The Slatest for Jan. 3: A Life-or-Death Abortion Case Is Heading for SCOTUS

Slate Staff
·2 min read
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A federal court just set the stage for the Supreme Court to decide on the biggest abortion case since Dobbs. And at the heart of this case is a grim truth: “Roe’s demise has transformed the judiciary into a kind of death panel that holds the power to elevate the potential life of a fetus over the actual life of a patient,” Mark Joseph Stern writes. He breaks down what’s at stake in this case, and why the judiciary is just going to keep being involved in the abortion debate.

And speaking of SCOTUS:

• Robert Katzberg argues there’s a way for the Supreme Court to take the sting out of a pro-Trump ballot ruling.

• And Todd Phillips catches us up on how the NRA has put yet another disastrous financial case before the high court.

The state constitution of Arkansas, cut out in the shape of a uterus.
Photo illustration by Slate. Photos by encyclopediaofarkansas.net and Getty Images Plus.

In Arkansas, where there’s a total abortion ban, a new abortion protection measure on the ballot could be a huge deal. But is settling for protections that are weaker than Roe was its own kind of defeat? Susan Rinkunas examines the potential broader consequences of enshrining weaker rights than the ones lost in 2022.

The discussion around A.I. feels new and scary—but we’ve had this conversation many times before. Jane C. Hu looks to the past to give us some perspective on the latest technological “genie” that won’t go back in the bottle.

Plus: A.I. came for our jobs, our art, and our souls. Now, Nicholas Lund writes, it’s coming for our birds.

An image of a one dollar bill, in which George Washington is wearing a MAGA cap and hoodie.
Photo illustration by Slate. Photos by Kenny Eliason/Unsplash and Drew Angerer/Getty Images.

Small-dollar political donations get a lot of credit. “America loves the grassroots—at least a popularized idea of it,” Ryan Teague Beckwith writes. But this practice has a darker side. Look closely at who’s getting the most money from small donors and you’ll see how it’s fueling political extremism.

… is the billionaire who owns the Carolina Panthers. Alex Kirshner takes a look at what happens when a man with money drastically overestimates himself and sets a team ablaze with shocking efficiency.

A bitmoji woman sits slumped over a desk, and an animated menu scrolls through options and selects "Quit."
Illustration by Slate. Images from Getty Images Plus.

After many years holding down a corporate job to get health insurance, Eden Robins quit to become a crossing guard. She explains why it was a fantastic decision.

We’re welcoming in the new year with a whole series of essays on quitting things—or not. You can read the rest of them here.

… much like the fictional Ikea omakase of Luke Winkie’s dreams. He argues that we need omakase for everything.

Thanks so much for reading! We’ll see you back here tomorrow.