The Liberals Threatening to Pick Up and Leave

In 2016, American liberals threatened—half seriously—that they would move somewhere more progressive if Donald Trump won the presidential election. That spring, Spotify released a tongue-in-cheek playlist called “Moving up to Canada” with the description, “Some of you might choose Canada this November … here’s the perfect soundtrack.” Now that the Supreme Court has issued the Dobbs decision overturning Roe, thus denying women the constitutional right to an abortion, the threat is back. It seems more serious and, at any rate, is much easier to carry out, because somewhere more progressive could be just across state lines, no expatriation required.

The decision means that reproductive rights are left up to the states, resulting in drastic variation. In Maryland, most insurers are to “cover abortion care services without a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement.” California has also out-of-pocket costs for abortion services. In Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, and South Dakota, by contrast, abortion is illegal even if; the only exception is if the life of the mother is at risk, a distinction that is easily legislated but .