LETTER: Legislators shirk duty to act on 19th-century abortion law

To Ozaukee Press:

Some have said that the overturning of Roe v. Wade is good, because now the decision has been returned to the people, to the states. In Wisconsin, this was way overdue, because the people who created our existing abortion law actually lived before the Civil War, when women had few legal rights and could not vote.

Gov. Evers asked the Legislature to hold a special session to consider a new abortion law. As they have done before when he has called on them to act on issues of importance to Wisconsinites, Republican legislators gaveled in and gaveled out of the special session in less than five minutes. It’s their way of showing their disrespect for Gov. Evers, but it’s also profoundly disrespectful to their employers—the people of Wisconsin.

They could have tried to find out what the people want. They could have allowed continued abortion access as they formed a committee, scheduled hearings, gotten testimony from doctors, clinics and citizens, and then crafted a new law that recognized the concerns of people on both sides of the argument.

They didn’t.

Our Republican legislators were, again, passive. They allowed the courts to set policy. Why? Because they don’t want their names to be connected to any issue that is controversial, whether it’s masks or policing or gun legislation or abortion.

Some people complain about activist judges, but our Legislature is counting on the courts to do their job for them. Shame on them.

Kate Redmond

Oostburg