Kansans Speak. Will Either Party Hear Them?

Red Kansas decisively rebuked theocrats yesterday by soundly defeating the first post-Roe anti-abortion ballot measure yesterday:

Both parties have become excellent cherry-pickers and poor defenders of individual rights. (Image by Roma Kaiuk, via Unsplash, license.)

While it was just one state, the heavy turnout for an August primary that typically favors Republicans was a major victory for abortion rights advocates. With most of the vote counted, they were prevailing by roughly 20 percentage points, with the turnout approaching what's typical for a fall election for governor.

The vote also provided a dash of hope for Democrats nationwide grasping for a game-changer during an election year otherwise filled with dark omens for their prospects in November. [bold added]

The story notes high turnout for an August election, indicating that Democrats showed up (despite tending not to in August in recent history) and stating outright that "tens of thousands of unaffiliated voters cast ballots."

The question I use in my title is partly rhetorical, as remarks by a campaigner for the meaure would indicate, and as I have suspected almost since the text of the draft Dobbs ruling was leaked: Republicans have been cherry-picking poll results to support their contention that most Americans oppose abortion -- and explaining away polling to the contrary -- the whole time.

This doesn't mean the Democrats are any less tone-deaf. The article, written by a mainstream journalist and as bolded above, practically cheerleads for the Democrats.

Yes, abortion may help Democrats a lot in November. That's a shame, because this is the party whose irrational energy policy could turn the lights out. We have already seen -- with Biden's resounding election victory squeaking through because Trump annoyed enough voters and subsequent far-left policies -- that the Democrats will use any victory as an excuse to try to foist its entire agenda on America.

Abortion might help them in November, but Most Americans support a woman's right to an abortion is not the same thing as Most Americans want to eat "the rich," "leave it in the ground," or start each and every conversation with their "pronouns" (i.e., sex and politics).

Likewise, Most Americans would like inexpensive gas, does not mean Most Americans want to ban abortion, Most Americans want the government to "take on" "big tech", or hand over tax money to fund schools that will preach religion to their children.

I am happy with the good news, but pessimistic about how much good it can do in the medium term when both major parties are so zeroed in on their respective anti-freedom, anti-American agendas.

-- CAV