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The Nation's Pulse
Americans Opt for Life
Amidst the political setbacks for the right-to-life movement, maybe the worst since the 1970s, the Gallup Poll reports that 51 percent of Americans call themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion; 42 percent are "pro-choice."
"This is the first time a majority of adults have identified themselves as pro-life since Gallup began asking this question in 1995," says Lydia Saad, writing for the Gallup organization on its website.
These results are derived from Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs survey. According to Saad, "they represent a significant shift from a year ago, when 50% were pro-choice and 44% were pro-life. Prior to now, the highest percentage identifying as pro-life was 46%, in both August 2001 and May 2002."
The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent, but in terms of the direction and overall shift, these are remarkable numbers given the ambient political environment which is hostile to the cause of the unborn, at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Gallup interviewed 1,013 national adults, aged 18 and older, May 7-10.
In terms of the legal issues implicated by abortion, "about as many Americans now say the procedure should be illegal in all circumstances (23%) as say it should be legal under any circumstances (22%)." Saad claims this contrasts with the past four years, "when Gallup found a strong tilt of public attitudes in favor of unrestricted abortion."
The majority of Americans occupy what Saad calls "the middle option" with 53% saying "abortion should be legal only under certain circumstances" (emphasis added).
Saad also cites a recent national survey by the Pew Research Center recorded an eight percentage-point decline since last August in those saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases, from 54 to 46 percent. The percentages for those saying abortion should be legal in only a few or no cases increased from 41 to 44 percent during the same period.
Saad notes that the percentage of Republicans, including independents leaning Republican, calling themselves "pro-life rose by 10 points over the past year, from 60 to 70 percent. "There was essentially no change in the views of Democrats and Democratic leaners…all of the increase in pro-life sentiment is seen among self-identified conservatives and moderates; the abortion views of political liberals have not changed," says Saad.
Other findings of interest include the following:
There has been an eight-point gain among Protestants and a seven-point gain among Catholics in terms of identifying themselves as pro-life.
While women used to call themselves pro-choice over pro-life a year ago (50 versus 43 percent), today women as well as men are more likely to be pro-life. So much for the gender gap on the life issues-at least for now. Again, Saad writes that "this is the first time in nine years of Gallup Values surveys that significantly more men and women are pro-life than pro-choice."
What is the reason for the change in these polling numbers? Saad speculates that it is possible that President Obama, "through his abortion policies…has pushed the public's understanding of what it means to be 'pro-choice' slightly to the left, politically."
"While Democrats may support that, as they generally support everything Obama is doing as president, it may be driving others in the opposite direction."
Maybe President Obama, with his keen political instincts, detects this shift in opinion. If so, it is no accident that, at his recent press conference, he made it clear that passage of the Freedom of Choice Act was not his top legislative priority. Moreover, he has, quite shrewdly, stayed out of the controversy over his honorary degree at Notre Dame.
While such small, nuanced changes in the President's political position on the life issues are hardly grounds to celebrate, it is bracing to see the majority of Americans opting for the culture of life during these unsettled times.
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Michael L. Hauschild| 5.18.09 @ 7:56AM
Such polling may hearten but the sad fact is that this issue is seemingly now in the hands of a pro-active judiciary system. The race between federalist revision and judicial jurisdiction is on. The election cycles of 2010/2012 and the appointment calendars will have far more bearing on the abortion issue than the relative trend within the polled sample. If you do not believe this maybe you missed who was conferred “honor” at one of the few remaining institutional bastions of the pro-life movement last weekend. “Americans Opt for Life?” Don’t look now but most Americans, even a majority, no longer have any say.
Son Of Sam| 5.18.09 @ 8:48AM
And that, Michael, is why we the people need to take back what is rightfully ours. Democracy is too important to be left in the hands of politicians masquerading as our "representatives" and free speech is too important to be left in the hands of the lapdog media who are nothing more than propaganda hacks for their masters in Washington.
We should be looking for ways to REMOVE these unaccountable, out of control, reckless and irresponsible judges. You cannot have freedom where the people are not sovereign. The people cannot be sovereign as long as their will is thwarted by the unelected and unaccountable among us.
