Abortion would be best governed by legislatures, says O. Carter Snead
The law professor says such a change would bring America into line with many other countries
THE SUPREME COURT may very well be on the cusp of overturning Roe v Wade, the judicial precedent that declared a fundamental unwritten constitutional right to abortion in 1973. Such a move by the court would return the matter of abortion to the political branches of government. For the first time in nearly 50 years, we in America are poised to rejoin our friends and neighbours around the world who live in the supermajority of nations that govern themselves on the vexed issue of abortion through the deliberative democratic process rather than via the fiat of unelected judges. To do so wisely, justly and humanely will require the practice of civility, charity and honesty.
This article appeared in the By Invitation section of the print edition under the headline “Abortion would be best governed by legislatures, says O. Carter Snead”
From the June 25th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from By Invitation
Peter Sands of the Global Fund on the pandemic’s positive legacies
New vaccines got most of the attention but there’s a lot more to celebrate
Trumpism is becoming more pragmatic, argues Reihan Salam
But not all of the incoming president’s backers buy it
Time is not on Russia’s side, argues Finland’s foreign minister
Elina Valtonen calls for a lower oil-price cap and tougher measures against Russia’s shadow fleet
Oriana Skylar Mastro makes a case for paring America’s nukes
The political scientist explains why beefing up is bad China strategy
A new Iranian approach to regional security and prosperity, by M. Javad Zarif
Iran’s vice-president on how his country can make the region more secure and prosperous
The EU must be bolder and faster in enlarging, writes Nicu Popescu
A former foreign minister of Moldova on the means and the dividends of speedier accession