The Court's 6-3 decision (not 5-4 as the media has messed up) overruled Roe v. Wade. In key language, the Court said, "The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe v. Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives... The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision ..."

So is the abortion debate over? No. Did the Court ban abortions? No. We either support federalism and state's rights, or we don't.

In Texas, we should discuss what our laws should be civilly. Should Texas pass exceptions for rape and incest (which are well under 2% of all abortions)?

Remember the Democrats' answer to the rumor of Roe being overturned was a proposal in Congress which was the most extreme pro-abortion legislation ever, allowing partial-birth abortions, wiping out parental notice laws and waiting period, and for taxpayers to pay for abortions.

FYI, only 15% of Americans in recent polls support abortion in the third trimester. By the way, what happened to Democrats like President Bill Clinton, who said abortion should be, "safe, legal and rare?"

So often what starts in California often comes to other parts of the country. The recent recall of radical pro-crime San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and the current effort to oust LA District Attorney George Gascón has applications in Dallas (Dallas County), Austin (Travis County), and Houston (Harris County) among others in Texas. However, Houston is different. Here the crime enablers sit on the Harris County Commissioner's Court, led by Lina Hidalgo, have squeezed law enforcement; proposed to empty the jail due to Covid, and have made it difficult for District Attorney Kim Ogg to do her job.

And here is what they were attempting to accomplish, making it difficult for Ogg to do her job, Hidalgo and company were hoping that the DA would start refusing certain lower level cases, support radical bail bond policies, and essentially close the courthouse during Covid. All these efforts resulted in an explosion of crime. To restore public safety we can recall Lina Hidalgo and her wingman Adrian Garcia this November and elect Alexandra del Moral Mealer County Judge and Jack Morman Commissioner, Precinct 2.

While we are looking into Lina Hidalgo, she has stated even more radical positions on issue after issue.

She opposes the overruling of Roe v. Wade and proposes the taxpayers in Harris County financially support abortion-related costs for those seeking an abortion outside of Texas.

She supports $48 million of taxpayer money going to parents for paying for childcare. Something the County has never been involved in before.

She engineered the creation of many high paid bureaucracies, like County Administrator, a Criminal Justice Coordinator, Office of Managed Assigned Counsel, and Election Administrator, among others. The net effect is we spend money we don't have on things we don't need and neglect the core responsibilities for a County government such as public safety, infrastructure and healthcare. If you live in Harris County, or similar counties, you are a witness to the failures and result of the radical left running things.

With a recession here, runaway inflation, a declining stock market, the election is about the gang who can't shoot straight aka the Biden Administration.

Let's review the most recent screw-ups and with thanks to Gary Bauer at ouramericanvalues.org:

"Mexico is the latest country the U.S. is looking to bail out the United States with exports of baby formula so that American mothers can feed their newborns. 'Sleepy Joe's' administration took months to figure out there was a problem, and then they spent additional months trying to solve it. Evidently, their solution is to make America, the most powerful nation on earth, dependent on Mexico to feed our babies."

"When asked about their sky high energy prices, Biden Administration officials respond by essentially saying, 'You wouldn't have so much trouble if you could just plug your car in every night.' Here's a reality check: There are 290 million cars in America. Maybe 2 million of them are electric. Does the White House really not know that?

"Biden angrily claimed that the inflation scorching family budgets is all Vladimir Putin's fault. But Biden's own Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, said, 'No, inflation was high before - certainly before the war in Ukraine broke out.'

"Biden again attacked the oil industry and demanded that they lower prices at the pump. But oil companies don't set the prices at the pump. The overwhelming majority of gas stations are 'mom and pop' operations. Larger regional convenience store chains own about 37% of gas stations.

"While Biden is demonizing our energy companies, economists are warning about a new phenomenon called 'energy poverty.' That's American families falling into poverty because Biden's green policies have made their energy costs so high, they cannot pay their bills. Just 17 months ago, we were an energy independent nation.

"The Biden Administration declared war against the electronic cigarette industry. Let's see if I have this straight: Record numbers of Americans are dying of drug overdoses, fueled by fentanyl coming across Biden's open border. Liberal politicians in the states are legalizing hard drugs. Liberals in Congress want to legalize marijuana. Biden looks at all of this and declares war on Juul, which has helped millions of Americans get off cigarettes.

"In the last 24 hours, another 8,000 illegal aliens crossed the southern border and entered America, including untold numbers of gang members, criminals, and suspected terrorists.

"In his effort to blame everyone other than himself for what's going on in the country, a frustrated Biden said, 'This is a time of war, global peril [in] Ukraine. These are not normal times.' We are not at war. The people of Ukraine are at war. We're just writing the checks to pay for it - more than $50 billion so far.

"Last week was the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the federal law guaranteeing equality for women in education and sports. But the Biden Administration and cultural elites are trying to convince us that a man in a dress can claim to be a woman and should be allowed to compete against your daughter and have access to her locker room. Far from 'liberating' women, the left is now erasing them!

