Podcast: JUNE 24, 2022 … SCOTUS Ends Abortion Rights in Arizona

Posted on by Pamela Powers Hannley
Rep. Pam Powers Hannley Podcast

Season 2, Episode 11 of a View from the Left Side is a compilation of footage that I recorded on June 24, 2022, the day the Supreme Court of the United States struck down Roe v Wade, the landmark abortions rights decision from 1973. The Roe decision made abortion care up to the age of viability of the fetus legal in the US for nearly 50 years. 

Now, SCOTUS has decided that access to legal and safe abortion care is a states rights issue. Why should a person’s rights change when they cross state lines in the US? Whether or not to become pregnant is a parental choice issue — NOT a government concern. 

There is a lot of yammering in the Arizona Legislature about “parental choice” in schools, curricula, and teaching materials. The ultimate parental choices are: whether or not to become a parent; when to become a parent; and who will be your partner in parenting. This SCOTUS decision takes these basic human choices out of the hands of people and puts them into the hands of state governments. This is horrific.

A cascade of repressive laws — some from the 1800s — are still on the books but have been held in check by Roe for 50 years. Of course, Arizona has some of the most repressive anti-abortion laws on the books.

Continue reading Podcast: JUNE 24, 2022 … SCOTUS Ends Abortion Rights in Arizona

Stop Abortion Bans Rally, May 14, 2022 (video)

Posted on by Pamela Powers Hannley
Stop Abortion Bans in Tucson

In early May 2022, a leaked Supreme Court opinion showed the court may be leaning toward eliminating or severely limiting Roe v Wade, the landmark abortion rights case from the early 1970s.

There were rallies and marches around the country to protest this ideological strike against women’s rights and body autonomy by a Supreme Court packed with appointees from a discredited President.

Here are two of the speeches from the Tucson rally on May 14, 2022 — one by Congressman Raul Grijalva and the second one by State Senator Stephanie Stahl Hamilton. The video clip begins with Mayor Regina Romero leading the unity clap as I arrived at Armory Park.

Continue reading Stop Abortion Bans Rally, May 14, 2022 (video)

Abortion Access & Domestic Violence: #SCOTUS Delivers 2 Big ‘Wins’ for Women (video)

Posted on by Pamela Powers Hannley

The Supreme Court is in the midst of its 2016 decision season, when legal cases that have been winding their way through the system for years have their big day. Since the Republicans in Congress refuse to do their job and confirm a new SCOTUS justice to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died suddenly, many recent decisions have been deadlocked 4-4, allowing the lower court’s decision to stand.

Today’s decisions were wins for women because both decisions will save lives.

Abortion Clinic Restrictions Shot Down

In a 5-4 decision, Supreme Court justices struct down Texas abortion clinic restrictions that would have closed all of the clinics in Texas, except a handful in the five major urban areas. This was the Texas law that catapulted Texas Legislator Wendy Davis to national prominence when she filibustered it in 2013. That year, Republican-controlled Legislatures across the country debated 300 bills to limit women’s rights and abortion access. Thanks to copycat laws pedaled by anti-abortion groups like the Center for Arizona Policy, today’s SCOTUS decision means similar restrictions in other states (like Arizona) are likely unconstitutional. (Check out the New York Times maps here.)

Continue reading Abortion Access & Domestic Violence: #SCOTUS Delivers 2 Big ‘Wins’ for Women (video)