Presenting the #VOTEPROCHOICE 2019 Strategy

Three months into 2019, the radical anti-choice minority has accelerated its extreme legislative and propaganda machine in every corner of the country. This radicalized movement relies on a well-funded infrastructure established over decades that uses online and offline tools to bully, threaten and harass people. They are hellbent on stigmatizing abortion, and generating shame and fear. The end goal is to overturn Roe v Wade while also keeping the antichoice base activated and ready to re-elect Trump in 2020. The threat is real and it’s getting worse. That’s why #VOTEPROCHOICE is launching an updated 2019 Strategy —because we cannot allow this radical anti-choice minority to gain any more ground.

We can and must elect prochoice champions in every election, everywhere. Because here’s the truth — over 80% of Americans think Roe v Wade should NOT be overturned. 72% of American voters believe that abortion should be safe, legal, affordable, accessible and respectful.

We are a prochoice nation. Period.

#VOTEPROCHOICE, a project of Democrats.com LLC, was founded in March 2016 to elevate the nation’s prochoice majority in the 2016 election. #VOTEPROCHOICE is based on the principle that when the nation’s prochoice majority understands the threat to reproductive freedom, they will #VOTEPROCHOICE in every election.

#VOTEPROCHOICE overall strategy uses three tactics:

Elect prochoice champion candidates where reproductive freedom is the most at stake,

prochoice champion candidates where reproductive freedom is the most at stake, Build the nation’s most extensive, most comprehensive, progressive digital voter guide to help voters #VOTEPROCHOICE all the way down the ballot, and

to help voters #VOTEPROCHOICE all the way down the ballot, and Partner with the entire reproductive health, rights and justice movement as well as the entire progressive movement to protect reproductive freedom everywhere.

Here’s what’s in store for #VOTEPROCHOICE in 2019.

THE BAD NEWS

We’re going to be honest with you — we have a legitimate CODE RED status for reproductive freedom. Many people in this country are facing the reality of a “forced birth” nation right now, and it’s getting worse.

SCOTUS = NOT OUR FRIEND

We all knew that reproductive freedom was fundamentally at stake with Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the United States Supreme Court. That’s why #VOTEPROCHOICE joined the #StopKavanaugh coalition in September 2018 to fight like hell against the nomination. Unfortunately, our worst nightmare is coming true.

There are currently 20 abortion cases in the pipeline to the Supreme Court. The Court has stopped choosing cases for 2019, so a total overturn of Roe v Wade will not likely happen until June 2020. The cases in the pipeline will continue to chip away at abortion access this year, as lower courts are increasingly emboldened to support restrictions throughout the country.

The Louisiana Abortion Ban Decision: The February 7 Supreme Court decision blocking Louisiana’s unconstitutional abortion ban was NOT good news. Brett Kavanaugh, precisely as predicted, wrote an elaborate dissent outlining his clear desire to overturn Roe v Wade. Chief Justice John Roberts appeared to join the mainstream Justices blocking the law. However, his brief provided an outline for what he wants to see in future cases. Do not bet on Roberts to protect our reproductive freedom.

TRUMP’S ADMINISTRATIVE ASSAULT: DESTROYING TITLE X

On March 9, the Trump administration issued a devastating anti-choice “gag rule” for medical clinics receiving Title X federal funding. Essentially, health care practitioners must blatantly lie to their pregnant patients, omitting abortion as an option in their care to keep federal funding. The “gag rule” will have a devastating effect on community health care clinics like Planned Parenthood, with particularly terrifying consequences for low-income people of color and transgender patients who depend on these clinics.

