I feel as though the spirit of Roe v. Wade’s penumbras and land-of-make-believe legal decision-making are alive and well in the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s 4–3 ruling this week to abolish the state’s 176-year-old abortion law.

“Wisconsinites no longer have to fear the archaic 1849 ban could go back into effect,” the ACLU of Wisconsin said.

Ed Whelan highlights the dissents, over in Bench Memos. Justice Brian Hagedorn calls the court’s decision “pure policymaking, driven by antagonism toward a law the majority does not like.” Justice Rebecca Grassl Bradley says that Chief Justice Jill Karofsky’s concurring opinion “reads as a parody of progressive politics.” Moreover:

Karofsky “rewrites history, erases and insults women by referring to mothers as ‘pregnant people,’ slanders proponents of the pro-life perspective, and broadcasts dangerously false narratives about laws restricting abortion.”

Ed, a national treasure, also also goes after the Wall Street Journal’s editorial about the ruling:

Heather Weininger, the executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, said to me in an e-mail last night:

This decision is a huge disappointment for many Wisconsinites.

While we expected this decision, it was unclear until today how they would reach this decision.

The activist, left-leaning court used implied repeal, without pointing to the newer laws which repealed the existing 940.04 law. There was not any basis for this decision.

The liberal court justices were unhappy with our laws and took to using the justice system to become lawmakers. We can no longer rely on our state supreme court to be impartial.

There is still great hope here in Wisconsin, and across our nation. Our work remains the same. Educate our citizens on the many alternatives to abortion — resources available to moms in unplanned pregnancies — and reaching youth with hopeful messaging so they make life-affirming decisions.

Now is not the time to back down from our work. Our efforts will continue to change one heart and mind to favor life.

As we are just days away from celebrating our independence in America, I will always remember our great country was founded on the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Elizabeth Kirk issues a challenge to the state legislature:

We really should leave the crazy pro-abortion extremism to the professionals on our coasts (N.Y. and California are in competition).