TDD #1: Welcome to The Dobbs Digest!
A Newsletter from Confessions of a Truthaholic
The Dobbs Digest is newsletter providing periodic legal and political developments in abortion in American post the Dobbs v. Jackson, the case that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Some preliminaries ....
The Dobbs Digest does not replace my podcast I Am Roe, Hear Me Roar! but, hopefully, will enhance it, as the newsletter format is a more efficient vehicle for highlighting and addressing issues in real time.
All of the information I’ll be providing is publicly available. But, in my experience, knowing where to find it and then discerning its meaning within the broader context of abortion is more of a challenge, even for those of us who eat, drink, and sleep in this space. My aim is simply to make information more accessible and meaningful.
Here is what you can expect from The Dobbs Digest ...
Explanations of legal and related political actions from the federal government. This includes Executive Orders and law-making activities in Congress, including codification efforts.
Explanations of each state’s laws pre-Dobbs and post-Dobbs. Since there are 50 states, this will take time, of course. I’ll start with states with trigger laws and then go from there, in no particular order. It's important to know what actually changed, not just what we think changed.
Analysis and commentary on “Rights After Roe.” As an avid student of abortion law and history, I’m happy to share my thoughts about where things go from here based on what’s worked and not worked in the past. The historical record tells the story - we are wise to learn from it.
Answers to your questions. I receive numerous questions in comments in social media posts and DMs. In cases where I’m equipped to answer them, or at least provide some legal or historical context, and I think the information will be useful to a wider audience, I’ll drop those answers here in the newsletter.
Finally, the truth. The pro-life and pro-choice movements have been masterful at moments and stunningly unwise at others. Each side has a public face, and each has a dirty underbelly, all of which requires fair examination. I have no agenda for promoting or defending one position over another - I’m just following the facts as they happened and are happening. It is what it is and there’s no benefit in sugar coating.
Our next steps ....
Make no mistake, this is a wicked war legally, politically, and culturally, and the sooner we agree on a shared reality of where we are, the faster we can agree on where we should be, and chart a course to get there.
This will take time, patience, and empathy, from both sides.
There are many areas in the reproductive space where there is broad agreement and those should be settled quickly. Currently, areas of agreement are being upheld and used for political leverage (by both sides) and it’s helping no one, but politicians.
It’s become a very dirty game.
Whether our current political leadership - on both sides - has the courage or ability to put the people first remains to be seen.
See you in TDD #1.
November 20, 2022