The recent vote in Ohio is just one of a string of cases where voters show they mostly support abortion access to some extent (1). Polls show the same. (2) So why do Republicans (specifically Republican politicians, not necessarily Republican voters) keep trying to do something unpopular?
My (perhaps cynical) view of Republican politicians is that they’re the “do anything to win” party. They would take any stance and pull any trick if it would give them a better chance of winning. So why are they so stuck on a losing issue?
Because it empowers their voting base to turn out. To me that’s the most basic answer. So they enact policies that hurt others (something their voting base for some reason enjoys) and that gives them a higher chance of being elected. And the youth (that won’t be statistically as likely to turn out) generally won’t.
Though, this sometimes backfires with it pissing the younger crowd off.
Let’s just say it - they enjoy hurting others because they are cruel if not downright evil. I’m not being dramatic here, that’s just by definition. Intentional cruelty has no place in government and they need to be stopped again and again and again like they were last night. To prevent being targeted by sport for the entertainment of these cruel fucks, vote in every single election you can - they certainly will.
I’ll say I don’t buy this argument, though that’s just my opinion. I don’t think these politicians care one way or another what happens to people as long as they get more power. I find it far fetched to say they’re seeking power so that they can be cruel.
Cruelty is a means (or side effect), not an end.