“Anti-Women, Anti-Democracy, Pro-Child Labor”: Analysis of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Political History Reveals Worrying Extent of His Anti-Abortion Agenda

Michelle HollandNov 27, 2023

Minute Read

The new speaker of the House Mike Johnson has expressed his support for revisiting Supreme Court rulings that abolished limitations on the use of contraception, prohibited bans on same-sex relations, and made same-sex marriages legal nationwide.

Johnson on Roe v Wade

A CNN deep dive into Johnson’s previous statements has unearthed the extreme nature of his views. In an appearance on a conservative talk radio show the day Roe v Wade was overturned by SCOTUS, Johnson voiced his support for the decision and shared his agreement with Justice Clarence Thomas that other landmark rulings should be rethought.

Defending Clarence Thomas

Johnson, who previously worked as an attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom and promoted evangelical Christianity in the political sphere, declared that what Thomas was looking into was “not radical. In fact, it’s the opposite of that.”

Cleaning Up Bad Laws

He went on to say that “there’s been some really bad law made. They’ve made a mess of our jurisprudence in this country for the last several decades. And maybe some of that needs to be cleaned up.”

Inconsistent Beliefs

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Though a spokesman for Johnson told CNN that the new speaker considers other controversial SCOTUS rulings as “settled law,” CNN’s findings demonstrate Johnson’s history of trying to strike down progressive legislation, such as protections for doctors who provide abortions after six weeks, whom he believes should face hard labor prison sentences.

Christian Nationalist Views

Johnson has caused concern with his far-right, Christian nationalist ideology, which desires the criminalization of homosexuality, compulsory Bible study in schools, the eradication of anti-hate-crime laws, and the installation of the Ten Commandments on prominent display in public buildings.

“Biblical Morality”

CNN determined that Johnson wished to see a return to “Biblical morality” and that he would ideally “take the country back more than a half-century,” before the 1960s counterculture movement that anti-war sentiments, women’s liberation, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ rights entered the public conscience.

A National Platform

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Johnson has engaged in rhetoric about the “inherent evil” of humankind and the government’s responsibility to “restrain” it. Though his views are not out of the ordinary for his deeply conservative home state of Louisiana, his new role as speaker has given him a national platform to shape the country’s policy.

Public Opinion on Abortion

Though the general public remains split on the extent to which abortion should be legal, a 2023 Gallup poll found that only 38% of Americans consider the overturning of Roe v. Wade to be a good thing. A poll conducted a month before the ruling was struck down found that only 35% of Americans wanted to see this happen.

The Culture War

Johnson has been prominently positioned at the forefront of the culture war and has called the American Civil Liberties Union “the most dangerous organization in America.” He also frequently went head-to-head with Americans United for Separation of Church and State in legal battles during his time with the ADF.

Separation of Church and State

Johnson does not believe in the separation of church and state, and has been accused of having a “persecution complex” He has claimed that he “doesn’t understand the problem with a government compelling its citizens to follow not just religion, but a particular religion.” He was elected as a Representative to the House in 2017 and is considered one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress.

Congressional Record

In Congress, Johnson signed a bill outlawing abortion after six weeks and has said that current abortion laws in the U.S. constitute an “American holocaust.” He also also called states that would reject the enactment of anti-abortion legislation as “pro-death” states.

Johnson’s Election Denialism

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Johnson also subscribes to Trump’s election denial conspiracy theory and has attributed the Roe v. Wade ruling to the former president, likely for staffing the SCOTUS with more conservative judges. He has remained an avid Trump supporter.

Ridiculous Hypotheticals

Many people online have directed backlash at Johnson for his anti-abortion stance. When he questioned a doctor whether she would perform an abortion on a woman who was “seconds away from giving birth” or had a baby “halfway out the birth canal,” one forum commenter slammed him for employing “by no means realistic situations.”

Reflective of the GOP

One user explained that Johnson’s election was merely representative of a deeper issue, stating: “The GOP is showing everyone who they are by electing Johsnon: anti-women, anti-democracy, pro-child labor, pro-child marriage, anti-worker… the list of bad stuff is too long.”

“A Hateful Fanatic”

Another person wrote: “Under that soften spoken fake folksiness hides a hateful fanatic that wants to turn the clock back 200 years.” Several other people blasted Johnson as a “misogynist” and “woman hater.”

Close to the Presidency

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Numerous people expressed concerns about Johnson’s position as second in line to the presidency after Vice President Kamala Harris. “This is the crazy person Republicans put second in line for the presidency,” one contributor observed.

Accusations of Antisemitism

Others accused Johnson of antisemitism for drawing comparisons between the Holocaust and abortion. “Antisemitic bigot. What a disgusting insult to the millions of Jewish women who exercise choice,” one person proclaimed. “What a time to be Jewish,” another stated, alluding to the rise in antisemitism globally since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Landmark SCOTUS Rulings

Commenters shared outrage at Johnson’s hopes to repeal more landmark SCOTUS rulings, with one contributor predicting: “The next stage is overturning Obergefell (same-sex marriage), then federally banning abortion with no exceptions,” concluding that “this will lead to worse in time.” Others speculated that Johnson secretly desired to ban interracial marriages and overturn the Civil Rights Act.