Florida abortion rights supporters want voters to decide the issue

[In It to Win It]

Florida abortion rights supporters want voters to decide the issue

TALLAHASSEE — After the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a law to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, abortion-rights supporters want to take the issue to voters.

Floridians Protecting Freedom, a newly formed group, will hold a news conference Monday in Tallahassee to begin a campaign to pass a constitutional amendment supporting abortion rights, according to a news release Friday.

“Floridians Protecting Freedom is launching a ballot initiative campaign to give Florida voters the chance to ensure their personal medical decisions are theirs and theirs alone to make,” the news release said. “The decision to have an abortion belongs to Floridians, their families, and those they trust — this campaign is an opportunity to ensure those protections remain in our state Constitution.”

The news release did not provide details of the proposal, but it comes after lawmakers and DeSantis this year approved the six-week limit — and as a legal battle plays out about whether a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution protects abortion rights.

I'll add my thoughts about abortion rights in Florida as a lifelong resident of Florida that wants to see abortion protected under state law... at this point in time, I'm conflicted on whether it is the best strategy for protecting abortion rights in Florida is a ballot initiative. I'm conflicted simply because I don't know how the state supreme court will rule. I think that when it comes to constitutional law in the state of Florida, abortion proponents have the winning hand (or at least they should). If the state supreme court upholds abortion rights, I think the ballot box would be too risky.

In the state of Florida, 60% of voters would need to vote 'yes' on a new constitutional amendment. The people of Florida are crazy. I'm not confident that an abortion rights amendment could get 60% of the vote in Florida. I'm confident it would get a majority, but my confidence is not as high that it would get the required 60%. If it doesn't get 60%, or even worse that it doesn't get a majority of voters, I think that would give new momentum to the anti-abortion movement within the state. For whatever reason, if the proposed amendment gets on the ballot and doesn't pass, they will use it to say the state doesn't want abortion rights because if they did, the amendment would have passed. In 2012, we had an abortion amendment on the ballot, and the abortion rights side received 55% of the vote. That's great, but it's not 60% and the state has only gotten redder since 2012.

[Lovie777]

1. Dictator DeSantan ain't gonna allow it.......................