Stay strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam
http://www.samadamssos.bravehost.com/
Augustin Duron| 5.18.09 @ 9:21AM
It's a big success considering the constant media bombing against life that makes life politically incorrect; even "pro-choice" is a wrong term, we should call it just as it is: "pro-death", and the pro-death media is substantially stronger than the pro-life one, and it's the same with the pro-perversion media.
We should call things by its name.
ame| 5.18.09 @ 9:42AM
I do understand that an abortion is sometimes necessary, but the hypocrisy of Obama concerning the "moral high ground" on torture is just more of his dissembling emptiness.
If it's not torture to crush the skulls of babies and then suck them out of their mothers' wombs or to leave babies born of botched abortions to starve to death or to release pedophiles to prey on and rape innocents then it isn't torture to water board terrorists - people who will kill Americans and destroy America.
America cannot have it both ways.
Obama has no moral or ethical code - he just does whatever is expedient for votes and power and for support from Soros -
Obama is a coward, a barbarian coward who kills innocents but saves murderers. What the hell is wrong with voters who elected Obama the dissembling, arrogant, hateful, and cunning Chicago thug???
Wake up, America!
Darin| 5.18.09 @ 10:56AM
The current noise about "torture" is an excellent opportunity to discuss abortion. For any liberal who condemns "torture," they need to be asked to defend ANY support of abortion. Specifically, why is it that an unborn human being has fewer rights than a terrorist?
Tony in Central PA| 5.18.09 @ 12:57PM
I'm very skeptical of polls like this. Sometimes the methods are flawed and sometimes the responders will provide inconsistent answers. So there's often a disconnect between what people will say and what they'll do. For instance, Barack Obama is the most proabortion President our nation has ever elected, what percentage of the people polled who identified themselves as " Pro - Life " voted for Obama ?
Willy Haul| 5.18.09 @ 1:36PM
I don't know whether I am understanding this article. To be honest, I don't work well with numbers and statistics. But, it sounds like the shifts mentioned in the article are taking place among people who ought to be pro-life, anyhow. The article states that there has been no shift among liberals/Democrats. Are the shifts just a matter of the right responding to the crazies of Obama? I hope the article says something different; but, if that is the point, then this isn't too exciting.
Don| 5.18.09 @ 2:12PM
My personal belief is pro-life, but legislating it is WRONG !Why do we need a law that pertains to a personal decision? My beliefs are not going to be affected by people who are more interested in an afterlife promised in a book that is an amalgam of fairy tales and magic! Also, I'd be more inclined to follow pro lifers if they were all against the death penalty. Religion fuels the debate, along with hypocrisy.
There was no real "controversy" at Notre Dame, just another tea bag style Fox event.
ds80| 5.18.09 @ 2:13PM
This is a rather glib comment, by ame: "I do understand that an abortion is sometimes necessary"
When is the murder of an innocent "necessary" ? For that's exactly what it is. Peel away the "nuanced" sophistry about "choice" and you have that stark truth: abortion kills an innocent human.
ds80| 5.18.09 @ 2:15PM
Don asked: "Why do we need a law that pertains to a personal decision?"
We have all kinds of laws of that nature. In this case the "personal decision" affects the innocent life of another.
ds80| 5.18.09 @ 2:19PM
Don: " I'd be more inclined to follow pro lifers if they were all against the death penalty."
You shouldn't "follow" any group. You should be guided by an informed conscience.
Augustin Duron| 5.18.09 @ 2:26PM
Its true that a real pro-life policy should be AGAINST death penalty, not because no person deserves to be executed because some does, but because no person has the right to execute another one.
Kathleen OB| 5.18.09 @ 2:40PM
A great article! I pray the pro-life numbers continue to rise!
Tony in Central PA| 5.18.09 @ 3:40PM
I will agree with Don that there was no real controversy at Notre Dame. That university abandoned its identity so long ago that it can't be identified as Catholic in any meaningful sense of the term.