"Post the Roe decision, the offices of Rep. Tim Walberg and multiple pro-life groups were attacked in Colorado, Vermont, Oregon, Virginia, among others, and the President has been very late in condemning this violence and demand that his supporters stop attacking women's centers."

This explains why Joe Biden's most recent RCP average approval rating is 39.1%. At the same time in office, President Trump's approval rating was 42.4%!

Incredible as it may seem (not), Harris County Commissioner Precinct 1 Rodney Ellis fresh after gerrymandering the commissioner precincts has moved into my neighborhood politically.

To introduce himself to us, Rodney spent taxpayer's dollars to mail all his new constituents to tell us "I'm proud to be your new County Commissioner."

With core needs like public safety, infrastructure and parks not being fully funded, Ellis has the money to campaign on the taxpayer's money.

Click on image for larger version

The American people struggling to survive with inflation, shortage of goods due to supply issues and high gas prices have all occurred by the economic policies put in place by the Biden Administration. They deliberately put in these policies to radically change America into a more dependent on centralized government and move away from a private based economic society. The Green New Energy transformation in the name of climate change and reducing carbon emissions is a good concept if adopted worldwide, but the U.S. cannot be the only country leading this effort as China and India are building new coal fired power plants and importing heavy crude oil. Europe gives lip service to not buy Russian oil and gas but continues to be dependent on it. These policy geniuses do not understand that we depend on fossil fuels and will continue to do so for the next 100 plus years. Alternative energy use such as solar, wind, nuclear and clean natural gas is the way to look at carbon reduction, not the drastic approach to cancel pipelines, federal leases, SEC and banking rules restricting capital investment in energy companies. All this does is not allow for more drilling, production of oil and gas, refining of its transport and distribution to the marketplace. Their short-term solutions of a moratorium on the federal gas tax or taking oil from the strategic reserves is short sighted and done for political reasons. This does not address the real issues that we need more drilling, production, and refining of these products. There has not been a new refinery built in the U.S. or a nuclear plant for over 30 years. The existing pipelines for oil, gas and water need to be updated to keep up with demand. Water will be vital to our future as the last coast to coast water pipeline system was done over 40 years ago. The use of LNG facilities need to be permitted by FARC and MARAD federal agencies by a short regulatory process suspending all the green energy ideologues. These are the real issues needing to be addressed.

Congress and President Biden passed an infrastructure bill and no major projects have started and now they worry about cost due to inflation, so they look at appropriating more funds. Now is the time for real leadership. President Biden needs to immediately fire the Secretaries of Energy, Transportation, Treasury, Homeland Security, National Security Advisor and Team Energy Czar and EPA Director and that moron John Kerry flying around the world on his private jet and replace them with individuals that will cut regulations to permit drilling on federal lands in Alaska and offshore production. Give tax credits to energy companies to build refineries, pipelines, look at building nuclear plants, hydrogen pipeline distribution and fuel cells, besides everyone buying and driving electric vehicles. All the above policies would address our needs. Blaming the energy industry does nothing to address this issue. Do not raise taxes, but lower corporate taxes by giving these companies the incentive to do what is needed to support the U.S. consumption of energy products. It affects every economic industry including manufacturing, construction, logistics and transportation of products. Inform the green energy fanatics that their ideology does not work. Changes over time to address climate issues are fine, but the way they went about it for dramatic changes has created hardships on our citizens. We should not experience rolling blackouts, supply shortages, inflation and the price of gas created by their policies based on a specific ideology which they are blaming on everyone else who does not believe as they do. A common sense approach to address these issues that don't raise taxes and interest rates will fix the issue with a long term policy to be energy independent is what is needed. What they fail to understand is that the largest borrower is the U.S. government and interest rate hikes cost our taxpayers more on these borrowed funds. Stop printing money and spending funds on government projects that cause inflation. Here is an idea: a 20 percent budget cut on all federal agencies except DOD and Homeland Security. Reduce government spending and programs not considered vital. When you make policies based on an ideology it leads to our current drastic situation.

I wrote a column for the Los Angeles Times 22 years ago defining my position on abortion. They ran it because of my positions. I expressed support for first trimester abortions only and being in favor of no government funding. I favor parental notice. Not much has changed since then and I still hold 80% of Americans agree with that position.

The idea of trimesters did not even exist until Justice Harry Blackmun made it up in Roe v. Wade. In 1973 we had medical standards that were much different than today. Are we to believe that the science surrounding abortion and a fetus in the womb has not evolved? It has as well as the diseases that would cause many mothers to abort their unborn child. Since that time, it has become scientifically clearer that late-term abortions rarely if ever are justified and that the babies are viable. "Rare" is not the estimated 13,000 late-term abortions currently performed every year. I have since written that for many on the Left, there are three issues about which they are concerned – abortion, abortion, and abortion. Little has changed.

