... to be over the moon that Trump has been found GUILTY on all 34 charges?

@AmpleFatball "And if America falls, I think other democracies are on borrowed time."

Not least of all because of Trump's climate change denialism and plans to ramp up the use of fossil fuels.

We're all going to be fucked.

I didn't say that. I said there was no point in engaging with you in a way intended to get you to change your opinions.

As soon as you trotted out 'Democrat cities', it told me all I need to know about what media you consume and what you believe. But then, if you are, in fact, a former Democrat, you know that. Unless you're as uninformed about that as you are to future access to Plan B under a Trump admin?

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/01/democrat-party-republican-insult.html

@AmpleFatball

Yes!

Exactly.

Beautifully expressed, @AmpleFatball. Spot on.

I stopped wanting to hear from Trump voters after Jan 6.

We know it was his plan (courtesy of Brannon’s leaked audio recordings) to claim he had won even if we knew he had lost. That’s exactly what came to pass.

He tried to overthrow Democracy and was willing to use or leverage violence to do so.

In the immediate aftermath of Jan 6, everyone knew it was appalling- but then the spin and lies got going again in order to deny or justify it.

Post Jan 6, his voters are either those who are entirely brainwashed (and the right wing propaganda machine is very powerful and entrenched in the US) or people who do not support (and are entirely willing to throw out) the basic principles of democracy.

There’s, sadly, no getting through to the former. The latter are detestable and dangerous. The fact that a speaker at CPAC drew applause when talking about how the Conservative movement was going to end democracy and replace it with a religious theocracy is just staggering to me. They are, very openly, calling for the constitution to be ripped up and have the US completely reimagined as something closer to Iran (but Christian).

And if America falls, I think other democracies are on borrowed time.

@Bullpuckey "The point is that parents need to prepare their children to re-enter their home countries. They know they could be caught one day, and they need to prepare accordingly. They cannot all stay. There are at least 11 MILLION illegal immigrants. They cannot all stay. They must be encouraged back at first (I would pay them to leave tbh) and deported if that will not work."

I'm wondering what it is about the USA that makes it unable to accommodate tax paying DACA who've lived almost their whole life in the USA, and may have children and spouses who are American citizens? Including DACA recipients who run businesses employing other people?

Are you expecting the economy and infrastructure to collapse when Trump gets in (as he's likely to do) in November?

Because the US has one of the highest GDP's per capita in the world, a population density 1/3 of the UK's, and a falling birth rate.

Why do you have such a sense of crisis that you think abject cruelty towards DACA recipients is absolutely vital to the wellbeing of your country?

"If you did not prepare your child accordingly, how is it the fault of America?"

Out of interest, let's say a parent brings a baby across the border from Mexico, after having been threatened by gangs and losing relatives to gang related violence in Mexico city. And 25 years later that baby is now a young woman, protected under DACA, with a job, an American spouse and a baby that's an American citizen. How as a parent would you have 'prepared' that young woman for the prospect of being summarily deported back to a country she has no memory of? Where rates of femicide and rape are some of the worst in the world. What would you have told her as a child and a teen that wouldn't have resulted in her losing her mind at the fear of that prospect?

"Looting during riots is very different than ‘shoplifting’. Very deceptive language."

Looting is just shop lifting in large groups during a time of social chaos. Even if it involves damage to property and theft it's still absolutely vile and fascistic to suggest they should be shot on sight.

"But opioid addiction can be helped with job growth in the rust belt (where it is the worst),"

I feel like you understand absolutely nothing about drug addiction. Many addicts were working when they became addicted, and only became unable to work in the later stages of their addiction.

"But harm reduction (as you seem to be aware) is the worst idea and is propagated at the State level by naive blue governors."

Except harm reduction policies have been effective at reducing deaths in some countries, so insisting 'it's the worst idea' suggests to me it's a topic you've done very little exploration of the evidence around public health strategies for addressing the harms of substance abuse outside of listening to whatever anyone in your right wing bubble has to say about it. Really suggest you listen to people who are actually working on the frontline of the epidemic - this series of episodes on Freakonomics might give you better and less partisan insight into the issue.

https://freakonomics.com/podcast/thinking-differently-about-opioid-addiction/

Is on a thread about Trump yet doesn’t want to hear why someone (a former Democrat even!) would choose to vote for him.

