GOP seeking to head off ballot initiatives on abortion access, Florida's included

[RandySF]

Gov. Ron DeSantis was blunt following a GOP presidential primary debate on Nov. 8: Abortion-rights referenda are becoming a problem for leaders like himself who want to come as close as possible to outlawing the procedure.

“Pro-lifers in particular have a big problem on these referenda,” DeSantis said during an interview with NBC News, referring in particular to Ohio voters’ decision that very week to enact a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights, even though, as he noted, many of the voters support Republican candidates.

“But if the [abortion] issue is presented the way it is, they’re willing to vote for what from a pro-life perspective was a very extreme, very expansive pro-abortion amendment,” said DeSantis.

“So, I think the pro-life movement has got to start keying in on these referenda. You gotta be strategic about how you’re doing it; you need to know the landscape that you’re dealing with. There may be some states where you shoot in a certain direction; there may be others, you shoot in a different one. But they have been getting their clock cleaned on the referenda.”



https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/12/08/gop-seeking-to-head-off-ballot-initiatives-on-abortion-access-floridas-included/

[Beartracks]

1. Translation: "Democracy is becoming a problem for Republican leaders"

[heckles65]

3. Don'tcha know

"we're not a democracy we're a constitutional republic." (Sarcasm x 100)

[flashman13]

4. Absolutely, democracy is no way to run a government. It should be

left up to deep thinkers like DuhSatan and Ken Paxton.

[SeattleVet]

9. "I don't have a truck...

I have a Dodge RAM."

Idiots

[keithbvadu2]

2. When the Republicans desperately wanted Santos' vote for Kevin15, they did not mind his morals or ethics.

When the Republicans desperately wanted Santos' vote for Kevin15, they did not mind his morals or ethics.
Their excuse was that he was what his district voters wanted.
For the abortion issue, they suddenly don't want the voters to have a say.

[Iris]

5. When someone shows you who they are, believe them

-- Maya Angelou

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Someone should explain to De Santis how the voting process is a keystone in the

Democratic process.

They are so wilful, they will destroy us as a country to get what they want.

[angrychair]

7. This is a bigger issue than it appears

This is dangerous talk. They are openly discussing the subversion of the democratic process, to literally undermine the will of the voters.

We need to watch Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. This issue is not going away. We need to take this a lot more seriously.

Republicans have completely dropped the illusion that they want anything other than a totalitarian theocracy.

[Attilatheblond]

8. That battle is real in Arizona too. n/t

[CaptainTruth]

10. "Shooting" in different directions, & hitting women every time.

Fk DeFascist

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

13. DeSatan feels the issue has a Second Amendment solution.

If you can't win fairly, just kill your opponent.

That was one pro-lifer's solution re: Kansas Doctor George Tiller.

[ancianita]

11. The referendum now has over 700,000 signatures. It's got until Feb 1 to meet the 891,523 signature requirement from

over half the state's districts.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/florida-20240-abortion-measure-nears-700000-signatures?fbclid=IwAR1aVy1dA_6u7vP5lIZ8Qf-EZ9cdMT1Uqe4ZP_rJU2eSvMREiBKFVcc66J4

The Florida Division of Elections website on Friday showed 687,700 valid petition signatures for the measure, which is sponsored by the political committee Floridians Protecting Freedom. The committee by Feb. 1 will need to submit at least 891,523 valid signatures statewide and meet signature requirements in at least half of the state’s congressional districts to get on the November ballot.

The committee also needs the Florida Supreme Court to sign off on the proposed ballot wording. Floridians Protecting Freedom announced the initiative in May after the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a law that could prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The six-week limit is contingent on the outcome of a legal battle about a 15-week abortion limit that DeSantis and lawmakers passed in 2022.

Attorney General Ashley Moody has argued the Supreme Court should keep the proposed constitutional amendment off the ballot, saying its wording would mislead voters — a contention that amendment supporters dispute.

The ballot summary of the proposal says, in part: "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."

[ancianita]

12. For Floridians on DU, here is the petition link and map of Florida petition hubs. Find yours and sign the petition!

https://floridiansprotectingfreedom.com/petition/

[calimary]

14. Kicking this! It helps keep the body-snatchers away.

Cuz that's exactly what the GOP wants to do. Own women's bodies. OUR bodies.