Trump's Abortion Pill Stance Refuses to Ban Mail Delivery of Abortion Drugs

[Social Media]

 

Former President Donald Trump recently clarified his stance on the federal regulation of abortion pills, and his position has ignited significant controversy among conservatives and anti-abortion activists. In an interview with CBS News, Trump declared that if re-elected, he would not use the 150-year-old Comstock Act to ban the mail delivery of abortion drugs, stating, “The federal government should have nothing to do with this issue.” This statement has been met with strong disapproval from many on the right, who view it as a betrayal of pro-life values.

 

Prominent conservatives have labeled Trump's remarks as "nonsensical" and "cowardly," expressing concerns that his position could weaken support and enthusiasm among right-leaning voters in the upcoming election. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, was particularly vocal, stating, “It is not a pro-life position, it’s not an acceptable position, and it does not provide the contrast on this issue to the degree that we have had in the past between him and Kamala Harris. What President Trump is doing is suppressing his own support.”

 

Trump's relationship with anti-abortion advocates has been complex, despite his role in appointing Supreme Court justices who played a pivotal part in overturning Roe v. Wade. This latest clash over his refusal to endorse a national abortion ban, along with his efforts to soften certain aspects of the GOP platform, has sparked further outrage from conservatives, including his former vice president, Mike Pence.

 

The Trump campaign has yet to respond to the backlash. Meanwhile, abortion opponents have been exploring various legislative and legal strategies to restrict access to abortion pills, with many focusing on the Comstock Act as a potential tool. This law, originating from the 1870s and named after an official who opposed various forms of vice, prohibits the mailing of any "lewd or lascivious material," which includes any substance or instrument that could be used for an abortion. Some conservatives view the Comstock Act as a means of curtailing the distribution of abortion pills without the need for congressional approval.

 

In 2023, Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, joined other members of Congress in urging the Justice Department to utilize the Comstock Act to prosecute those involved in the "reckless distribution of abortion drugs by mail." However, Trump's recent rejection of the Comstock approach has been perceived as hypocritical by many anti-abortion activists. They argue that his stance effectively endorses the actions of doctors and advocacy groups who mail abortion pills into states where they are banned, further complicating the legal landscape.

 

Kristi Hamrick, chief policy strategist with Students for Life of America, criticized Trump's position, stating, “President Trump keeps saying that he wants to be out of the federal business of abortion. So, number one, stop funding it. And, two, end the federal prejudice in favor of this distribution.” Hamrick also warned that Trump's Comstock stance could undermine the GOP's reputation as the party of law and order, emphasizing, “We can’t ignore the rule of law and pick and choose the laws that we want to enforce.”

 

Although the Comstock Act remains on the books, its scope has been significantly narrowed over the years. Lawmakers and judges have limited its application, and in 2022, the Biden administration issued a legal memo arguing that the law does not prohibit the mail delivery of abortion medication unless the sender intends for it to be used illegally. Despite efforts by Democrats in Congress to repeal the law, it continues to be a point of contention in the ongoing debate over abortion access.

 

This is not the first time Trump has clashed with anti-abortion groups since leaving office. He has previously rejected calls for federal restrictions on abortion, blamed anti-abortion activists for electoral losses in 2022 and 2023, and led efforts to modify certain anti-abortion elements of the GOP platform. His recent comments have only deepened the rift between Trump and the anti-abortion movement.

 

Conservatives were also frustrated by Trump's characterization of a recent Supreme Court ruling on abortion pills. The Court declined to roll back access to the pills but did not address the merits of the case, instead sending it back to lower courts for further consideration. Trump’s assertion that abortion pills are "going to be available" and that the Supreme Court had effectively endorsed this status quo further alienated his pro-life base.

 

Lila Rose, founder of the anti-abortion group Live Action, expressed her disappointment with Trump's stance, saying, “Unfortunately, it seems like Trump doesn’t care about the pro-life base anymore. He came out recently and said that he supported access to these deadly abortion drugs, and that is horrific.”

