DeepSummary
The episode discusses the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court indicating the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade. The hosts criticize the Democrats for failing to codify abortion rights into law despite having opportunities to do so, accusing them of using the issue for political gain rather than resolving it. They argue that overturning Roe is an attack on the working class, particularly women, and that the ruling class will be unaffected.
The hosts suggest that tactics like protests and voting may be ineffective, and that making the ruling class uncomfortable through more disruptive actions is necessary to create real pressure. They caution against individual adventurism and emphasize the need for mass organization, but also argue that some direct action could rally support for more militant tactics.
The hosts reject the idea that overturning Roe is driven by a need for more workers, calling it a simplistic economic explanation that fails to account for the role of patriarchal ideology under capitalism. They argue that this decision emerges from the oppression of women inherent to class society and capitalism.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The leaked Supreme Court draft indicating potential overturning of Roe v. Wade is an attack on working-class women rooted in capitalist patriarchal ideology.
- The Democratic party has failed to codify abortion rights into law despite opportunities, using the issue cynically for political gain rather than resolving it.
- Conventional protest tactics like demonstrations and voting may be ineffective; disruptive actions making the ruling class uncomfortable are necessary for real pressure.
- Mass grassroots mobilization is needed in response, not just reliance on Democratic party politics.
- Simplistic economic explanations for overturning Roe based on worker shortages are rejected as failing to account for the role of ideology under capitalism.
- Some direct action, though not advocated, could help rally support for more militant tactics against this ruling.
- The Supreme Court's ruling is an undemocratic, violent attack on half the population by an unelected, unaccountable institution.
- Individualistic adventurism should be avoided, but protests creating discomfort for the ruling class are praised.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “For them, being able to kick the can down the road and rally, you know, voters around, we need to protect abortion while never actually codifying it into law is a strategy that they've leaned into in order to garner votes, because the Democrats, as the cynical fucking mainstream politicians that they are, don't really give a shit about abortion.“ by Allison
- “The pressure has nothing to do with, like, a protest or signing a petition or voting for democrats next election. The actual shit that works is making these rich, elite motherfuckers used to having a life of extreme comfort, have a life of extreme daily discomfort.“ by Brett
- “Given that, I think we can say that this attack on abortion, this attack on access to reproductive health, is not motivated by some crass economic explanation, but is motivated by an ideology of patriarchy and of essentially hatred for women that is based on keeping women repressed and oppressed in various ways and exploited in various ways as well.“ by Allison
- “What we need is actual grassroot mobilization, not democratic party politics, in response to this.“ by Allison
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Episode Information
Revolutionary Left Radio
Revolutionary Left Radio
6/24/22
The Supreme Court is an anti-democratic, hyper-reactionary institution, totally free from any semblence of accountability. It is nothing more than another arm of the far-right movement in this godforsaken, shithole country.
In this month old episode, Alyson and Breht discuss the Supreme Court and the implications of Roe's dismantling.