美国国家公共电台 NPR--A record-number of abortion related questions are on states' ballots this year

A record-number of abortion¹ related questions are on states' ballots³ this year

Transcript⁴

LANSING, Mich. — There's an unprecedented⁵ number of abortion-related questions on the ballot² this year with voters in at least five states set to decide on varying proposals. That number could grow to as many as seven if abortion-focused measures in Michigan and Colorado secure final approval.

Activists⁶ both for and in opposition⁷ to abortion rights knew Roe⁸ v. Wade⁹ could be overturned, so they've been preparing for years to bring the issue directly to voters, says Corinne Rivera Fowler, policy director for the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, a progressive advocacy group.

"Advocates on both sides of the issue saw the writing on the wall," she says.

In Michigan, more than 750,000 registered voters signed a petition that would have Michiganders vote on adding the right to abortion to the state's constitution. That's a record high in the state, according to figures provided by campaign organizers.

Assuming the signatures are certified¹⁰ as valid¹¹, it's more than enough to bring the proposal to November's ballot. If that happens and if a majority of Michiganders vote yes, the amendment¹² would nullify a 1931 state law that bans abortions¹³ unless they're done to save a woman's life.

Michigan's impending¹⁴ showdown comes as the overturn of Roe v. Wade pushes the battle over abortion to states and, in some cases, directly to voters.

Measures for — and against — abortion rights

That's why the Kentucky General Assembly placed a measure on November's ballot to add a provision stating the state's Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion.

Abortions are happening currently in Kentucky after a judge temporarily blocked enforcement of laws there that ban most abortions.

But approval of the constitutional amendment would be key for abortion opponents going forward to protect any anti-abortion laws from legal challenges.

"If this amendment passes, the decisions on how and when to regulate abortion will now be placed in the hands of their elected representative, not judges, so it will be a democratic process," says Republican state Rep. Joe Fischer, the proposal's lead sponsor.

Kansas voters are deciding next month on a similar constitutional change supported by anti-abortion advocates. But, in Vermont and California, voters are facing proposals this fall that would do the opposite after lawmakers advanced amendments¹⁵ to have state constitutions explicitly¹⁶ guarantee abortion rights.

There's also a November ballot proposal referred by Montana's legislature asking voters there to approve a state law requiring medical care for infants born alive after attempted later-term abortions, even though experts say that scenario¹⁷ is extremely rare. And, infanticide is already illegal.

And in Colorado, advocates are trying to gather enough signatures by an Aug. 8 deadline for a November ballot initiative that would criminalize abortion through state law. Colorado's among nearly half of states where citizens can attempt to bypass their legislature by petitioning for measures to change laws or state constitutions.

Rivera Fowler, from the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, welcomes the process, calling it one of the most direct forms of democracy. She sees it as a plus for progressives in states like Michigan where the Republican-led Legislature has blocked attempts to strengthen abortion laws.

"Our political process has become so polarized, narrow-minded, to the point where legislators are much more beholden to their political party instead of the people in their community," she says. "So, the ballot measure is really our tool for liberation."

Eric Lupher leads a nonpartisan think tank called the Citizens Research Council of Michigan. He's studied Michigan ballot initiatives and says in the last few decades, there's been a shift from those mostly related to taxes, to those focusing more sharply on social issues.

"Really what we're seeing here in Michigan is they can't get their issues through a divided legislature," he says. "They can't promote their issues in sort of the conventional ways. So this is a backstop."

And Lupher notes that proposed constitutional measures like the one in Michigan are more permanent because they're harder to change than state law. If approved by voters, those initiatives could influence statewide abortion policies for decades to come.

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

5 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

9 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

10 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

11 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

12 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

13 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

14 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

15 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

16 explicitly   

ad.明确地，显然地

参考例句：

• The plan does not explicitly endorse the private ownership of land. 该计划没有明确地支持土地私有制。
• SARA amended section 113 to provide explicitly for a right to contribution. 《最高基金修正与再授权法案》修正了第123条，清楚地规定了分配权。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

17 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。