Birddogging Guide: The Escalating MAGA Attacks on Reproductive Freedom

First the MAGA Supreme Court overturned Roe, and millions of pregnant people lost access to care in their home states. As expected, Republicans aren’t stopping there: they’ve introduced legislation across the country that takes it even further. Now, a Trump judge in Texas with a decades-long history of anti-abortion extremism has taken the next terrifying step, and issued a ruling to block the FDA’s approval of the abortion medication Mifepristone (Mih-feh-pris-tone). If this ruling stands, it could endanger abortion access nationwide. It’s vitally important that we get every MAGA Republican on the record: just how far are they willing to go in their attacks on reproductive rights? 

Key Questions to Ask:

Mifepristone has been used safely for more than two decades and has the full support of healthcare providers and scientists. Do you believe federal judges should have the right to pull safe medications off the market for personal political reasons? 

If a judge bans Viagra – which is considerably more dangerous than Mifepristone – will you honor that ban?

Idaho has banned out-of-state travel for minors to seek abortion care, and will seek prison sentences for anyone who helps them. Do you believe that pregnant women and girls have the right to travel freely between states in America? 

Mifepristone is also used to treat people suffering from miscarriage, greatly reducing their risk of complications. Should they also lose access to the drug if this judge’s ruling stands?

South Carolina Republicans have introduced legislation that would make having an abortion punishable by death. Do you support the death penalty for women seeking abortion care?

Justice Thomas wrote that the Supreme Court should re-examine the right to contraception, marriage equality, and privacy in the bedroom — will you oppose efforts to infringe on those rights?

Some states are attempting to ban access even to information about abortion, including criminalizing reading websites from other states. Why are Republicans targeting the First Amendment? Will you support protections for reproductive information freedom?
 

How to Birddog

Show up at public events where your Representative will be and ask a tough question.  Force them to take a position or make it clear they’re deflecting reasonable questions from constituents, get it on video, and get that video everywhere you can from social media to local print, radio, and TV news.

Recruit and train your crew. You need at least two people: one to talk, one to film, but the more people asking questions the better!

Find opportunities and practice your questions. 

Attend the event & get them on record. Be PERSISTENT — they answer to you!

Get footage up on social media and out to local media. Tag everyone, esp. @IndivisibleTeam!

No opportunity to birddog? Use versions of these questions in creative ways:

• Call in to local talk radio
• Ask Qs in the chat for online events
• Ask on the MoC’s social media channels
• Make posters or stickers