Why are Republicans finally admitting they want a federal abortion ban?

It's a dumb move even for a dumb party

After spending months claiming that they wanted abortion “left to the states,” Republicans yesterday came clean in revealing that they do indeed want to pass a nationwide abortion ban. Senator Lindsey Graham, with the support of other Republican senators, introduced a federal ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The new bill would expand state restrictions on abortion to the nation as a whole. Even though more “moderate” than the total abortion bans enacted in several Republican states, the bill allows Democrats to credibly argue that if Republicans gain control both Congress and the White House, they’ll enact a nationwide ban. Graham and his Republican senate cohorts have put more than 100 million Americans on notice that they are potentially subject to the anti-choice zealots.

So here’s this week’s Office Hours question:

Why do you believe Republican leaders in Congress have introduced this legislation? How big of a motivating issue is the Republican anti-abortion movement for you?