…. many such cases

The absolute stupidity of this comment.... You're arguing that it would be exactly the same for someone who entered the US as an adult, to CHOOSE to take their children back to their home country, where they have access to a support network, healthcare and housing, as it is for an adult who's grown up in the US under DACA, to be forced out of their job and their home, to be separated from family and friends in the US, and to be deported back to a country they haven't visited since leaving as an infant or young child, a country possibly with a collapsing economy and infrastructure, where they may have no support network, no material assets, no or limited access to housing or healthcare, and be left there - jobless. Possibly homeless. Separated from all of their family and friends in the US

The point is that parents need to prepare their children to re-enter their home countries. They know they could be caught one day, and they need to prepare accordingly. They cannot all stay. There are at least 11 MILLION illegal immigrants. They cannot all stay. They must be encouraged back at first (I would pay them to leave tbh) and deported if that will not work.

All emigrants even on temporary visas know this, they could be laid off from their job and have to leave within a set period of time.

If you did not prepare your child accordingly, how is it the fault of America? You make huge leaps in saying that they do not have support networks at home: they in fact very often do maintain links at home, remittances are going to these extended families.

Most people don't use the term 'third world' any more. But it's common parlance among elderly right wing Americans who like to refer to countries with less developed economies and more poverty as 'shit hole countries', like their cult leader does. I've lived in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Kenya and the USA. I'm currently living in London

I have no time for your tone policing. If you have lived in South Asia and Kenya, you know it is not a nightmare to live in such countries. They are not active war zones, we are talking about economic migrants and their children.

You can make the argument for immigration control without advocating for dehumanising treatment or abject cruelty towards those who aren't responsible for breaching immigration rules, who are deeply enmeshed in US society and making a positive contribution to their communities

Deportation is normal. I have known families given a week’s notice to vacate (due to a child’s drug use, perhaps you’d know which country this may be) and tbh whilst it was difficult for them, that is the rules of the country they resided in. If you break the rules of the country (or you have no status due to your parent’s actions), you have no right to stay.

By every metric red states have worse education and health outcomes than blue states. That's what the data says

I won’t waste time on this as you won’t be ready to accept it. But people are moving with their feet: away from New York and California and moving to Florida, Texas, Georgia. Look at the data if you don’t believe me.

Your mango Messiah has made speeches calling for shop lifters to be shot on sight

Looting during riots is very different than ‘shoplifting’. Very deceptive language.

But please - go ahead and detail Republican plans for addressing growing homelessness and rates of addiction

Homelessness is not a federal issue. But opioid addiction can be helped with job growth in the rust belt (where it is the worst), incarceration of dealers (something never proposed by Democrats) and yes, better border control.

But harm reduction (as you seem to be aware) is the worst idea and is propagated at the State level by naive blue governors.

@izimbra
@Chatonette

I'd strongly advise you to stop wasting your time engaging with that poster. It's banging your head against a wall. As soon as they trot out the phrase 'Democrat cities' you know what you're dealing with.

There's no convincing or engaging in dialogue that will be constructive with her (making an assumption). All the information she needs is out there, she either doesn't care (the cruelty is the point) or chooses not to believe it, as she chooses to believe Plan B will remain readily available. She'll vote how she'll vote.

Make the healthy choice for yourselves and step away.

@Bullpuckey "Yes. Because people do this all the time. Nobody would say you are cruel if you moved your kids to Japan for
economic opportunity, uprooting them from their home. They are simply moving back to their home country, where they have extended families."

The absolute stupidity of this comment.... You're arguing that it would be exactly the same for someone who entered the US as an adult, to CHOOSE to take their children back to their home country, where they have access to a support network, healthcare and housing, as it is for an adult who's grown up in the US under DACA, to be forced out of their job and their home, to be separated from family and friends in the US, and to be deported back to a country they haven't visited since leaving as an infant or young child, a country possibly with a collapsing economy and infrastructure, where they may have no support network, no material assets, no or limited access to housing or healthcare, and be left there - jobless. Possibly homeless. Separated from all of their family and friends in the US.

You're really not covering yourself with glory here.

"I have lived in a third world country so know something of what life is like in such a place. Have you? It seems you base it all on a thought exercise? Tell me your experience?"

