Unlike in other nations where abortion is legal, in America (where abortion became legal nation-wide in 1973) whether the procedure should still be allowed is continuously up for debate.

America’s poisonous debate on abortion between pro-choice and pro-life factions is due mostly to the fact that abortion was legalized nation-wide not through Congress but through the nation’s highest court: the Supreme Court.

Since then the fate of the legality of abortion has be seen as a court room battle. Both sides try to prohibit the other side of appointing judges and justices favorable to the opposing view. It is this matter of leaving abortion (wrongly, in my view) to the Supreme Court rather than to Congress that makes this election this most important election ever for women’s reproductive rights.

The current 9-member Court is 5-4 in favor abortion rights. The next President will most likely appoint at least 2 Justices to the Court and thus have the ability to shape the Court’s opinion on abortion for a generation. Obama will, of course, appoint pro-abortion rights Justices.

The concern for most women is a President McCain. McCain has promised to appoint anti-choice Justices and has publicly states more than once that Roe v. Wade (the landmark abortion case) should be overturned. If McCain gets his presidency and his Justices (which is in doubt even if he wins given the mostly-likely stronger Democratic majority after the election, all federal judges and Justices need Senate approval), but if McCain gets what he want abortion could be a distant memory in many American states.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned it would not make abortion illegal, but leave it to the states. It is guessed that about 38 states would disallow abortion to one degree or other. So, to not be so melodramatic, a President McCain threatens abortion rights in America. He could realistic overturn the right to one, ending a hard-earned right for women in America.

This election abortion is threatened, it could be overturned. Women have the chance to register their opposition to those forces that threaten their rights against John McCain. Ironically the ticket they will be voting against will be a vote against only the second woman to ever be nominated by a major party.