Thread by @Caitlin_K_Myers

What do economists have to say about abortion? A whole lot, it turns out. Some of the highlights from our brief to @Scotus in the case that will likely decide the fate of #RoeVWade. #EconTwitter @ReproRights 1/

Mississippi claims it is no big deal to overturn the precedent of Roe because “there is simply no causal link between the availability of abortion and the capacity of women to act in society.” Economists demonstrate this claim has no basis in fact. 2/

We educate @Scotus on tools of causal inference and their widespread application to studying the effects of abortion access. 3/

We explain how economists like @phil_wellesley, Douglas Staiger, @metrics52, @LizAnanat @jonathangruber1, @Mguldi, @kmpjones, @TheodoreJJoyce1 (and me) have demonstrated that the expansion of abortion access in the 1970s had dramatic effects on births. 4/

We highlight the repeated finding that legalization particularly impacted young women and women of color. 5/

For instance, new evidence from @monira_smf , @LHoehnVelasco, and @mikepesko that the legalization of abortion reduced maternal mortality among women of color by 28 to 40%. 6/ papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…

We also cover work by @metrics52, @jasonmlindo, @MayraPinedaT, @kmpjones, Ali Abboud, @mpbitler, @madelinezavodny & more demonstrating that abortion legalization had downstream effects on education and earnings, and the financial circumstances of women and their families. 7/

Mississippi argues it's no big deal to overturn Roe because expanded access to contraception and the enactment of policies supporting working families have erased the demand for abortion. Economists' brief illustrates just how silly these claims are. 8/

We demonstrate that motherhood remains one of the most economically important decisions a woman faces, drawing on work from from @PikaGoldin, @martha_j_bailey, Francine Blau, Lawrence Kahn, and Henrik Kleven, @landais_camille and others. 9/

We illustrate that FMLA has been inadequate and that most workers- and especially most low-income workers- lack access to any type of paid leave, drawing on work by @christopherruhm, Jane Waldfogel, @maya_rossin and excellent policy work from @BrookingsInst 10/

And we tackle Mississippi's absurd claim that childcare is not a challenge for working families, drawing on work by @TheSamKhater, @KristenHarknett, and @BrookingsInst. 11/

Economists' brief explains that we know abortion continues to shape people's lives today, drawing on work on the causal effects of access by @jasonmlindo, @MayraPinedaT, @royer_heather, @stef_fischer, @corey_d_white, @jasonmfletcher, @JoannaVenator, (and me) and more. 12/

We know from work by @rachelj5 and others @Guttmacher that most women seeking abortions already are mothers, 49% are poor, 75% are low-income, and 55% are experiencing a disruptive life event like losing a job or falling behind on the rent. 13/

Work by @Dianagfoster, @smilleralert, and @LaurawherryR illustrates that for many women in these difficult circumstances, being "turned away" from an abortion has major financial consequences. 14/

The economists' brief concludes with an update of work I've done with @rachelj5 and @UshmaU envisioning a post-Roe world. 15/

If Roe is overturned, over 100,000 people seeking abortions will likely be unable to reach an abortion provider in the first year alone. 16/

Take-away from the economists: Whatever one's stance on the ethics of abortion, it is absurd for MS to claim that Roe does not matter. Overturning Roe would dramatically affect women's personal and economic lives, as well as those of their families. 17/ supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/1…