“The Next Republican President Has a Plan to Ban Abortion Nationwide Without Congress,” blares the headline in Slate.

Mary Ziegler explains that some conservatives, notably at the Heritage Foundation, think that existing law forbids the mailing of abortion pills across state lines. And so, supposedly, “an abortion ban is on the ballot.”

Two problems here. First, Ziegler provides no evidence that Trump, DeSantis, or Haley intends to enforce this reading of the law or is even aware that anyone has floated it. That would seem to preclude any claim that the next Republican president “has a plan” to act on it.

Second, this reading of the law would not amount to banning abortion nationwide. Even if it prevailed in court, it would allow both surgical and chemical abortions to be performed legally in California, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and on and on. Ziegler doesn’t mention this obvious point, and the story implies otherwise.

If Slate wants an accurate headline, here’s one: “Next Republican President Could Try to Stop Abortion by Mail.” Doesn’t seem to have the zing it’s looking for, though.

QOSHE - Slate‘s Plan to Mislead Readers on Abortion - Ramesh Ponnuru
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Slate‘s Plan to Mislead Readers on Abortion

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18.11.2023

“The Next Republican President Has a Plan to Ban Abortion Nationwide Without Congress,” blares the headline in Slate.

Mary Ziegler explains that some conservatives, notably at the Heritage Foundation, think that existing law forbids the mailing of........

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