Republican state lawmakers on Thursday decided they were not going to allow Ohio voters, who had just passed a ballot measure (Issue 1) enshrining the right to abortion in the state constitution by a 56.6 to 43.4 margin, to implement that measure. Claiming without any evidence that “Foreign Billionaires Don't Get to Make Ohio Laws,” Ohio GOP lawmakers announced plans to introduce several bills to override this ballot measure in the coming weeks. Then, to seal the deal, Republicans declared, “To prevent mischief by ‘pro-abortion courts’ with Issue 1,” the Ohio Republican legislature “will make modifications to existing laws,” which would include removing jurisdiction on this issue from the judiciary and give it to the Republican legislature, basically removing voters and the courts from having any say on the issue whatsoever.
Why, if I didn’t know better, I’d almost think Republicans are justifying canceling Ohio voters’ choices by simply making some bogus claim about “foreign billionaires being behind Ohio’s pro-abortion vote.” Of course, as we all know, when Republicans say “foreign billionaire,” they actually mean “George Soros.” And when they say “George Soros,” they really mean “The Jews.” That’s because “foreign billionaires” is what they have to say - when they really want to say “The Jews,” but they know they can’t say - “The Jews.”
The thing is, you can forget the foreign billionaires. If Ohio Republicans get their way, “it’ll be the Ohio voters who won’t get to make Ohio laws.” The fact is, Republicans see elections as nothing more than a “ceremonial activity.” Oh sure, they’re OK with you deciding if an intersection should get a stop sign, but other than that, they believe only “Republican billionaires" should have a say in those laws that really count. Not ordinary citizens, and especially not women or people of color. We might get selfish and put our own and our families' interests before those of the corporations and their stockholders.
And while we’re on the topic of foreign billionaires, funny how Republicans seem to have somehow forgotten how much influence their favorite “foreign billionaires and oligarchs,” such as Vladimir Putin and Rupert Murdoch, have had on GOP policymaking. Not to mention how dependent their “Orange Master” and his crime family have been on foreign money, just to keep afloat financially.
Despite all their attacks on America’s institutions and democracy itself, Republicans still swear they are the party of “Law and Order.” Sure they are, just as long as its THEIR LAWS and THEIR ORDERS. Otherwise, as Tony Soprano might have put it, “Forget about it!? Of course, Ohio Republicans will claim they “listen to voters.” Sure, they do. But if they don’t like what they hear, they’ll pull any shenanigan necessary to undermine what they “heard.”
What’s important to remember here is how big Republicans are on “state’s rights.” That is until a state passes a bill of which Republicans don’t approve. Then, not so much! Their state slogans should be something like, “Ohio, Florida, and Texas - where democracy goes to die.” Its pretty obvious Republicans see elections as nothing more than “ceremonial activities.” It all boils down to this, “Republican politicians don't want to govern - they want to rule,” and - there is a difference.
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