Iowa Republicans are caucusing Monday to decide their state’s GOP presidential nominee, officially kick-starting the 2024 election.

Iowa Caucus 2024: Litmus test for GOP candidates

Already tilted to the right by President Donald Trump's nominations, the US Supreme Court is facing a test case on abortion rights, one of the most polarizing issues in an already divided nation. &nbsp;

A clinic and two doctors offering abortions in Louisiana have appealed to the Supreme Court to block a law restricting access to abortion that is due to come into force next week in the conservative southern state.

The law, approved in 2014, would require doctors offering abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of where they operate.

Louisiana argues that the risks of complications arising during an abortion procedure mean that patients may need to be transferred to a nearby hospital where doctors could step in.

That argument was endorsed by a state appeals court and the law will come into effect on Monday unless challenged by the Supreme Court.

A similar law limiting abortion access in Texas was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2016.

But since Trump came to office two years ago, he has appointed two new conservative justices, tilting the balance of the court sharply to the right.

A decision not to take up the case would encourage the American right-wing and evangelical movement to step up challenges to longstanding abortion laws.&nbsp;

The plaintiffs in the Louisiana case argue the new law "will have disastrous consequences for women in the state," where 10,000 women seek abortions every year.

"Louisiana’s admitting privileges requirement would leave only one physician providing abortions in the entire state and that all-but-one clinic that provides abortion care would be forced to close," they said.

They said the Texas law, adopted in 2013, led to the closure of half of the services offering abortions in the state, before being overturned by the Supreme Court three years later.&nbsp;

All eyes on new judges

Despite being a twice-divorced former casino mogul, Trump won over the powerful evangelical right by promising to appoint judges opposed to abortion rights.

Once in office, he made good on his pledge by nominating Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, tipping the balance of the court to five conservative justices and just four liberals.

Both men stressed the importance of legal precedent in their confirmation hearings, but anti-abortion activists saw their appointments as a chance to assail the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling allowing abortion, known as Roe v Wade.

The Louisiana case will prove a key stress test for that ruling.

If either one of the new appointees' sides with the progressives, the top court can freeze the Louisiana law.

Otherwise, the court will not intercede and the law will go into effect.

Defenders of women's right to abortion fear that silence from the court will encourage other states to follow Louisiana's lead.

'1,000 cuts '

A 57-per cent majority of Americans back women's right to seek abortions, but the hot-button issue cuts deeply along political and religious lines, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.&nbsp;

Some 59 per cent of Republicans and 61 per cent of evangelicals say that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.&nbsp;

Since Roe v&nbsp;Wade came into effect, states have sought ways to restrict access, trying to impose delays and threatening non-reimbursement of costs to patients. &nbsp;

That has led to huge regional disparities in the availability of abortions, with more than 500 centres offering them in California and only four in Kansas, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

The Guttmacher Institute said the "changing composition of the Supreme Court has heightened the risks" of restrictions on access to abortions.

"Anti-abortion politicians are hoping that the Supreme Court will stand by and let them legislate abortion out of reach — without the court ever having to reverse Roe v. Wade," said Nancy Northup, head of the Center for Reproductive Rights.

"That would be death to Roe by a thousand cuts," she said in an opinion piece in the New York Times.

Already tilted to the right by President Donald Trump's nominations, the US Supreme Court is facing a test case on abortion rights, one of the most polarizing issues in an already divided nation.

