GOP behind bad surprises in late June

The last week of June 2024 has been full of surprises, mostly disappointing.

For Iowans, the decision to use a 6-week ban for abortions will have predictable effects. Women will have to travel out of state for health care and obstetricians will be contemplating leaving the state. However, the background question is why? For a party that espouses individual freedom, the government's choice to make a medical choice into a legal and misogynistic law, is questionable.

It is particularly puzzling, in light of the recent reduction of maternity services in rural areas. If the aim is to produce more children in Iowa, then extra services such as child care assistance, fully funded schools, accessible summer lunch programs, adequately funded SNAP benefits and Medicaid services would seem to need to follow this ruling.

The GOP needs to clarify who will be gaining by limiting these services — currently it appears to be those who will benefit by large tax breaks. Iowa is certainly not the state it used to be.

Sonia Ettinger

Iowa City