Ohio residents have successfully defeated Issue 1, a Republican-backed measure that would have raised the threshold for passing amendments to the state constitution from a simple majority to a supermajority. However, this victory does not legalize the rights previously assured by Roe v. Wade, and pro-choice groups must continue to organize and maintain momentum until the November ballot initiative. The fight for reproductive rights is part of a nationwide offensive, and electoral wins require constant effort to keep in place. The tool of the state must firmly lay in the hands of the proletariat for the will of the working class to truly be enshrined in law.
People celebrate the defeat of Issue 1 during a watch party Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio voters have resoundingly rejected a Republican-backed measure that would have made it more difficult to pass abortion protections. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
By Alan I., Red Phoenix correspondent, Ohio.
The Ohio State Constitution presently allows citizen referendums to take place with the assent of at least half (44) of Ohio counties, allows a ten-day period for correcting errors in collecting these signatures, and permits a simple majority in the popular vote to pass any citizen or legislative-initiated referendum. In the face of wildly unpopular judicial attacks on reproductive rights, the desire to raise the minimum wage, and opposition to gerrymandering and immunity for crimes committed by elected officials, the state Republican Party admitted that they “must stop a whole host of referendum initiatives coming down the pike.” The anti-democratic Issue 1, which would have arbitrarily raised the threshold of initiating, voting and passing amendments to the state constitution from a simple majority (>50%) to a supermajority (60%), has failed in Ohio. After a comprehensive and frenzied campaign, the interests of the working class have prevailed, but it remains to be seen for how long, given that the respective referendums will not take place until November.
Issue 1 was a blatant attempt to move the goalposts ahead of the citizens’ ballot initiative to codify abortion access and increase the minimum wage. Late Tuesday, August 8, as the results became clear, pro-choice advocates took to social media to jubilantly celebrate the victory. Mere hours later, the president of the Ohio Senate told reporters that they would simply pass the issue at some other time.
To be sure, this win is significant. We should not lessen the fact that the people of Ohio protected their rights that Tuesday.
That being said, this victory actually does nothing to legalize the rights that used to be assured to Ohioans through Roe v. Wade. To regain the rights that the capitalists have stripped away, the pro-choice groups in Ohio must maintain their momentum until November when the pro-choice ballot initiative will be voted on. This success is far from guaranteed. The opposition to Issue 1 was fairly bipartisan, with many leading state Republicans opposed. The abortion ballot initiative, though it is polling quite favorably, is a much more divisive issue.
This fight is part of the nation-wide offensive on reproductive rights. Some are pointing to victory in Ohio as a sign that, even in so-called “red” states, the conservative attack on reproductive and workers’ rights has no chance of victory. They make the claim that reproductive rights are too popular and that this will spur people to the polls. Yet, the capitalist ruling class has no need to completely obliterate these rights of the Ohioan worker in this particular election. They can simply do it next year, or the year after that. Any concessions won by the people will always be at risk while we live under the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. We also should not forget that the whole reason the working class must now fight for their lost rights is not because they were repealed by a vote, but because the unelected Supreme Court decided to legislate from the bench. Indeed, if the Republican Party and their judicial hawks in the SCOTUS cared so much for supermajorities as they claimed in Issue 1’s campaign, they would not deny the 62% of Americans who support easy access to reproductive rights.
It is important for the working class to remember, especially in a time of victory such as this, that electoral wins are ephemeral. They require constant effort to keep in place. In order for the will of the working class to truly be enshrined in law, the tool of the state must firmly lay in the hands of the proletariat. Anything less is a bandage that stops the bleeding, but does not actually heal the wound. Until then, we will be constantly locked in a battle for justice. Popular forces should take a precious few moments to celebrate their victory and rally to future struggles. Continue paying attention to these issues. Vote early, vote often, and intensify organization and mobilization. Not one step back!
“The task is to enable the vast masses to realise from their own experience the inevitability of the overthrow of the old regime, to promote such methods of struggle and forms of organisation as will make it easier for the masses to realise from experience the correctness of the revolutionary slogans.”
‹ Keep your guard up, redouble your work!
Categories: Government, U.S. News