Senator Lindsey Graham gifted the Biden administration with a news cycle diversion away from inflation by promoting a 15-week federal abortion ban Tuesday.
Graham’s bill is proposed as an alternative to Democrat legislation he says “would basically allow abortion up to the moment of birth.”
It bans abortions after 15 weeks while carving out exceptions for rape, incest, and pregnancies that threaten maternal health.
All well and good, but the legislation is destined to divide Republican senators, some of whom strongly believe abortion, while obviously a paramount moral issue, is constitutionally a matter for the states.
In fact, just a few weeks ago Graham alluded to the same stance saying, “I think states should decide the issue of abortion.”
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham has introduced a bill that would federally ban abortions at 15 weeks.
Graham had previously said the issue should be left to the states, before reversing his position with this legislation. https://t.co/5DXorXyWtB
— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) September 14, 2022
RELATED: Mitt Romney, Lindsey Graham Go After Donald Trump For Promising Pardons For January 6 Defendants
Lindsey Graham’s Abortion Move Helps Democrats
Lindsey Graham’s proposed abortion ban is one of the single more idiotic political moves I’ve seen in some time.
While the substance of the bill itself is fine, the calculation of announcing it yesterday while Democrats had to defend their economic incompetence all day due to the inflation report, is plain dumb.
How dumb? Even Jennifer Rubin recognizes what a gift Graham just handed Democrats.
someone at DNC needs to send Lindsey Graham a gift basket for making clear Rs are after a natl abortion ban.
— Jennifer “Pro-privacy” Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) September 13, 2022
Tuesday should have been a day when Democrats and the Biden administration were hammered repeatedly over reports that, despite an anticipated decrease from economists, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 8.3% from a year ago in August.
They should have been mocked relentlessly in the media for celebrating in the middle of a horrendous report.
And Republicans should have sat back and watched them squirm.
Instead, Graham tossed them a lifeline by giving the liberal media an excuse to ignore the Democrats.
So, Lindsey Graham, after being worthless on Russiagate & every other ‘gate,’ is posing as a hardcore conservative by proposing a 15-week abortion ban.
This is unnecessary moral preening in a divisive political environment. Let the states decide for now. This isn’t ‘helping.’
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) September 13, 2022
A Gift For The White House
Lindsey Graham’s abortion ban proposal was such an impressive gift to the White House it left some wondering if the South Carolina Republican was intentionally trying to tank his party in the midterms.
The left-leaning mainstream media couldn’t help but report on the assistance he had just provided to Democrats.
Politico set the scene over Graham’s 15-week abortion ban.
A higher-than-expected inflation report was threatening to black out President Joe Biden’s big celebration Tuesday of party-line legislation designed to bring down prices. The subsequent plunge of markets seemed to ensure a painful head-meets-wall day inside the White House.
And then, Sen. Lindsey Graham offered an unexpected soft landing.
Graham “steals GOP’s inflation thunder” reads a headline by The Hill. The Washington Post argued introducing the bill at a politically tender moment for Democrats “is not helping his party.”
It’s hard to argue otherwise.
Lindsey Graham is introducing a bill to ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks.
DEMS have the majority, so it won’t pass. DEMS are energized by the issue of abortion. Is he secretly trying to torpedo GOP election efforts prior to Midterms? ?
— ?? Lowkey Rey 2.0 ?? (@AtlRey) September 13, 2022
Most Republican lawmakers, recognizing what Graham was doing by introducing the bill, tried to run as far away from it as possible and shift the focus back on the economy.
Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), when asked if it was wise to talk abortion with the midterms less than two months away told Axios, “Nope! I think I’d be talking about inflation.”
Conservatives online ripped Graham for the proposal, mostly due to its timing and their platform that this is a state matter.
OMG Lindsey Graham is apparently determined to help the Democrats in the midterms. A national abortion ban is not a Republican issue it is not something we are calling for it is not something we are going to do. But he just gave Democrats what they need to fear monger. https://t.co/506ghz6aeZ
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) September 14, 2022
Hi @LindseyGrahamSC — Just like the Constitution does not empower the Supreme Court to mandate abortion access in every state, nor does it authorize Congress to outlaw it. An unconstitutional federal abortion ban only hurts the pro-life movement. https://t.co/IS2omZfXUc
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 13, 2022
They’re announcing a national abortion ban AND they’re making Lindsey Graham the face of it?!
Did a Democrat come up with this?
— Sam Youngman (@samyoungman) September 13, 2022
It all comes back to the phrase: “It’s the economy, stupid.”
And stupid here just gave Democrats a midterm wedge issue to run on.
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