Bounty Hunting Women

In case one forgets, Texas has banned abortions at 6 weeks after conception, so about 4 weeks after a woman's first missed cycle. This law is still the law of the state. This law also paid bounty hunters $10,000 for every person they can sue that helped a woman get an abortion. Doctors, clinics, friends, family, uber drivers. ANYONE (except the woman). This Law was written specifically to allow enforcement by citizens because the state could not enforce it.

This was approved at the Federal Court level (it being obviously nonconstitutional, until they overturn Roe in June). Even the bounty system. Then enjoined (i.e. stopped) at the Circuit Federal Court (multi-state level). Then allowed again by the Supreme Court, in a quiet midnight approval.

Then all hell broke loose. The Supreme Court was accused of not following its own rulings (which it hadn't) and allowing a completely new idea of the states paying a bounty to citizens to specifically enforce a law the state could not enforce legally.

After a few weeks, the Federal Government requested an emergency review of the law, and the Supreme Court granted it. By tradition the Supreme Court rules on emergency request from federal agencies on the Monday after arguments. It has been 4 Mondays since then and the Supreme Court is ahistorically quiet. Again, the Texas law is unconstitutional on the face of it (six weeks is previability), and unique in allowing citizens (armed citizens) to bring suit for enforcing a law.

Well the evil genius of the Texas law is sidestepping legal enforcement of an unconstitutional law Worse, by and the Supreme Court cowardly allowing the law to stand, has encouraged 3 other states to introduce copycat laws. Arkansas is the latest to do this. 

It is particularly burdensome because Arkansas is the closest state for much of Texas' south eastern citizens (including Houston, the 4th biggest city in America) to access abortions. Arkansas and Oklahoma clinics have been overwhelmed with woman to terminated pregnancies (Louisiana has very few clinics and onerous waiting requirements, New Mexico is too far for most of populated Texas.)

Once again, the Supreme Court has proven we are no longer a land of laws. I am totally serious in that comment.

This statue will be overturned at some point - allowing citizens to sue for unconstitutional laws will not stand. But the hypocritical Supreme Court is allowing this to drag on, possibly until June. Then , with Roe overturned, women will be forced to carry any fetus - already dead, terminally ill child, product of rape, product of family incest forced abuse, unsafe for the mother, unwanted, any reason - they will be forced to give birth (yes that includes non-live birth where the fetus is dead already due to complications) and the convaluter Texas Bounty Plan will probably be overturned. 

Conservative politicians are already referring to woman by an old testament traditional name, vessels for childbirth.

Until then...