Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams suggested in an interview on Wednesday that women are “being forced” to have more babies due to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and that is contributing to the economic stress women are feeling amid skyrocketing inflation.
Recent polls show that American voters are overwhelmingly more concerned about the U.S. economy and inflation, than with Democrat pet issues like “climate change” and abortion.
Joe Biden nonetheless pledged on Tuesday that if Democrats keep control of Congress, he will codify abortion as a federal right once again.
“If you care about the right to choose, then you got to vote,” Biden said.
“While abortion is an issue, it nowhere reaches the level of interest of voters in terms of the cost of gas, food, bread, milk, things like that,” said MSNBC’s Mike Barnicle on Morning Joe. “What could you do as governor to alleviate the concerns of Georgia voters livability daily, hourly issues that they’re confronted with?”
“Let’s be clear,” Abrams responded. “Having children is why you’re worried about your price for gas, it’s why you’re concerned about how much food costs,” Abrams replied.
“For women, this is not a reductive issue,” she added. “You can’t divorce being forced to carry out an unwanted pregnancy from the economic realities of having a child.”
She continued, suggesting that babies are nothing more than a practical economic “choice” for women, and no more precious than any material good.
“Let’s not pretend that women—half the population—especially those of childbearing age—they understand that having a child is absolutely an economic issue,” Abrams argued. “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.”
.@staceyabrams says abortion can help address inflation issues: "Having children is why you’re worried about your price for gas, it’s why you’re concerned about how much food costs. For women, this is not a reductive issue." pic.twitter.com/BNHJWqKRpa
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 19, 2022
The New York Post captured the tweets of numerous conservative critics voicing their disgust with Abrams’ comments.
“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’ crass remarks came the morning after Tuesday night’s gubernatorial debate in Georgia, which analysts say was a draw, even if the deck was arguably stacked in her favor.
CBS affiliate reporter Chuck Williams was accused of acting as a “cheerleader” for the Democrat with his opening question: “Ms. Abrams, public opinion polls in our state show support for the right to abortion, Medicaid expansion and banning assault weapons. You are the side of public opinion in each of these issues, yet you are behind in almost every poll. Why?” he asked.
https://twitter.com/njhochman/status/1582532615688814598?s=20&t=s7LcZaTUUH5miCfGM_q45g
Conservatives accused Williams of “embarrassing” “fan service” for asking a leading question that placed Abrams on the “side of public opinion” on major issues.
The Federalist editor-in-chief Mollie Hemingway blasted Williams, tweeting, “Hard to believe this is real, but apparently it’s real. Propaganda fan service of Abrams provided by @chuckwilliams.”