Most people don't use the term 'third world' any more. But it's common parlance among elderly right wing Americans who like to refer to countries with less developed economies and more poverty as 'shit hole countries', like their cult leader does. I've lived in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Kenya and the USA. I'm currently living in London.

"You don’t care at all about the locals who have to pay for you? Whose own children now face worse prospects for education, healthcare, employment, housing? Particularly if there is no way to stop millions like you flooding the system? This is okay with you?"

You can make the argument for immigration control without advocating for dehumanising treatment or abject cruelty towards those who aren't responsible for breaching immigration rules, who are deeply enmeshed in US society and making a positive contribution to their communities.

"You don’t know the first thing about red vs blue states and this comment shows. The worst results are in deep blue urban cities."

By every metric red states have worse education and health outcomes than blue states. That's what the data says.

"Anyway, what ideas have Republicans got for addressing America's housing and drugs crises? Gassing homeless people? Concentration camps?

Shall I invoke Godwin’s Law here?"

Your mango Messiah has made speeches calling for shop lifters to be shot on sight. Is openly planning for an aggressive expansion of his powers as president if he wins in November.

But please - go ahead and detail Republican plans for addressing growing homelessness and rates of addiction.

Why is it cruel to take a person who has only known the USA as their home, and to force them to leave their jobs, their homes, their children, to go to a country where they may not know anyone or have any support? You're genuinely asking me that question?

Yes. Because people do this all the time. Nobody would say you are cruel if you moved your kids to Japan for
economic opportunity, uprooting them from their home. They are simply moving back to their home country, where they have extended families.

People usually leave everything they know to come with their children to another country out of desperation, because they usually feel they cannot be safe or sustain a decent existence in their home country. You would do EXACTLY the same in their situation. Most of us would

So basically you feel borders are meaningless and you can just cross borders without permission to upgrade your life, if you can manage it. This is your belief? You think elderly Brits should be able to squat in Spain without permission from the locals and take advantage of their medical system and screw up the local housing market? Shouldn’t Spain be able to throw those British out?

'It's not some sort of gulag ffs' - if you've lived in the US since early childhood or infancy and you're now an adult in the US, with a job and a family, being sent to a country you may have no memory of, where you have no job, no home, no community, maybe no family - it would be terrifying and appalling. I know it's hard for Republicans to empathise but just try to imagine it for a minute

I haven’t lived in America for many years and my children have never lived there. So I do understand it would be difficult BUT the fault is of their parents for putting them in that situation.

Again, it will be their home country. Not a gulag. Not an active war zone. Their home country, where they speak the language and they have extended family.

If I felt that my children couldn't access education or healthcare, or even live in basic safety - were looking at an early death or a life of utter degradation in my home country, then yes, I would bloody try to find a way to leave - legally if possible, illegally if not

You don’t care at all about the locals who have to pay for you? Whose own children now face worse prospects for education, healthcare, employment, housing? Particularly if there is no way to stop millions like you flooding the system? This is okay with you?

Millions of people around the world are going through this right now, and all I can assume is that as a Republican, and maybe as someone who's lived a life of privilege you're completely unable to imagine the desperation of some people's existence

I have lived in a third world country so know something of what life is like in such a place. Have you? It seems you base it all on a thought exercise? Tell me your experience?

The states with the absolute worst public schools - almost all of them red states

You don’t know the first thing about red vs blue states and this comment shows. The worst results are in deep blue urban cities.

Trump didn't exactly have a sparkling record on tackling drug deaths and homelessness did he? Opioid deaths SOARED during his presidency and homelessness increased year on year

I beg you to understand the implications of our federal system.

Anyway, what ideas have Republicans got for addressing America's housing and drugs crises? Gassing homeless people? Concentration camps?

Shall I invoke Godwin’s Law here?

"Why is it cruel? Their parents worked in the US illegally so they would have to prepare them to go back home someday. They are not entitled to stay—otherwise a lot of South Americans would try to do this. Are you saying this isn’t a problem?"

Why is it cruel to take a person who has only known the USA as their home, and to force them to leave their jobs, their homes, their children, to go to a country where they may not know anyone or have any support? You're genuinely asking me that question?

