Abortion Rights Are Economic Rights
After Roe v. Wade was overturned and the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to an abortion over the summer, reproductive rights were at the front and center of our political focus. Democrats surged in the polls, and as gas prices fell and inflation slowed, it seemed like we were headed for a narrow Democratic victory in the midterms. But in the past eight weeks or so gas prices have started to climb, the stock market has taken a dip, and the polls are looking shakier.
Now at this point in any given election cycle, I’m usually trying to convince everyone to ignore the polls and get back to work. And we should absolutely ignore these polls and get back to work (sign up for a shift here). But this shift in the political winds has prompted an absolutely infuriating shift in commentary and I honestly can’t help myself.
Across the board, liberal pundits, journalists, and even activists have used this opportunity to admonish anyone who might be considering putting their economic interests before their political interests.
One of the political refrains I remember most from the first decade of the 2000s was people claiming to be “fiscally conservative but socially liberal.” Inevitably, I heard this most from people who would eventually vote Republican but wanted you to know that they didn’t have a problem with gay marriage and abortion rights. It’s an absurd claim for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that each one of these is an economic issue. Our tax system is set up to incentivize marriage, health insurance can only be shared amongst children and partners, and babies cost a hell of a lot of money to have and even more to raise. You cannot support policies you refuse to fund - and that includes “social” policies surrounding marriage and families.
Each one of the critiques above buys into this false choice between economic and social policy. Voters are not choosing between abortion rights and the economy. Abortion rights are part of the economy. Voters do not need to choose between queer rights and the economy. Queer rights are part of the economy. Voters do not need to choose between racial justice and the economy. Racial justice is fundamental to a just economy. The health of our democracy, the health of our planet, and the health of our bodies - these are all economic issues. And Democrats want to create an economy and a democracy that works for everyone. Not just the wealthy. Not just corporations.
This is not a problem we solve by lecturing people about not voting for election deniers. Instead we need to build on the anti-corruption policies, the economically just policies we’ve already started to put in place. We must undo the absurd constitutional precedent set by the Supreme Court that suggests that corporations are people. This ensures that protecting corporate profits is equivalent to ensuring that people have access to food and shelter in the eyes of the law, and much more valuable to politicians who get a share in those profits. We need to keep expanding Medicaid (which lowers crime) and improve access to prescription drugs (which Republicans want to repeal) to bring down health care costs. We need to punish and prevent price gouging at the gas pump (which every Republican voted against). We need to prevent Republicans from holding the global economy hostage so they can cut Social Security and Medicaid as they have already promised to do.
Telling people to stop worrying about the price of milk and start worrying about abortion elides the truth, which is that these things are inextricably linked. We should not ever go into an election or a conversation with the idea that we must somehow convince voters to vote against their own economic interests in the service of democracy or human rights. We should use every opportunity to remind ourselves and each other that a healthy democracy protects everyone’s futures, allows us all the space and resources to make the best decisions for ourselves and our families. We will never be able to talk people out of worrying about costs - of food, gas, childcare, or housing. The good news is we should never have to.
There are two weeks left until election day. That’s two weeks left to tell voters that they don’t have to choose between their budgets and their bodies. With every volunteer shift you have the opportunity to help us make progress on important economic issues, protect fundamental rights, and strengthen our democracy. All at the same time. Sign up here, or leave a comment on this post and I’ll help you figure something out.