 

While many abortion opponents remain pessimistic about their chances of changing Trump’s mind, some activists are continuing to apply pressure. Students for Life has sent open letters to Trump and is engaging in "a lot of backdoor conversations" with his team. Rose, meanwhile, is lobbying Trump and other candidates to take a stronger pro-life stance, warning that failure to do so could cost them the election. “When Trump is publicly compromising, it’s deeply discouraging to pro-life and pro-family voters, and I think that he’s putting his own election in jeopardy,” Rose said. “Quite frankly, this is a losing strategy.”

 

As the debate over abortion continues to evolve, Trump's latest remarks have only intensified the divisions within the conservative movement. The coming months will reveal whether these internal conflicts will have a lasting impact on the GOP’s electoral prospects and the broader fight over abortion rights in the United States.

 

Credit: Politico  2024-08-22

 

 

 

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[gargamon]

More lies from Trump. Just another day.

[Thingamabob]

Abortion is a tough subject. Many years ago my first wife and I agreed that she should terminate her third pregnancy for reasons concerning her physical and mental health. That decision has troubled us both, now in old age, ever since.

[gargamon]

9 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Abortion is a tough subject. Many years ago my first wife and I agreed that she should terminate her third pregnancy for reasons concerning her physical and mental health. That decision has troubled us both, now in old age, ever since.

At least it was your choice. 

[Skeptic7]

7 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Abortion is a tough subject. Many years ago my first wife and I agreed that she should terminate her third pregnancy for reasons concerning her physical and mental health. That decision has troubled us both, now in old age, ever since.

Get over it. You made the right decision. And most importantly, y'all didn't kill a person or a child...just a zygote or embryo or fetus...none of which are any more "human" at those stages than a gallbladder or spleen or appendix. 

[animalmagic]

2 hours ago, gargamon said:

More lies from Trump. Just another day.

or just a desperate ploy to try and win back some female voters?

[gargamon]

2 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

or just a desperate ploy to try and win back some female voters?

Same same.

[Tug]

3 hours ago, animalmagic said:

or just a desperate ploy to try and win back some female voters?

BINGO!!!

[Eric Loh]

His usual flip-flopping from saying he is "very pro choice" in 1999 to stating that there must be punishment for abortion in 2016 and now this latest flip-flop. This man can't be taken serious in every thing he say. Trump lack character in so many ways. Just him as the nominated Presidential candidate for the Rep Party is wrong and very disturbing for the country and the world. 

[rudi49jr]

Anyone want to bet he’s going to do a 180 on this once he gets elected? His word means absolutely nothing, zero, zilch, bupkiss.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, rudi49jr said:

Anyone want to bet he’s going to do a 180 on this once he gets elected? His word means absolutely nothing, zero, zilch, bupkiss.

As you may recall, one of the proposals he campaigned on in  2016 was to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices with Big Pharma. He dropped that after the election and before he took office.

[newnative]

      For those of you not keeping track, that was lie # 300,159,754,286.   Fun fact:  that is more lies than McDonald's has served hamburgers, Trump's food of choice.   

[placeholder]

I decided to listen to the interview, and, not surprisingly, it isn't at all clear what Trump's intentions are.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-says-hell-accept-election-if-results-are-fair-and-free/

When first asked about whether he plans to enforce the Comstock act he said " We will be discussing specifics of it but generally speaking no". Then he went on to say he wouldn't enforce it. So who knows? He's obviously left himself some wiggle room  [Start at about 5:50 into the recording to hear this.] Though even an ironclad promise wouldn't deter him from reversing himself.

 

He also got the Supreme Court decision about using Mifepristone. Contrary to what Trump claims in the interview, the court didn't decide whether the FDA had the authority to  authorize it to be remotely prescribed for and sent by mail. The court simply ruled that the plaintiffs had no standing. So, in the future it could be an issue. And given the extremism of the right wing members of this court, it's not at all unlikely that they would vote to bar such use.

 

He also managed to share with us his delusional side when he repeatedly claimed that most people, Republicans and Democrats wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Democrats and Republicans, everybody wanted to do this for 52 years." [Start at about 5:00 to hear this claim for the first time in the interview.]