The left is invading a critical state in the form of a nefarious Trojan horse after prevailing in six consecutive statewide ballot measures. Suddenly, the eyes of the nation are on “The Heart of it All,” where the stakes of electoral victory or defeat will have a nationwide effect.
With its large cities, vast farmlands, robust suburban developments, and established manufacturing centers, Ohio is one of America’s preeminent bellwethers. Because of Ohio’s importance, no effort should be spared during its two major statewide elections in August and November of 2023.
The November election was initiated by the left, at the direction of the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, and they are swinging for the fences. As delineated by some of America’s brightest legal minds, the proposed ballot initiative would eliminate parental consent protections and notifications for minors requesting abortion and transgender surgery, it would usher in partial-birth abortions, and it would strike down health protections for all ages including qualified physician requirements. It’s that dangerous.
Yet most Ohioans do not know what’s actually in the amendment. One reason is typical: The Ohio news media side with the left, deploying their “fact-checkers” and biases through every possible medium.
The second reason is that the left has launched a full-scale campaign of deceit in the form of social media propaganda, widespread misinformation, and paid signature solicitors like Marco from Michigan, who pockets a check from Planned Parenthood. “It’s not for or against abortion… it just takes it from 6 to 12 weeks,” he said, pedaling the left’s anti-life, anti-parent ballot initiative. Marco is part of the left’s effort to mobilize thousands of paid and volunteer signature solicitors to meet the 413,000-signature threshold that will get this initiative on the ballot in November.
The left knows that if they can win in Ohio, they can win almost anywhere. But to win, they’ll have to lie. Most Americans do not support abortion on demand, the removal of parental rights, or the elimination of health and safety standards for women. But that’s all in question if this passes. To prevail against this monstrosity, we are calling on the pro-life community and those who believe in the most basic of parental rights across the nation to join us in support of Protect Women Ohio to defeat this existential threat.
Constitutional Special Election
While the forces mobilize for November, there is a second critical development in Ohio. As if the stakes couldn’t be any higher, the Ohio legislature recently upped the ante earlier this year, passing a Joint Resolution (SJR2) to raise the threshold of amending the state Constitution to 60 percent. Ohio voters must now approve this ballot State Issue 1 in a special election on Aug. 8. After languishing as one of the handful of states to allow for a simple majority by popular vote to amend the Constitution, this is Ohio’s chance to save its Constitution before it’s too late.
Apart from the Bill of Rights, which included the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution, our nation’s founding document has been amended only 17 times. By contrast, Ohio’s Constitution has been amended 172 times. Our nation’s founders understood there should be a high bar to amend the U.S. Constitution, and it is past time we followed suit in how we amend our sacred document in Ohio.
The left is saying Issue 1 is an attack on democracy. This is malicious misinformation, considering that 32 states, including many Democrat-led states, do not permit any citizen-led ballot initiatives to amend their constitutions. Before the left embraced the radical abortion initiative, there was some bipartisan recognition that the threshold needed to change. As recently as 2015, the bipartisan Constitutional Modernization Committee recommended the threshold be raised to “at least 55%.”
A tactic of the left is to use a true statement such as “one person, one vote” to push misinformation like “voting rights are being denied.” The truth is Issue 1 preserves citizens’ rights to propose constitutional amendments. The truth is groups and individuals will still be able to get issues on the ballot and initiate changes in the Ohio Revised Code that are important to them. The truth is everyone who wants to vote can vote.
A groundswell of organizations including the Ohio Republican Party, Center for Christian Virtue, the National Federation of Independent Business in Ohio, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Restaurant Association, and Ohio Right to Life are mobilizing Ohioans to vote yes on Issue 1. Many recognize that for too long, Ohio’s Constitution has been up for sale to the highest bidder. From casinos to drug-legalization pushers to abortionists, special interests with millions of dollars have targeted the Ohio Constitution because of the ease of amending our state’s founding document.
Victory in Ohio for the pro-life movement will reverse the tide and create a blueprint for victory throughout the country. Victory in Ohio for the Constitution will strengthen our state’s most important charter and immediately deliver a blow to out-of-state special interests. The future of America’s pro-life movement, the lives of many thousands, and the rights of parents all hang in the balance. America is one year away from another critical presidential election cycle. Undoubtedly, how this bellwether turns will be an early indicator of where we are headed as a nation.
