If it is a day ending in “y”, then it must be time for me to write about Republican stupidity regarding abortion.

The most recent development was Tuesday, when Lindsey Graham unveiled his bill to ban abortion after 15 weeks, after saying over and over that the Dobbs decision returned the issue to the states. I guess allowing blue states to keep abortion legal didn’t sit well at central wingnut HQ so Lindsey trotted out this pile of lies with all the appropriately scary language to lay the groundwork to eventually ban abortion in every state.

On one hand, we all knew this was coming as soon as the Republicans started blathering that Dobbs was correct because it left abortion up to the states. On the other hand, who would have thought it would all be announced now because it makes no sense to do so.

It doesn’t make sense because we know that all across the nation women are registering to vote in significant numbers, and have been since Dobbs was decided:

We've now analyzed voter registration data from before and since Dobbs in 45 states. In all but 4 states, women have increased their share of new registrants, compared to before Dobbs. All four of those states that did not see an increase re automatic voter registration states.

— Tom Bonier (@tbonier) September 12, 2022

So are young people:

31 of the 45 states have also seen voters under the age of 25 account for a larger share of new registrants since Dobbs.

— Tom Bonier (@tbonier) September 12, 2022

And the increase in registrations cuts across racial lines, too:

Asian American voters were a key element of Dem successes in the 2020 elections. New registration data shows AAPI voters have continued to trend Dem since then. New AAPI registrants in '20 were +25 Dem. This year they are +28 Dem in party registration states. pic.twitter.com/9WTnftA2Z4

— Tom Bonier (@tbonier) September 9, 2022

Voters in Kansas overwhelmingly chose to keep abortion legal. Abortion rights are on the ballot in Michigan. Close Senate races in Ohio, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia will hinge on abortion rights. And Lindsey announces his ban. Why?

Well, there are a lot of Republican men who either honestly think or have convinced themselves that abortion isn’t on the ballot because it doesn’t top the list when voters are asked what their biggest issues are. I see it on the political forum I frequent, too—the insistence that because Biden is unpopular and inflation is high, the Democrats have no chance because no one actually cares about abortion.

The dismissal of issues involving women is obviously part of the sexism that is deeply rooted in our culture. Women’s issues aren’t real, and their concerns aren’t valid. Plus if women are angry it’s just that they’re emotional or hysterical. And this sexist disregard for actual women is doubled within the Republican ranks. Here’s a clip from Sunday’s “Meet the Press”:

EARLIER: @mattsgorman tells the panel abortion "is not in the top four of issues." @Yamiche and @clairecmc fiercely disagree.@Yamiche: "Abortion comes up 90% of the time" on the campaign trail.@clairecmc: It "infuriates women when they hear that." pic.twitter.com/jfBas1Dc6w

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) September 12, 2022

The surge in women registering to vote tells you abortion IS an issue. And it’s not a winning issue for the GOP, either. But somehow Lindsey doesn’t see it, hence his behavior Tuesday. And if you’re not sure how unconcerned Republicans are for actual women, Lindsey helpfully illustrated that point:

This whole exchange is worth watching.

A woman tells a personal story about her pregnancy complications at 16 weeks.

Lindsey Graham says there will be exceptions. The woman replies with the fact there are no exceptions in his bill. Graham responds by attacking Democrats. https://t.co/DvjwqE7PMp

— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) September 13, 2022

Another place where Republicans aren’t concerned about what women think is West Virginia, where I currently live. The legislature has been struggling with writing a bill to ban abortion and they finally dragged its noisome carcass over the finish line today, after clearing the galleries of all witnesses to their deplorable legislating. Like this:

House considering HR302, Sentiments of the House on passage of HB302, the abortion ban.
States: "Further Resolved, That the criminalization of abortion must be only the beginning of West Virginia’s post-Roe initiatives…"

— Phil Kabler (@PhilKabler) September 13, 2022

That doesn’t sound threatening at all, does it?

And then there was this:

Sen. Stephen Baldwin, D-Greenbrier, raises concern that Legislature had 40-some days to work with physicians on the abortion ban bill (HB302), but are preparing to vote on a new version that surfaced overnight without any feedback from MDs.

— Phil Kabler (@PhilKabler) September 13, 2022

See, there’s no need to consult doctors if your goal is to punish women for having sex.

Lindsey Graham made a huge mistake today—he turned individual state elections into a national referendum on abortion. As Josh Marshall put it:

Republicans leave the decision to the states. Unless a state protects abortion rights. In which case Republicans ban it for them.

It is critical at every stage — though I suspect most won’t need it pointed out — that this is a national ban. Even if it’s 15 weeks versus from the moment of conception, it is a national ban. So if you’re relying on your blue state politics making this someone else’s problem you’re out of luck. It’s coming for you. And it certainly won’t stop with a 15 week ban.

Tom Bonier put it this way:

Our analysis has shown that women are registering to vote at higher rates in states where abortion is most threatened.

Now that Senator Graham has weighed in on a national ban, that is officially everywhere. https://t.co/juEat4pbt3

— Tom Bonier (@tbonier) September 13, 2022

I’ll leave you with this (and I got to hear Oleta Adams sing this song with Tears for Fears—she’s tremendous and you should check her out):