Dem
47
GOP
53
Wyoming might be the reddest state in the nation. And, not coincidentally, it might have been the first state to impose a total ban on all abortion procedures, including abortifacient pills. But, at least for now, abortion is again permissible there, thanks to a ruling this week from Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens.
Owens has been handling a trio of cases involving The Cowboy State's abortion laws, as anti-choice forces argue that the bans are legal, and pro-choice forces argue that the laws violate women's rights under the state constitution. Owens' ruling, in which she sided with the latter faction, will be the last to come from her court, as it is final (as opposed to being an injunction).
Of course, her ruling is appealable to the Wyoming Supreme Court, and Gov. Mark Gordon (R-WY) said his administration plans to do just that. And ultimately, this fight is never going to end, not in Wyoming, not in the United States. This despite the fact that outlawing abortions in one state just compels women to go to another state, and outlawing them nationwide just leads to the rise of a back-alley illegal abortion industry. The U.S. learned a lesson with Prohibition, but not with this issue, it would seem. (Z)