Already tilted to the right by President Donald Trump's nominations, the US Supreme Court is facing a test case on abortion rights, one of the most polarizing issues in an already divided nation. A clinic and two doctors offering abortions in Louisiana have appealed to the Supreme Court to block a law restricting access to abortion that is due to come into force next week in the conservative southern state. The law, approved in 2014, would require doctors offering abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of where they operate. Louisiana argues that the risks of complications arising during an abortion procedure mean that patients may need to be transferred to a nearby hospital where doctors could step in. That argument was endorsed by a state appeals court and the law will come into effect on Monday unless challenged by the Supreme Court. A similar law limiting abortion access in Texas was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2016. But since Trump came to office two years ago, he has appointed two new conservative justices, tilting the balance of the court sharply to the right. A decision not to take up the case would encourage the American right-wing and evangelical movement to step up challenges to longstanding abortion laws. The plaintiffs in the Louisiana case argue the new law "will have disastrous consequences for women in the state," where 10,000 women seek abortions every year. "Louisiana’s admitting privileges requirement would leave only one physician providing abortions in the entire state and that all-but-one clinic that provides abortion care would be forced to close," they said. They said the Texas law, adopted in 2013, led to the closure of half of the services offering abortions in the state, before being overturned by the Supreme Court three years later. All eyes on new judges Despite being a twice-divorced former casino mogul, Trump won over the powerful evangelical right by promising to appoint judges opposed to abortion rights. Once in office, he made good on his pledge by nominating Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, tipping the balance of the court to five conservative justices and just four liberals. Both men stressed the importance of legal precedent in their confirmation hearings, but anti-abortion activists saw their appointments as a chance to assail the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling allowing abortion, known as Roe v Wade. The Louisiana case will prove a key stress test for that ruling. If either one of the new appointees' sides with the progressives, the top court can freeze the Louisiana law. Otherwise, the court will not intercede and the law will go into effect. Defenders of women's right to abortion fear that silence from the court will encourage other states to follow Louisiana's lead. '1,000 cuts ' A 57-per cent majority of Americans back women's right to seek abortions, but the hot-button issue cuts deeply along political and religious lines, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. Some 59 per cent of Republicans and 61 per cent of evangelicals say that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. Since Roe v Wade came into effect, states have sought ways to restrict access, trying to impose delays and threatening non-reimbursement of costs to patients. That has led to huge regional disparities in the availability of abortions, with more than 500 centres offering them in California and only four in Kansas, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The Guttmacher Institute said the "changing composition of the Supreme Court has heightened the risks" of restrictions on access to abortions. "Anti-abortion politicians are hoping that the Supreme Court will stand by and let them legislate abortion out of reach — without the court ever having to reverse Roe v. Wade," said Nancy Northup, head of the Center for Reproductive Rights. "That would be death to Roe by a thousand cuts," she said in an opinion piece in the New York Times.

US top court facing litmus test on abortion

The stakes seem to be high for the ruling Trinamool Congress in the upcoming West Bengal panchayat polls, as the party leadership feels that gaining a foothold in national politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha election is incumbent on winning the rural heartland. According to senior TMC leaders, the party’s objective to play a major role at the national level can only be successful if it manages to bag the maximum share out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.&nbsp

“If we want to win maximum number of seats in Lok Sabha polls, then we have to ensure that we put up a good show in the upcoming rural polls, so that we are ahead of our rivals,” said a senior TMC leader. With nearly 40 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state being located in villages and semi-urban areas administered by panchayats, an absolute control of the rural bodies is a must for political parties to have an upper hand on rivals in next year’s Lok Sabha polls, feel senior TMC leaders.

“Steering the state from 2011, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government has established its credentials on the twin foundation of development and diversity. “People will endorse this in the upcoming panchayat elections. Yes, the journey to Delhi originates in the rural heartland of Bengal,” Derek O’Brien, TMC parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha, told PTI. Brien’s views were echoed by his party colleague Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who is of the view that the panchayat polls will be the most important election ahead of Lok Sabha polls. “Panchayat elections resonates the views of the grass-roots and the masses. In villages, people are dependent on their gram panchayats … The activities of elected representatives at panchayats and zilla parishads come as a added benefit for the political parties he or she represents,” Bandyopadhyay told PTI. The elections will be held across 48,650 seats in 3,358 gram panchayats, 9,217 seats at 341 panchayat samitis, and 825 seats at 20 zilla parishads.

Another senior TMC leader came up with an analogy on how results of panchayat polls directly influence the Lok Sabha election in Bengal. “Our victory in South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore zilla parishads in the 2008 panchayat polls had led to the party winning 19 seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. The stellar performance in 2013 panchayat polls, when it won the maximum number of zilla parishads, also led TMC to bag 34 Lok Sabha seats in 2014,” he explained. However, he admitted that despite winning so many seats, the party could not have a major role after the 2014 elections, as the BJP managed full majority. “But this time, things will be different from 2014 and TMC will play a defining role after 2019,” the TMC leader said. The TMC leadership has time and again emphasised that it will play a major role on the national level, after next year’s Lok Sabha polls. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had last month said she would try to unite all the anti-BJP forces to defeat the saffron party in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

The TMC top brass had also met several leaders of various Opposition parties, including UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and TRS chief K C Rao, aiming to cobble up a formidable front against the BJP. Opposition parties cutting across political lines feel that the TMC’s urge to prove its mettle in the panchayat elections in order to find firm footing in the Lok Sabha polls next year, has led to unprecedented violence over filing of nominations for the rural polls. The TMC has denied all such accusations. Displeased with the State Election Commission’s recent decision to cancel its own order to extend the nomination process by a day, the Calcutta High Court had on April 12 put a stay on the ongoing panchayat election process till further instruction. “Because of their ambition to play a major role and to send out a message that TMC is invincible in Bengal so that they be allowed to lead the anti-BJP front, they are looking to win the panchayat polls without any opposition,” state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.

Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy, who was once number two in the TMC and been instrumental in its performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, feels TMC’s wish to be a major national force will never be fulfilled as the BJP will “decimate” the ruling party in Bengal in the next Lok Sabha election. “The people of Bengal are yearning for a change and BJP will bring that change,” Roy said. State Panchayat Minister and TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee said the party will win the panchayat polls and that it cannot take the onus of failure to file nominations. “How can we take the onus of opposition not being able to file nominations? We can’t provide them with man power to file nominations. The people of Bengal are with TMC. I won’t comment any further as the matter is sub judice,” Mukherjee added.

The stakes seem to be high for the ruling Trinamool Congress in the upcoming West Bengal panchayat polls, as the party leadership feels that gaining a foothold in national politics after the 2019 election is incumbent on winning the rural heartland.

The stakes seem to be high for the ruling Trinamool Congress in the upcoming West Bengal panchayat polls, as the party leadership feels that gaining a foothold in national politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha election is incumbent on winning the rural heartland. According to senior TMC leaders, the party’s objective to play a major role at the national level can only be successful if it manages to bag the maximum share out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. “If we want to win maximum number of seats in Lok Sabha polls, then we have to ensure that we put up a good show in the upcoming rural polls, so that we are ahead of our rivals,” said a senior TMC leader. With nearly 40 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state being located in villages and semi-urban areas administered by panchayats, an absolute control of the rural bodies is a must for political parties to have an upper hand on rivals in next year’s Lok Sabha polls, feel senior TMC leaders. “Steering the state from 2011, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government has established its credentials on the twin foundation of development and diversity. “People will endorse this in the upcoming panchayat elections. Yes, the journey to Delhi originates in the rural heartland of Bengal,” Derek O’Brien, TMC parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha, told PTI. Brien’s views were echoed by his party colleague Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who is of the view that the panchayat polls will be the most important election ahead of Lok Sabha polls. “Panchayat elections resonates the views of the grass-roots and the masses. In villages, people are dependent on their gram panchayats … The activities of elected representatives at panchayats and zilla parishads come as a added benefit for the political parties he or she represents,” Bandyopadhyay told PTI. The elections will be held across 48,650 seats in 3,358 gram panchayats, 9,217 seats at 341 panchayat samitis, and 825 seats at 20 zilla parishads. Another senior TMC leader came up with an analogy on how results of panchayat polls directly influence the Lok Sabha election in Bengal. “Our victory in South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore zilla parishads in the 2008 panchayat polls had led to the party winning 19 seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. The stellar performance in 2013 panchayat polls, when it won the maximum number of zilla parishads, also led TMC to bag 34 Lok Sabha seats in 2014,” he explained. However, he admitted that despite winning so many seats, the party could not have a major role after the 2014 elections, as the BJP managed full majority. “But this time, things will be different from 2014 and TMC will play a defining role after 2019,” the TMC leader said. The TMC leadership has time and again emphasised that it will play a major role on the national level, after next year’s Lok Sabha polls. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had last month said she would try to unite all the anti-BJP forces to defeat the saffron party in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The TMC top brass had also met several leaders of various Opposition parties, including UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and TRS chief K C Rao, aiming to cobble up a formidable front against the BJP. Opposition parties cutting across political lines feel that the TMC’s urge to prove its mettle in the panchayat elections in order to find firm footing in the Lok Sabha polls next year, has led to unprecedented violence over filing of nominations for the rural polls. The TMC has denied all such accusations. Displeased with the State Election Commission’s recent decision to cancel its own order to extend the nomination process by a day, the Calcutta High Court had on April 12 put a stay on the ongoing panchayat election process till further instruction. “Because of their ambition to play a major role and to send out a message that TMC is invincible in Bengal so that they be allowed to lead the anti-BJP front, they are looking to win the panchayat polls without any opposition,” state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said. Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy, who was once number two in the TMC and been instrumental in its performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, feels TMC’s wish to be a major national force will never be fulfilled as the BJP will “decimate” the ruling party in Bengal in the next Lok Sabha election. “The people of Bengal are yearning for a change and BJP will bring that change,” Roy said. State Panchayat Minister and TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee said the party will win the panchayat polls and that it cannot take the onus of failure to file nominations. “How can we take the onus of opposition not being able to file nominations? We can’t provide them with man power to file nominations. The people of Bengal are with TMC. I won’t comment any further as the matter is sub judice,” Mukherjee added.

Mamata Banerjee’s 2019 dream faces litmus test in West Bengal Panchayat election

litmus

Litmus, News on Litmus, stories on Litmus, articles on Litmus, Litmus stories at Wion, Litmus news, Litmus latest news