Welcome to "Keeping Score," a weekly look at the wins, losses, and developing stories at the intersection of policy, social justice, and American life. Some weeks, the scorecard feels mixed. This week, it is relentlessly grim.

We are tracking three interconnected stories: a chilling, coordinated assault on reproductive freedom that goes far beyond abortion bans; an economic vise squeezing Black women out of the labor force; and a stark public verdict on the first six months of the new Trump administration.

More than three years after the fall of Roe v. Wade, the anti-abortion movement is not resting. With abortion banned or severely restricted in over a dozen states, conservative legislatures are now pioneering the next frontier of control: a raft of bills aimed at preventing travel for abortion care and creating a surveillance state around reproductive health.

In Texas, lawmakers are debating a new bill that would allow private citizens to sue anyone who "aids or abets" a resident in obtaining an out-of-state abortion. In Florida, a legislative committee has advanced a bill to make it a felony to mail or receive abortion pills like mifepristone. And in Missouri, a proposed law would grant tech companies broad immunity for handing over users' private data to law enforcement in investigations related to illegal abortions.

The strategy is clear: to build a digital and legal wall around their states, criminalizing not just the procedure itself, but knowledge, movement, and mutual aid.

While some economic indicators may appear stable, a new report from the Institute for Women's Policy Research this month reveals a crisis unfolding in plain sight. The report finds that Black women's participation in the labor force has dropped by a full two percentage points since its post-pandemic peak, while participation for other demographic groups has largely recovered.

The drivers are what the report calls a "triple burden": the widespread rollback of remote work flexibility, the near-total collapse of the affordable childcare sector, and the disproportionate expectation that Black women will serve as caregivers for children and elders.

It is no coincidence that many of the states with the most draconian abortion restrictions are also those with the weakest social safety nets. By simultaneously removing bodily autonomy and stripping away support for caregivers, state policies are creating an impossible squeeze, forcing Black women, in particular, to make a choice between their families and their economic survival.

As the Trump administration crosses its six-month mark, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released this week delivers a sobering assessment of its perceived economic impact. When asked, "Has the Trump administration's policies personally helped your financial situation?", the results were stark:

• 25% said yes.

• 55% said no.

• 20% were unsure.

The numbers were even more pointed among the independent voters who were key to the 2024 election, with only 18% reporting a positive personal impact.

This poll connects the dots between the previous two stories. While the administration has focused on broad-stroke economic policies like deregulation, those moves are not translating into tangible benefits for a majority of American households. For the women being forced out of the workforce due to a lack of childcare, or for the families facing the terrifying new costs and legal risks associated with restricted abortion access, a rising stock market feels a world away.

The "Keeping Score" verdict this week is clear: policies that strip away autonomy and social supports are not just a culture war issue—they are an economic issue. And a vast majority of Americans are feeling the loss.

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Beyond simple bans, states are now trying to prevent residents from traveling to get abortions. For instance, a proposed Texas law would allow private citizens to sue anyone who helps someone get an out-of-state abortion. In Florida, new bills aim to make it a felony to send or receive abortion pills in the mail.

Some states are creating a "digital wall" around reproductive health. A proposed Missouri law, for example, would give tech companies legal protection for sharing user data (like search history or location data) with law enforcement to investigate illegal abortions, increasing digital surveillance.

A recent report points to a "triple burden" disproportionately affecting Black women: the end of remote work options, the lack of affordable childcare, and the societal expectation that they serve as primary caregivers. This creates an impossible situation that forces many to choose between family and their job.

States with the most restrictive abortion laws often have the weakest social safety nets. This means Black women in these states face a compounded crisis: they are denied reproductive autonomy while also being left without the affordable childcare necessary to support a family and maintain a job, pushing them out of the workforce.

According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, a majority of Americans are not feeling the benefits. Only 25% of Americans reported that the administration's policies have personally helped them financially, while 55% said they have not been helped.

The poll shows that only 18% of independent voters, a crucial group for the election, have seen a positive personal financial impact from the administration's policies. This suggests that broad economic measures like deregulation are not translating into tangible benefits for the average household, especially for those most affected by the loss of social supports.