S3 E2: Abortion Laws, Donald Trump & the Supreme Court: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Republican Presidential Race

• Despite his feud with Pope Francis, Donald Trump won the South Carolina Republican primary.
• Jeb Bush dropped out of the race after a disappointing finish in South Carolina.

Supreme Court Nomination Process

• The nomination process has become a political battle, with Republicans refusing to consider President Obama's nominee and Democrats accusing them of hypocrisy.

Diversity in Hollywood

• Hollywood continues to face criticism for whitewashing, with many recent examples of white actors being cast in roles originally written for non-white characters.
• The author criticizes the lack of diversity in Hollywood, pointing out that white actors often play roles traditionally reserved for actors of color.

Abortion Laws and the Closure of Abortion Clinics

• The author discusses the ongoing debate surrounding abortion laws in the United States, highlighting the spectrum of opinions on the issue.
• The author expresses support for women's right to choose and criticizes the vagueness of the Supreme Court's ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which has allowed states to introduce restrictive abortion laws.
• The author provides examples of restrictive abortion laws, such as Texas's HB2, which requires abortion clinics to meet the same building standards as outpatient surgical centers and requires their doctors to have hospital admitting privileges.
• The author argues that these laws are not medically necessary and can lead to the closure of abortion clinics, making it difficult for women to access safe and legal abortions.
• Some states have laws that require doctors to spread misinformation about abortion, such as claiming it increases the risk of breast cancer, despite the lack of scientific evidence to support this.
• Other states require providers to show and describe an ultrasound image, even if the woman does not want to see it.
• Some clinics have been shut down due to new building codes, forcing patients to travel long distances for care.
• Mandatory waiting periods of up to 72 hours between an initial consultation and an abortion can make it difficult for women to access care, especially those with limited resources.
• A Texas law has made it difficult to find nurses willing to work at clinics, leading to a 13-year-old rape victim being turned away from a clinic and forced to travel to New Mexico for the procedure.
• The Supreme Court will hear a case next month that could determine the fate of Texas's abortion laws.
• Florida is drafting similar "trap laws," and Alabama is considering a law that would close a clinic near a school.