"Their parents cheated the system—their children should blame their own parents for the situation they are in. They are just being sent back to their home countries! It’s not like some sort of gulag ffs."

People usually leave everything they know to come with their children to another country out of desperation, because they usually feel they cannot be safe or sustain a decent existence in their home country. You would do EXACTLY the same in their situation. Most of us would.

'It's not some sort of gulag ffs' - if you've lived in the US since early childhood or infancy and you're now an adult in the US, with a job and a family, being sent to a country you may have no memory of, where you have no job, no home, no community, maybe no family - it would be terrifying and appalling. I know it's hard for Republicans to empathise but just try to imagine it for a minute.

"If Britain fell into abject poverty (which, let’s be honest, could actually happen irl), would you feel so entitled to move to America without permission?"

If I felt that my children couldn't access education or healthcare, or even live in basic safety - were looking at an early death or a life of utter degradation in my home country, then yes, I would bloody try to find a way to leave - legally if possible, illegally if not. Millions of people around the world are going through this right now, and all I can assume is that as a Republican, and maybe as someone who's lived a life of privilege you're completely unable to imagine the desperation of some people's existence.

"Their ideas have been in practice in for quite some time in Democrat enclaves. They’ve fixed nothing but only spread dysfunction. NGOs just waste taxpayer money on unproven ideas that actually have made things worse, from the homeless problem to public schools to crime. All they touch turns to shit."

The states with the absolute worst public schools - almost all of them red states.

'All they touch turns to shit' - I assume you're talking about harm reduction policies, which are now being walked back in many Democratic areas, even though outside the US harm reduction policies.

Trump didn't exactly have a sparkling record on tackling drug deaths and homelessness did he? Opioid deaths SOARED during his presidency and homelessness increased year on year.

Anyway, what ideas have Republicans got for addressing America's housing and drugs crises? Gassing homeless people? Concentration camps?

Do say.

So abject cruelty and a lack of humanity towards a group of people who are in no way responsible for the situation they find themselves in vis a vis their immigration status, is morally acceptable to you in furtherance of a country's aims to bring immigration under control

Why is it cruel? Their parents worked in the US illegally so they would have to prepare them to go back home someday. They are not entitled to stay—otherwise a lot of South Americans would try to do this. Are you saying this isn’t a problem?

What about deporting a dreamer who's lived their whole life in the USA who has no family, friends or connections in their country of origin and no means of support there?

They will have family back home. This isn’t the 1800s when people left and never contacted home again.

Is this like the Israel situation? It's ok for Israel to kill 35K Palestinian children in pursuit of Hamas, because it's Hamas's fault?

This is in no way like the Gazan situation. Gazans crossed no borders—if anything, Israeli settlers (ie illegal immigrants) came without permission and screwed everything up.

Because it's cruel to deport people who were bought to the US as infants and who know no other life

I disagree. Their parents cheated the system—their children should blame their own parents for the situation they are in. They are just being sent back to their home countries! It’s not like some sort of gulag ffs.

If Britain fell into abject poverty (which, let’s be honest, could actually happen irl), would you feel so entitled to move to America without permission?

At least there are people on the left who have ideas for how to tackle this awfulness, even if they're politically unpopular on both the centre and the right

Their ideas have been in practice in for quite some time in Democrat enclaves. They’ve fixed nothing but only spread dysfunction. NGOs just waste taxpayer money on unproven ideas that actually have made things worse, from the homeless problem to public schools to crime. All they touch turns to shit.

@Bullpuckey

"You cannot incentivize this behavior. People will keep hopping the border with their children if they believe there is a chance they can stay."

So abject cruelty and a lack of humanity towards a group of people who are in no way responsible for the situation they find themselves in vis a vis their immigration status, is morally acceptable to you in furtherance of a country's aims to bring immigration under control?

Any limits to your cruelty?

What about deporting a dreamer who's going through cancer treatment? Or whose child is?

What about deporting a dreamer who's lived their whole life in the USA who has no family, friends or connections in their country of origin and no means of support there?

"They are not asylum seekers and they are absolutely entitled to think they can stay. If their parents have not prepared them to go home at some point, how is it America’s fault?"

Is this like the Israel situation? It's ok for Israel to kill 35K Palestinian children in pursuit of Hamas, because it's Hamas's fault?

