The number of people who actually give a shit about abortions is small.

[Stinky The Clown]

The people crafting these new laws are all about power, intimidation, misogyny, and the establishment of christofascist dictatorship. These laws are simply a means to a much larger and much worse end.

[dalton99a]

1. The idea is to instill terror

[Celerity]

4. +10000000000000000

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Yeah. Like that.

[leighbythesea2]

2. I suspect

You are correct. There's prying at the edges of concepts, in all directions.

[NanceGreggs]

3. This is really about the fact ...

... that the Republicans have nothing else to run on.

The January 6th investigations are hanging over their heads, the we defend your free-dumb to not get vaxxed meme is wearing thin as hospitals fill up and deaths are on the rise - and worst of all, Republican voters are liking what Biden is doing.

The GOP's only chance to hold on to their voters is to play the "we're still the party of God-fearing Christians who don't kill babies" card.

[crickets]

8. This. However, it may surprise them by backfiring bigly.

The base they count on is dwindling in more ways than one, and the number of young women affected, as well as those angry on their behalf, is much larger than they think.

[Demsrule86]

10. If we play this correctly electorally, I believe this could help us win the midterms and in

24.

[Baked Potato]

6. I think it's because the last election really clamped their butt cheeks,

and they are pandering to base evangelicals. Texas is worth anything they can pull off. IMO.

I don’t think they give a shit abort abortions either.

[maxsolomon]

7. Sorry, but I just don't think that's true.

I have 2 vehemently anti-choice cousins, and they're staunch Conservative Catholics. The RCC portion that those Bishops that didn't want to give Biden Communion represent is large, and throw in Mormons & Evangelicals, and that's a sizeable minority. Millions that think they give a shit.

The movement is well-funded, motivated, and they've captured the GQP. It's kept momentum for decades. My cousin's kids got shipped to DC for RTL marches every year of their childhood in Catholic Schools.

It's been a death of a 1000 cuts for Abortion Rights; searching for the laws that won't be struck down, and installing judges that will allow them to stand.

[Irish_Dem]

9. Most of the GOP leadership certainly don't care about abortions.

Their wives, girlfriends and daughters are first in line for the procedure.

It is just a wedge issue for the GOP leadership, to rally their base, create division and fear.
And the GOP leadership enjoys control, bullying, and making others suffer.

[kentuck]

11. It unites the Republicans even more than the 2nd Amendment.

And that is their purpose.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. Exactly right. And THAT is what they care about.

It could be abortion or green jelly bean shortages. So long as they can whip their base into a frenzy, they will use whatever works.

Keeping their base energized keeps votes coming their way - with the help of cheating, of course.