
It also didn’t pass because Manchin is unwilling to remove the filibuster rule. This says that bills need 60 votes to pass, rather than 51. That is anti-majority. It prevents our laws from reflecting the will of the people.
Right wing elites deserve blame. And spineless politicians like Manchin do too. But the buck stops with the President.
The Supreme Court’s decision was leaked in early May. President Biden was asked about what effect the ruling might have on the midterms. His response? “I haven’t thought through that yet.” He was also asked if he would support getting rid of the filibuster. That would make it easier to put Roe into law. Biden said that he was “not prepared to make a judgment” on that matter.
Those are the wrong answers.
It’s bad news when Olivia Rodrigo has been more vocal than the President in criticizing the far-right Supreme Court decision.
Breathless fundraising messages from Democratic leaders cannot be the answer to human rights violations. Yes, of course we should turn out and vote for pro-women’s health candidates in November.
But President Biden is already in office. He must meet this moment. He must embrace executive power and his bully pulpit. He must lead unapologetically on the crucial matter of women’s health.
“Better luck in November” is an insufficient response to this moment. Especially from the President.
The fall of Roe and the right-wing assault on women’s health is a crisis. It requires a proactive response — not a cautious one.
The Biden White House must use its executive authority. Especially if a majority of Senators won’t vote for abortion rights. Article Two of the U.S. Constitution gives broad power to the President. He must use it to protect women’s lives.
A recent Washington Post article reviewed some of the ways that President Biden can act on women’s reproductive health. One move could be to alter federal guidelines by permitting any medical provider to perscribe abortion pills. Or to provide financial assistance to women who need to travel to states where abortion is legal. Or to be more vocal in talking about how women can access abortion care.
That last point is important. Biden needs to make better use of his national platform. The White House has not filled that void so far.
Some Democrats in Congress had more suggestions for the Administration:
“Among their ideas: covering expenses for federal employees who need to travel to receive abortion services, helping pay for out-of-state abortions, enshrining abortion access for active-duty military and opening up federal lands to abortion counseling and procedures. Some Democrats are even examining whether tribal governments could help provide abortion services.”
The Administration could also declare a public health emergency.
We’ve known this Supreme Court decision was coming for almost two months. Many women’s health protections have been suggested. And yet, the White House has not announced any specific initiatives to protect a woman’s right to her own body.
This is a dereliction of duty. It is crucial for President Biden to use the government’s power to protect human rights.
A far-right faction is threatening to take America backwards. In his written opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas called to overturn same-sex marriage. And he called to overturn the right to access contraception.
26 states are likely to completely ban abortion. Some of those states already have. The Republican Party is waging a war on human rights across this country. We can’t let them win.
The Biden White House must use its executive power to protect a woman’s right to life and liberty.
The President needs to meet this moment. He must use his executive power and public platform. And he must act with the decisiveness that’s required to meet this perilous moment for human rights in America.