If Notre Dame wanted real controversy, they should have invited a prolife speaker who wouldn't have been afraid to poke the eye of this Administration.
kmichaels| 5.18.09 @ 7:31PM
That fallacy of privacy as a justification of abortion is that it does not work well for selfish parents offing their toddlers in the privacy of their own bedrooms, so why is it a logical excuse for offing a human child in another room, or womb. Abortion was a state issue, because different states had placed varying amounts of worth on human life. Leftist states are prone to want to off children because they are just a bunch of useless cells, but in conservative states, life was rejoiced over. The only lives leftists seem to rejoice over is that of terrorists and serial killers, which seems so very odd. But not when you understand that leftist thinking lacks morals and is more about selfishness and self-survival. When do you find leftists giving their lives for others? Never. You just find them taking the lives of others for their own convenience. That is the reality of leftist thought. Don't assume that you can ever understand it. Just fight it.
kelly| 5.18.09 @ 8:59PM
If you were pro-life you would be against the death penalty. All you Catholics know that the Church teaches against the taking of any human life, guilty or innocent. Since many pro-lifers are also pro-capital punishment, they're trying to have their cake and eat it, too.
I'm pro-choice, not because I'm pro-abortion, but because I don't believe there should be legislation telling me or mine what to do with our bodies. A woman should be able to choose to abort or carry her child to term to keep or give up.
Heaven forbid if the government or Church starts telling me I can't have a vasectomy if I want it. The Church is already in the business of telling people in Africa to have sex without condoms.
simon| 5.18.09 @ 10:38PM
It is always hillarious to me when pro-aborts use the pro-life/pro-capitalism red herring.
Of course it can be turned on its head as it is easily pointed out that pro-aborts would rather see a copkiller saved than this person:
http://www.solarnavigator.net/images/baby_in_mothers_womb.jpg
Most pro-aborts I know can't even bring themselves to look at images like the one at the link I posted above.
simon| 5.18.09 @ 10:42PM
"A woman should be able to choose to abort or carry her child to term to keep or give up."
http://coloradoright.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/20-week_fetus.gif
Bille Baty| 5.19.09 @ 12:07AM
Some good news for a change...
Keep Believing...
Nick| 5.19.09 @ 6:02AM
Kelly,
You are ignorant of Roman Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life and the death penalty. Please refrain from commenting on these subjects until you educate yourself.
I assume from your post you are also against legislation that prohibits prostitution, ingesting certain drugs, selling organs, or even drunk driving?
I also assume you agree with the pro-choice slogan/canard, "The government should stay out of medical decisions."? If that is the case, are you against state medical boards and the licensing of physicians?
ds80| 5.19.09 @ 3:13PM
kelly: "If you were pro-life you would be against the death penalty. All you Catholics know that the Church teaches against the taking of any human life, guilty or innocent. "
Let me echo Nick: Kelly, pick up a Catechism before you make a fool of yourself again. You don't know what you're talking about.
Are you Catholic?
Hint: Pelosi, John Kerry, etc., while calling themselves Catholic, are actually heretical. The believer accepts the whole deposit of faith as proposed by the Church; the heretic accepts only such parts of it as commend themselves to his/her own approval.
Pingback| 5.19.09 @ 9:36PM
Choice for Life! « Celebrate LIFE! links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Smitty| 5.20.09 @ 12:46AM
Kelly will fight to the death to save the lives of serial child rapists/killers, yet dismiss the slaughter of 51 million innocent babies. Monster doesn't begin to describe you, moron.
Average Man| 5.20.09 @ 12:03PM
Can you help? A friend just showed me a comic book http://www.hipflask.com/issues/elephantmen18/ in which one of the characters has an abortion, and it doesn't appear that she's even remorseful. What do you think? Should we be outraged?
CH| 5.22.09 @ 1:41AM
No, Average--you should be aborted.
Pingback| 5.26.09 @ 8:32PM
Conservatism: The Road Ahead « Calvin Freiburger Online links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.31.09 @ 7:29PM
George Tiller Murdered, Libs ALREADY Using Death to Smear Pro-Lifers « Calvin Freibur links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
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