THE ANTI-CHOICE PROPAGANDA MACHINE

In November, the 2018 midterms swept a powerful wave of prochoice champions into public office, soundly defeating anti-choice candidates all over the country. People like Minnesota Rep. Ilham Omar or Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids. Colorado State Rep. Faith Winter and Rep. Brianna Titone. We even elected prochoice champions in Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas. Now, seeing the writing on the wall, the anti-choice minority is trying everything it can to desperately maintain power — propelling radical, graphic rhetoric into high-gear. The propaganda is shaming and confusing people with heinous misconceptions about abortion or proposed legislation that criminalizes people who miscarry. This nonsense is being piped into all channels at full volume, with Donald Trump, the Propagandist-In-Chief, tweeting that Democrats want to “execute babies,” and spreading lies about later abortions in his State Of The Union.

Unfortunately, these graphic lies are spreading quickly and their misinformation campaign is working.

Some quick tips: 1) “Later abortion” is not a medical term. Do not be shamed or coerced into an online or offline conversation about a procedure that isn’t real. 90% of abortions happen before 12 weeks. Anything in the third trimester is either miscarriage management, fetal anomaly or a stillbirth when we should be respecting and supporting families, not shaming.

2) Use the term “antichoice” or “forced birth” instead of “prolife.” Let’s be real.

For more information about how to combat the anti-choice propaganda machine, visit our friends at Guttmacher Institute, National Institute for Reproductive Health, and the Center For Reproductive Rights. The facts are on our side. Have honest, authentic conversations online and offline. Tell your story and normalize abortion using hashtags like #ShoutYourAbortion and #OneInFour. Sign up for @HelloThePill for up-to-date info.

ANTI-CHOICE STATE LAW AVALANCHE

Since Trump was elected, anti-choice laws are churning out of the conservative legislative machine at a mind-blowing rate. Here’s what we’re seeing:

In the first months of 2019, over 250 anti-choice bills have been filed in 41 states and it keeps growing every day,

and it keeps growing every day, At least ten states are pushing fetal heartbeat bans in 2019 , attempting to ban abortion before most people even know they’re pregnant. Six have already passed, and Georgia’s Governor could sign their “heartbeat bill” as soon as today (4/1/19).

, attempting to ban abortion before most people even know they’re pregnant. Six have already passed, and Georgia’s Governor could sign their “heartbeat bill” as soon as today (4/1/19). Five states now have “trigger bans” that will automatically outlaw abortion when Roe v. Wade is overturned: Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Arkansas added theirs last week. Similar bans are being considered in eight states right now.

What this means is that 77% of women in the US do not live in a state supportive of their reproductive freedom. On average, 90% of counties in the US have no access to abortion, with some states as high as 99%.

The overly funded anti-choice minority spent the last 20+ years and millions of dollars focused on state legislatures — electing anti-choice politicians and passing hundreds of restrictive anti-choice bills. Frankly, they’ve been incredibly successful. Control over our bodies is being taken away by elected officials at every level of government. There are thousands of stories like this:

Lack of access is already a reality for millions of people in our country. Local. Races. Matter. Local elections have critical impact on our reproductive freedom. That’s why we have to #VOTEPROCHOICE all the way down the ballot.

THE GOOD NEWS

While the situation is dire, there is some good news. First, we must always, always remember that WE ARE A PROCHOICE NATION.

People in this country understand that reproductive freedom is FREEDOM — economic freedom, religious freedom and freedom of self-determination.

All the 2018 election victories at every level of government clearly showed us that prochoice voters are ignited, engaged and ready to act. Never forget that we are the majority. We must not let them win.

PROCHOICE LAWS IN STATE LEGISLATURES

In the first three months of 2019, state and local prochoice champions have been working hard to protect our freedom. Proactive policies are key to protecting freedom and prochoice champions lead the way.

#VOTEPROCHOICE endorsed candidates throughout the country introduced proactive prochoice legislation in state houses in Vermont, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, and Virginia.

Newly elected prochoice champions in the New York Senate finally passed the Reproductive Health Act and the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act after a decade of political inaction.

21 states have filed a lawsuit against Trump’s Title X “gag rule”

We have all the power we need to protect reproductive freedom everywhere just like this — but only if we #VOTEPROCHOICE in every election, for every office. This is exactly why #VOTEPROCHOICE exists.