Demonstrators outside the US Supreme Court as it considers restrictions on abortions, December 1, 2021 (Jose Luis Magana/AP)
UPDATE, 1615 GMT:
I also spoke on Thursday with Monocle 24 about the significance of the Supreme Court’s consideration of the Mississippi abortion case:
Listen from 2:30:
ORIGINAL ENTRY: I joined former Republican strategist Tara Setmayer with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Colin Murray on Thursday morning to discuss the Supreme Court’s consideration of a restrictive Mississippi abortion law, GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert’s Islamophobic remarks about Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, and the suspension of CNN host Chris Cuomo.
Listen to Discussion from 1:44.48
We begin with an analysis of the opening day of arguments before the Supreme Court, with four conservative justices indicating they might overturn the landmark 1973 precedent Roe v. Wade and two others pointing to acceptance of the Mississippi law and a limit of 15 weeks rather than 24 on abortion. We explain why this is likely to lead to even more restrictions, as in Texas’s limit of 6-7 weeks, or complete bans in half of US states.
I don’t want to focus on the effect on the 2022 mid-term elections.
The Supreme Court takes priority over Congress in this instance. If it overturns Roe v. Wade, it enshrines a free-for-all which affects millions of women in the US.
See also Texas Women Going Out of State — If They Can — After Ban on Abortions
Then we consider how Boebert’s invective and insults fit into a demeaning of US politics and society in which Donald Trump was a catalyst — and how and why Republican leaders in the House are taking no action.
See also House Censures Paul Gosar Over His Assassination/Violence Video
Finally, we explain Cuomo’s suspension from CNN over his alleged interference with the criminal investigation of his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
