Okay, I misstated the exact number of years, which I have edited.
That said, I don't see what exactly your point is. I believe the Democrats made strategic errors for decades at a time if they actually cared about defending abortion rights. The fact that so many House Democrats were pro-life is only more evidence of that.
I think that abortion has been an issue that the Dems were happy they didn't have to touch with legislation on the federal level. Roe bailed them out. The Democratic coalition could be strongly pro-choice, but not have to hang their hat on a divisive law. And they didn't have to, until now. They had their cake and were eating it too, but the party's over.
It was 44 years, and for more than half of that 44 years, a large chunk of of them were pro life.
Roe v Wade was a 7-2 decision in which five of the seven justices were Republican appointees.
Even in Casey vs Planned Parenthood, decided in 1992, ALL FIVE justices in the 5-4 decision were Republican appointees.
It's almost like the 30 year transition of the south from Democratic to Republican took a while to manifest in the Supreme Court.
Okay, I misstated the exact number of years, which I have edited.
That said, I don't see what exactly your point is. I believe the Democrats made strategic errors for decades at a time if they actually cared about defending abortion rights. The fact that so many House Democrats were pro-life is only more evidence of that.
I think that abortion has been an issue that the Dems were happy they didn't have to touch with legislation on the federal level. Roe bailed them out. The Democratic coalition could be strongly pro-choice, but not have to hang their hat on a divisive law. And they didn't have to, until now. They had their cake and were eating it too, but the party's over.