The 'now look what you made me do' school of cruelty?

"Why? They are not citizens nor on any sort of visa. Why should they be allowed to stay?"

Because it's cruel to deport people who were bought to the US as infants and who know no other life.

Republicans are cruel people.

You're demonstrating that with your comments.

"You say this but Democrats have never solved any of the above problems. They just make them
worse. Look at San Francisco, dropping billions into the homeless problem yet making it worse somehow."

The shame of the vast number of people living in squalor and sickness on the margins of American society is the inevitable result of decades of neo-liberalism that started with Reagan and that have shaped economic policy on the centre and right of politics since then.

At least there are people on the left who have ideas for how to tackle this awfulness, even if they're politically unpopular on both the centre and the right. The right have no ideas. At all. Nothing.

The Supreme Court Justices were all specifically asked about Roe during their confirmations. They ALL stated that Roe was “settled precedent”. The minute they got a majority in the court, they voted the opposite to what they had said under oath during their confirmation hearings. This does not ethically sit well with me

It doesn't sit well with me either, @Chatonette, but it's worth remembering that six out of the nine Supreme Court justices are catholic, so is the way it turned out really any surprise?

Republican rhetoric about immigration, mental illness and the criminal justice system

You say this but Democrats have never solved any of the above problems. They just make them
worse. Look at San Francisco, dropping billions into the homeless problem yet making it worse somehow.

With DACA we're talking about a group of people who have found themselves in the situation they're in through absolutely no fault of their own. Many are people who are making a great contribution to society and as tax payers

You cannot incentivize this behavior. People will keep hopping the border with their children if they believe there is a chance they can stay.

absolutely destroying the lives of these people and tearing apart the lives of their children is morally acceptable for the sake of upholding US immigration policy. It's the lack of humanity in your response. It's so chilling

They are not asylum seekers and they are absolutely entitled to think they can stay. If their parents have not prepared them to go home at some point, how is it America’s fault?

It's so morally ugly

Why? They are not citizens nor on any sort of visa. Why should they be allowed to stay?

There are women living in the US who are on the absolute margins of society - women experiencing third world levels of poverty. Homeless women. Drug addicts. Severely mentally ill women. Creating barriers to accessing abortion (which is the purpose of all anti-choice legislation) is really problematic for the most disadvantaged women with the most chaotic lives. And making it legally perilous for clinicians to offer abortion in instances where continuing with a pregnancy puts a woman's mental and physical health, future fertility and sometimes her life, at risk is having a big impact on the provision of reproductive care generally - which affects the health and safety of all women, not just those in need of abortion. Suggest you read about maternity deserts and the role of anti-choice legislation in exacerbating this problem

I am in complete agreement with you and would support this … within my home state.

You're a climate change denialist?

No, climate change is happening. But we can build infrastructure to withstand the negative effects.

Btw fracking has led to the greatest drop in carbon emissions in the US, as natural gas has largely replaced coal in America. So fracking has actually been quite beneficial … the UK should try it (lol)

BTW - anyone who's ever looked back at genocides and persecutions throughout history and wondered how ordinary people could stand by and do nothing while others in their communities are targeted and treated with extreme cruelty - listen to a lot of Republican rhetoric about immigration, mental illness and the criminal justice system. It seems to be absolutely fundamental to Republican thinking that it's ok to dehumanise vast numbers of people in order to achieve certain political and economic ends.

Not saying we're immune to this thinking in the UK, but it's just harder to hear in the US because so many of these people identify as Christian. The hypocrisy is blinding.

I am a religious woman who has lived in three of the states mentioned above.

You didn’t link the source?

PP offers discounted Plan B in New Orleans. Any CVS or Walgreens will have them OTC. Not sure where you are getting this?

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/louisiana/new-orleans/70125/new-orleans-health-center-3961-91650/emergency-contraception#:~:text=Over%2Dthe%2Dcounter%20emergency%20contraception,contraception%20at%20a%20nearby%20pharmacy.

The point is that the culture is very different in the states you mention and they don’t want abortion to be legal. If that’s what the voters want, then I’m fine with it.

Let’s not forget that in America, pro-lifers tend to be religious women. I don’t agree with them, but they are entitled to their views and to have their positions publically debated in their state legislatures.

