Overturning Roe Unlikely to Change Much in California

Activists gather outside the U.S. Courthouse to demonstrate in support of abortion, in downtown Los Angeles on May 3, 2022. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

One always ought to be careful about rumors from the U.S. Supreme Court. But it seems the court soon may reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that threw out the abortion laws in all 50 states, including those that had legalized it. California passed a legalization bill in 1967 under President Reagan, although he soon regretted it. Roe threw out that law along with the 49 others, effectively replacing democracy with kritarchy, or rule by judges.