Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams shocked political observers by saying Wednesday that abortion is “an economic issue” — as surveys suggest more American voters are concerned about rising inflation than the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
“Having children is why you’re worried about your price for gas … [and] how much food costs,” Abrams told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“For women, this is not a reproductive issue,” she added. “You can’t divorce being forced to carry out an unwanted pregnancy from the economic realities of having a child.”
“Women — half the population — especially those of childbearing age, they understand that having a child is absolutely an economic issue,” Abrams went on. “It is only politicians who see it as simply another cultural conversation. It is a real biological and economic imperative conversation that women need to have.”
Abrams’ comments, part of an ongoing push by Democrats to refocus attention on abortion rights, were ripped by conservative critics.
“I didn’t really expect Democrats to go with ‘you know, it’s cheaper to feed your family if you kill a few of them’ as a closing argument, yet here we are,” remarked National Review writer Dan McLaughlin.
“Stacey Abrams with a modest proposal,” tweeted National Review senior writer Michael Brendan Dougherty, referring to Jonathan Swift’s classic 1729 satire that suggested poor Irish people sell their children as food to the wealthy to prevent them from being a burden.
“This is the Democratic Party,” lamented Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.). “Demonic.”
“Despicable,” agreed Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). “I can’t believe this needs to be said, but ending a human life is not the solution for inflation.”
“‘Those stupid babies are ruining the economy’ she basically says,” tweeted radio host Dana Loesch.
Abrams made her remarks a day after President Biden pledged that if Democrats keep control of Congress, he will codify in January the federal right to abortion once granted by the recently overturned Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.
“If you care about the right to choose, then you got to vote,” Biden said.
At no point during the speech did the president, who was a freshman senator nearly 50 years ago when Roe v. Wade was decided in January 1973, mention inflation or the economy.
“In these midterm elections, it’s so critical to elect more Democratic senators to the United States Senate and more Democrats to keep control of the House of Representatives,” he said. “Together, we’ll restore the right to choose for every woman in every state in America. So, vote. You got to get out the vote. We can do this if we vote.”
The same day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) rejected a New York Times poll that found voters believe the economy and inflation are the top two issues facing the nation, calling it an “outlier.”
“I dismiss that,” Pelosi told MSNBC of the poll results. “Since Congress adjourned, I’ve been in an average of five states a week and I can tell you that women’s concerns about their freedom are very, very much still very significant in terms of how they will vote.”