Roe v Wade was a terrible decision anyway, even RBG mentioned how it should have gone through state legislatures in the first place instead of twisting the Constitution into a pretzel for a certain political outcome. Seeing where we are decades later, she was absolutely right.

"You have to maintain a hard line with immigration or people will always seek to bend the rules. DACA are not citizens, their parents have known this and failed to prepare them for life in their home country. How is this America’s fault?"

With DACA we're talking about a group of people who have found themselves in the situation they're in through absolutely no fault of their own. Many are people who are making a great contribution to society and as tax payers. Many are parents to American citizens. Your point: absolutely destroying the lives of these people and tearing apart the lives of their children is morally acceptable for the sake of upholding US immigration policy. It's the lack of humanity in your response. It's so chilling. And these are the people who will be targeted - working people who are strongly integrated into their communities, because these are the people immigration services will be able to find :-( It's so morally ugly.

"Elective abortions are not healthcare, this is a very British way of thinking. It is a service you can pay for and it is much cheaper than actually having a child you can’t afford."

There are women living in the US who are on the absolute margins of society - women experiencing third world levels of poverty. Homeless women. Drug addicts. Severely mentally ill women. Creating barriers to accessing abortion (which is the purpose of all anti-choice legislation) is really problematic for the most disadvantaged women with the most chaotic lives. And making it legally perilous for clinicians to offer abortion in instances where continuing with a pregnancy puts a woman's mental and physical health, future fertility and sometimes her life, at risk is having a big impact on the provision of reproductive care generally - which affects the health and safety of all women, not just those in need of abortion. Suggest you read about maternity deserts and the role of anti-choice legislation in exacerbating this problem: https://www.marchofdimes.org/maternity-care-deserts-report

"I am fine with this. Fossil fuels are essential for human thriving. Of
course if they meant building nuclear power plants, I’d be all for it but it always means inefficient wind and solar."

You're a climate change denialist?

Or you're willing to sell your children and grandchildren down the river so you can continue to have cheap energy?

You want my source?

In 2022, Louisiana House Bill No. 1061 established that emergency contraception could only be legally dispensed to the victim of a "sexually-oriented criminal offense" who had A) requested it and B) taken a pregnancy test that returned a negative result (which would indicate that the offense had occurred within the past several days and the victim was not yet pregnant at the time the EC was administered).

This is a real concern. The Supreme Court Justices were all specifically asked about Roe during their confirmations. They ALL stated that Roe was “settled precedent”. The minute they got a majority in the court, they voted the opposite to what they had said under oath during their confirmation hearings. This does not ethically sit well with me.

As you say, conservative states Kansas and Ohio have held referendums and both had results allowing women the right to make these decisions with their medical professionals. No surprise there, as the majority, even Republicans, believe in keeping abortions safe and legal. Having seen the Kansas and Ohio results, I do not believe that the state governments in Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, or West Virginia will put this to a referendum. So no, “the voters in those states have every avenue to change the law if they wish,” as you say, is not actually true. In the meantime, a 10 year old rape victim in Indiana had to travel out of state to get her treatment. And there’s Kate Cox in Texas, who devastatingly found out that her planned pregnancy had gone horribly wrong, and was denied the treatment she required, despite being medically advised that the longer her pregnancy carried on, the more she was at risk of never being able to have a child in the future. She took her case to court and lost, so had to travel to get the medical treatment she required.

Women have had reproductive rights for 50 years, and it feels quite cruel that you’re happy to now dismiss them with, “they can advocate at state level if they wish.” The 10 year-old Indiana girl can’t even vote!

Women in Louisiana can only get emergency contraception if they have been the victim of a "sexually-oriented criminal offense”. Other states are in the process of following this precedent, therefore OTC Plan B will not be an option for women

Source? I think this is referring to the abortion pill, not Plan B, which is OTC everywhere.

But it’s not a “service you can pay for” in Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, or West Virginia. Those women cannot pay for the service because abortions are illegal where they live

They can advocate at the state level to change the laws and indeed many referendums have secured this right in states like Ohio and Kansas, which had banned the practice before. The voters in those states have every avenue to change the law if they wish.

The great thing is that this issue is no longer a national issue. It is decided at the state level, tbh it should always have been that way.