I also expressed that the argument that exists today was created because the Left does what it normally does. "We won; the government should pay." That irked the people who are pro-life. Not only are they against abortion, but now they were being forced to underwrite the cost. The Left always wants to spend OPM (other people's money).

It has become quite clear to anyone following this situation that Roe v. Wade resolved nothing in the country regarding abortion. Many of us who are pro-choice have come to understand it was a terrible ruling with no basis in law or history and that the issue should be returned to the elected representatives in the states in accordance with our Constitution. Now the U.S. Supreme Court has apparently agreed.

The hysteria that happened because of a leaked draft – written nearly three months' previously - would have been the exact same hysteria that happened when the actual decision was handed down. Which means the leaker either thought they could possibly influence the Justices to change their votes, or they thought at worst there would be two moments of hysteria.

I read many of the commentaries across the spectrum and noted that not one commentary from the Left saw anything wrong with the leaker's action. In fact, there were columns about how the GOP wanted to go after the leaker as if there were something illegitimate in doing so. This is another shining example of the Left believing that any action is fine when you have "righteousness" on your side. The sanctity of our Constitution and a branch of government is miniscule when you are armed with your righteousness.

There is a very limited group of people that could have done this leak. The fact the DOJ and FBI have not found the leaker shows that they are not attempting to do such and how broken our Justice System has become. Just like their lack of prosecuting anyone for the violence against the facilities that encourage birth over abortion. Don't be shocked if we see more violence in the coming days and nothing is done about it. It will be branded "righteous" violence.

The most fabulous take on the leak was from the deputy editorial page editor of the Washington Post. Ruth Marcus stated, "One theory - my leading theory - is that the leak came from the conservative side, possibly from a clerk for a conservative justice concerned that the seeming majority, ready to do away with the constitutional right to abortion, might be unraveling." You must have a fantabulous imagination to dream up that one.

This does not have to do with women's health. This has everything to do with one thing – abortion. In a prior column, I analyzed the materials of Planned Parenthood and the misleading information they provide about medical services such as pap smears. They don't really address alternatives to abortion. At this time, they should more accurately rename themselves as Planned Non-Parenthood.

The most hilarious observation was supposedly all the additional things next up for termination on the right-wing agenda. The best is the one where the court would end inter-racial marriage. Other than you would have to terminate millions upon millions of marriages in America, the great melting pot, they probably think the charge will be led by Justice Clarence Thomas, you know the black guy married to a white woman. Gosh, these people can get hysterical in a flash.

Currently, various states are establishing their policies. The Left has drawn a dark view of the states that haven't yet touched the law. They purported states with abortion bans after fifteen weeks somehow ban abortion as if abortions are not allowed at all in those states. I read and heard people who otherwise couldn't care less about the "flyover states" suddenly waxing poetic about the women of Alabama. Who believes that they now care about them? Let's see how this entire thing shakes out which will take a few years.

Legislators will now have to listen to the people of their state and legislate what their voters want on this issue. Governors will have to decide whether to sign the bills then enforce the law. That is how this country works. If all the howling people honestly believe most Americans are in favor of abortion, they should welcome this process.

Amazon has already announced it will pay $4,000 for an employee to transit to another state for the procedure. Other companies may do similar measures. Maybe all these people who believe unfettered abortions are critical will have to pony up some money of their own. That would be novel.

Repealing Roe v. Wade merely returns abortion policy to the states and to democratic debate where it properly belongs. Nothing else.

TCR Editor Gary Polland returns to Fox 26 Houston this Sunday, July 3rd, on What's Your Point? hosted by Greg Groogan. The show will be a wide ranging discussion of current political issues. As always, Gary will bring a reasoned conservative viewpoint to the show. Just tune in at 7:00 am live, YouTube it, set your DVR or go to:
https://www.fox26houston.com/.

Gary Polland is now a regular on "What's Your Point?" hosted by Greg Groogan on Fox 26 Houston, appearing every other week. Tune in or set your recorder for 7:00 am Sundays.

Gary Polland is a long-time conservative and Republican spokesman, fund-raiser, and leader who completed three terms as the Harris County Republican Chairman. During his three terms, Gary was described as the most successful county Chairman in America by Human Events - The National Conservative Weekly. He is in his twenty-sixth year of editing a newsletter dealing with key conservative and Republican issues. The last twenty-one years he has edited Texas Conservative Review. As a public service for the last 18 years, Gary has published election guides for the GOP primary, general elections and city elections, all with the purpose of assisting conservative candidates. Gary also for 20 years cohosted Red, White and Blue on Houston Public Media TV 8 PBS Houston, longest running political talk show in Texas history. Gary serves on the Board of Directors of American Values, a national pro-family, pro-faith, conservative organization supporting the unity of the American people around the vision of our founding fathers and dedicated to reminding the public of the conservative principles fundamental to the survival of our nation. Gary is a practicing attorney and strategic consultant. He can be reached at (713) 621-6335.