November 19, 2013, 8:01 PM
A sharply divided Supreme Court (click here) on Tuesday allowed Texas to continue enforcing abortion restrictions that opponents say have led more than a third of the state's clinics to stop providing abortions.
The justices voted 5-4 to leave in effect a provision requiring doctors who perform abortions in clinics to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital.
The court's conservative majority refused the plea of Planned Parenthood and several Texas abortion clinics to overturn a preliminary federal appeals court ruling that allowed the provision to take effect.
The four liberal justices dissented....
I don't really see the actions of the court yesterday as a defeat. There are four Justices always willing to hear the health needs of women and three of the four are women, one would think that 'female reality' within the court would make an impression on the others, but, evidently not.
Justice Scalia stated the obvious. The Appeals Court stated there is a good chance Texas will win the appeal. That was what the five justices ruled on. They didn't consider the status of the clinics if they were forced to close and possibly not able to reopen if they won the lawsuit. The five Justices upheld the statement by the Appeals Court. Open and shut. No debate, no contemplation, just a simple ruling based on that one Appeals Court decision.
The case will most probably go before the Supreme Court when the Appeals Court rules whether favoring Texas or the clinics. So, the Supreme Court is not finished with this Texas law.
The burden falls to the clinics in proving safety and undue and burdensome law in Texas opposed to the well being of women that seek these services at the clinics. That is the unfortunate truth about our judicial system, the private sector does not have unlimited resources to regain it's standing after being targeted for political abuse.
Texas, in recent years, have been suffering under a tarnished Right Wing image because it was the state of Roe v. Wade. That is why the push to eliminate abortion from any possibility in Texas. It is a political disgrace to the Republicans in Texas to carry the banner of Roe v. Wade.
Texas, in recent years, have been suffering under a tarnished Right Wing image because it was the state of Roe v. Wade. That is why the push to eliminate abortion from any possibility in Texas. It is a political disgrace to the Republicans in Texas to carry the banner of Roe v. Wade.
