I can’t take credit for the headline idea which was suggested by this AP article about today’s 49th annual March for Life:

Arriving by the busloads, thousands of anti-abortion protesters rallied in the nation’s capital Friday with a growing sense of optimism that their goal was finally in reach: a sweeping rollback of abortion rights.

The March for Life, for decades an annual protest against abortion, was held as the Supreme Court has indicated it will allow states to impose tighter restrictions on abortion with a ruling in the coming months — and possibly overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that affirmed the constitutional right to an abortion.

“It doesn’t feel real. There’s so much hope and vibrancy and happiness and joy at this thing,” said Jordan Moorman of Cincinnati. “I really do believe that we’re in a post-Roe generation.”…

“Hopefully this will be the last March for Life,” said Father Andrew Rudmann, a Catholic priest from New Orleans, who was attending his 11th event.

Despite the cold weather and the omicron surge, there was a good turnout in DC today.

HUGE @March_for_Life crowd today — surprisingly wasn’t any noticeably smaller than in years past. #whywemarch pic.twitter.com/imHdyPXPEw

— Katie Yoder (@k_yoder) January 21, 2022

Unbelievable turnout for today’s @March_for_Life. I can’t see where the march starts or ends because there are tens of thousands of amazing people all united standing for the lives of innocent babies. pic.twitter.com/a6u3C7BcU3

— Kangmin Lee 🇰🇷✝️🇺🇸 (@thekangminlee) January 21, 2022

Here’s a time lapse showing the crowd marching past.

Beautiful crowd at the @March_for_Life today.

The pro-life generation is strong and we're winning.

2022 is the year we end Roe v. Wade. pic.twitter.com/Nk98KFLtKi

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 21, 2022

I like the baby Yoda sign (I know that’s not his name but whatever):

Some signs at the @March_for_Life today.

This is #whywemarch pic.twitter.com/6jyntwbuOI

— Katie Yoder (@k_yoder) January 21, 2022

There was some group there today called Patriot Front who are apparently some kind of white nationalist group. There are about three dozen of them but they are of course getting lots of attention from left-wing reporters.

The hate group Patriot Front has shown up at the DC anti-choice march. pic.twitter.com/i8t6VKhZAX

— Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) January 21, 2022

Anyway, just a handful of those guys and they were mostly ignored by the pro-life crowd.

Tens of thousands making their way to the U.S. Supreme Court at this year’s March for Life in Washington DC pic.twitter.com/prdbjX9MxI

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 21, 2022

So will this be the last March for Life? I doubt that but it could be the last one taking place under Roe v Wade as it currently exists. By next year the Supreme Court very well could have put an end to the idea that this is a constitutional issue and returned it to the states. If so then some states will legislate it mostly out of existence while others (California, New York) will likely make their laws more expansive.

There’s a new poll out from Marist which looks at what it is Americans believe about abortion. While they are neither purely pro-choice or pro-life overall, the important point is that large majorities support a more limited framework for abortion than the one we currently have. Even among Democrats a plurality (49%) support limiting abortion to the first trimester (or less).

As for funding, a majority say tax dollars shouldn’t be involved, though among Democrats 67% support taxpayer support.

The pro-life movement will go on regardless of what the Supreme Court decides, but the need for a centralized march in Washington to the steps of the Supreme Court could be over. We’ll know in a few more months.