25 Comments
User's avatar
Sharon Foster (CT)'s avatar

I understand it resulted in a pretty respectable voter turnout, too. Maybe every state should put abortion rights to a vote. Worded more plainly, of course.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

That would be a great start, wouldn't it?

Expand full comment
Mary Ann Dimand's avatar

My shy dream:

Might this conceivably be a first wiggle toward treating voting as a process focused on policy, instead of as a team sport fan cheer-off?

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Oh! That would be wonderful.

Expand full comment
Mary Ann Dimand's avatar

To dream the currently implausible dream--

to unshroud the inimical framing--

to bear with some irritable patience

and to plod, though the going is slow!

To expose what an institution is,

to build with some grace in our aims,

to embrace and thus make real community

and to reach one mind after another!

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Oh, well done!

Expand full comment
Jac's avatar

Thank goodness this went the right way!

I read the Catholic Churches and Dioceses contributed something north of $3.5 M. They should put their money toward something useful, like compensation for victims of their abuse! https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas/articles/2021-10-15/kbi-say-it-has-opened-122-clergy-sex-abuse-cases-in-kansas

They don't really value lives. They value control and self preservation. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2022/05/catholic-church-loses-bid-to-dismiss-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-in-kansas/

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

It's a strange thing to focus exclusively on fetuses. I will never understand that.

Expand full comment
Bill Katz's avatar

Scream Pro-Choice as loud as you can. That’s the issue that should become the tiger in the tank? I think so. How dare men tell women what that can and can’t do with their bodies. It truly comes down to that.

As a verse in my recent song goes:

Smog is in says the Court again.

Pro choice dead as a right they said.

Women lose and sing the blues.

And pay, additional dues.

Expand full comment
Paul Ashton's avatar

I had to change channels to get the news from the another network before I believed it. Apparently there’s republican women in Kansas that feel that men are not the boss of them. According to the talking heads last night some of them are technically pro-life but being pro-autonomy trumped that. It’s going to make for some interesting messaging challenges in the fall. We’ll see how many reps and senators try to delete federal ban references from their social media.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

I think the activists did an admirable job of framing this around freedom.

Expand full comment
B Keck's avatar

Even with the convoluted language of the ballot measure (which this English teacher would assign a grade of “F” for its deception and lack of clarity), the anti-abortion army overplayed its hand and didn’t stand a chance of winning.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

They certainly didn't, and a mean little part of my heart hopes that the convoluted language contributed to its downfall.

Expand full comment
Lynne DeLucia's avatar

Long live Kansas! The no-coalition did a terrific job getting the vote out during a primary. The results give me hope.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Same here.

Expand full comment
Lou's avatar

From what I have read on line, the vote to change the Kansas Constitution was defeated by a fair margin

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

It was a shellacking, as it should have been.

Expand full comment
Susan Graham-Handley's avatar

"A vote for the Value Them Both Amendment would affirm

there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to

require the government funding of abortion, and would

reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state

legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion."

"A vote against the Value Them Both Amendment would make

no changes to the constitution of the state of Kansas, and

could restrict the people, through their elected state

legislators, from regulating abortion by leaving in place the

recently recognized right to abortion"

Nothing like trying to sway voters. A vote FOR would "affirm" and "reserve...the right" A vote AGAINST would "restrict the people." What the ever loving F!

Expand full comment
Lola's avatar

Geez, that language is odd! So here’s an extra “God bless them,” to the organizers who helped educate the voters. Overall this seems hopeful!!

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Aug 3, 2022
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Melina Rudman's avatar

Me, too and me, too.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Aug 3, 2022
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Ava's avatar

^^^This!! They just openly attempted to influence a political decision. Anyone know what kind of standing is required to complain to the IRS about their tax exempt status?? And/or about the laws on property tax in Kansas?

Expand full comment
Carol M Robinson's avatar

Here! Here! And right on. And yes indeedy!!!!!

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

And all of the above!

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Yes, let’s!

Expand full comment