One of the more glaring problems with Sen. Lindsey Graham introducing a national abortion ban yesterday was the degree to which it was at odds with his stated principles. After all, it was just five weeks ago when the South Carolina Republican boasted on CNN about how “consistent” he’s been in arguing that “states should decide the issue of abortion.”
Graham stuck to that position, right up until he didn’t, and the senator deserved the pushback he received yesterday for the latest example of his malleable principles.
But it’d be a mistake to think he’s the only one discarding deeply held political beliefs for the sake of convenience.
Three weeks ago, Sen. Marco Rubio spoke to CBS Miami’s Jim DeFede in some detail about his views on this issue. The Florida Republican said, “All the Supreme Court said is that now that debate is not going to happen in Washington — where it wasn’t happening at all because of Roe v. Wade — now that decision has to be made at the state level. … Every state will have its own [law].”
Asked specifically about a possible federal ban on abortion, Rubio added, “Well, I think that right now this issue is appropriately before the states. That’s where it should’ve always been; that’s where it is now; and I think that’s where it’ll be for the foreseeable future. … Frankly, I think this issue is better decided at the state level.”
This isn’t ancient history. I didn’t dig up an obscure quote Rubio uttered as a college student. This was 20 days ago, and the on-air comments generated some national attention.
And yet, The Miami Herald published this report a couple of hours ago:
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio is co-sponsoring a bill that would ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks, an aide confirmed Wednesday, throwing support behind a measure that both aligns with his longstanding desire to restrict access to abortion and risks complicating his reelection bid less than two months before Election Day.
This is in reference, of course, to Graham’s national abortion ban. The proposal has divided Senate Republicans, but as of this afternoon, two GOP senators — Rubio and Montana’s Steve Daines — have signed on as co-sponsors.
If recent history is any guide, the Floridian will very likely come up with an excuse to explain why he’s rejecting the principles he articulated a few weeks ago, but let’s make this plain: The idea that Republicans are deeply committed to state-based policymaking has long been something of a joke. Returning decisions to state and local officials may have been a part of GOP orthodoxy in the not-too-distant past, and we could probably find some GOP officials who still take it seriously, but on issues like abortion, Republicans want to limit reproductive rights. Full stop. If there are proposals at the state level, they’ll support them. If there are related efforts at the federal level, Republicans will support those measures, too. Governing principles aren’t important to a post-policy party. Lawmakers like Rubio and Graham start with the answer — sharply curtail Americans’ reproductive rights — and work backward. Questions about federalism are easily cast aside.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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