This week we were joined by Molly Ball, bestselling author of Pelosi, to talk about how the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade will (or won't) change American politics for decades to come. Until a few days ago, Americans could act politically under the assumption that Roe was permanent. But it may not be.

Ending Roe v. Wade would mean abortion would be decided by states, presumably according to the whims, desires—and wisdom—of crowds. To what extent would this be a more "democratic" outcome?

In the full subscriber-only conversation, the discussion turned toward questions of legitimacy and minority rule. The debate over abortion, after all, is a debate about elites and institutions—and whether bodies like the Supreme Court can, or should, ever be neutral. We also debate whether Evangelicals really believe that abortion is tantamount to genocide. Presumably, if they did, more of them would do something about it.  

Also, after Molly raises the specter that "progress" may in fact be real, chaos ensues—featuring a rapid-fire exchange between Molly and Damir on first principles.

Required Reading

- Pelosi, by Molly Ball (Amazon)

- "Overturning Roe would make America more democratic" by Jason Willick (Washington Post)

- "The war that never ends" (Economist)

- "Is This Trump’s World Now? Four Opinion Writers on the Dobbs Leak and Vance’s Big Win." by Lulu Garcia-Navarro, Jane Coaston, Michelle Cottle and Ross Douthat (New York Times)

- "How Southern Baptists became pro-life" by David Roach (Baptist Press)