2008 Polling Results
A number of recent polls show that the majority of Americans are pro-life and favor more restrictions on abortion, and that the number of Americans who identify themselves as pro-abortion/pro-choice has dropped to its lowest in the past seven years.
ABC News and Washington Post polling results show not only that the percent of abortion supporters in America has fallen to its seven-year low, but that the percentage of Americans who identify themselves as “pro-life” has risen to tie the percentage of the last time the pro-life percentage peaked during the same seven-year period. Earlier this year in January, an ABC News-Washington Post poll reported a 4% drop in abortion supporters, and a 4% increase in pro-lifers. So, the good news is that support for abortion is way down, and support for abortion restrictions is way up.
Some participants in the ABC News-Washington Post erroneously believed that abortions in cases of rape or incest, or in situations where the mother’s life was endangered constitute the majority of abortions performed in America. The survey failed to inform these participants that abortions in those circumstances are very rare, and account for only 1-2% of all abortions. The great significance of the fact that 98-99% of all abortions are elective procedures cannot be more apparent; it is strange that such an important fact was not relayed to the poll participants. However, despite the absence of this information, the majority of the respondents still favored abortion restrictions, with only 44% wanting all or most abortions to be illegal. Had the respondents been informed of the rarity of abortions in cases of rape, incest, and life endangerment, the percentage of Americans who want greater restrictions on abortion may have been much higher.
A Gallup poll conducted this May shows similar results. According to the poll, 71% of Americans want all abortions to be limited to rare circumstances or to be illegal. In response to a question of when abortions should be allowed, a scant 28% took the pro-abortion position.
2007 and 2006 Polling Results
The decline in abortion support has been a steady one. A March 2007 Zogby poll showed overwhelming support for incremental abortion limitations and other life-affirming laws. According to the Zogby poll:
- 69% support the prohibition of using Federal taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions;
- 69% support parental notification for girls 16 or younger;
- 55% support parental notification for girls 18 or younger;
- 56% support a 24-hour waiting period;
- 64% support charging criminals for attacks on pregnant women which result in the killing or injuring of the woman’s unborn child; and
- 69% support prohibitions on using taxpayer dollars for abortions abroad.
In addition to the March 2007 Zogby poll, a November 2007 Newsweek poll reported a 5% increase in the number of pro-life Americans. A CBS News poll also showed a decrease in abortion support for the year 2007. According to the CBS News poll:
- 47% want to prohibit most or all abortions;
- 16% want abortions to be “greatly restricted”;
- 30% want to limit abortions to rare circumstances of rape, incest or to save the mother’s life;
- 12% want abortions to be legal only to save the mother’s life;
- 5% want abortions be illegal in all cases; and
- 31% want abortion to be legal in all cases.
The 2007 CBS News polling results correspond to the 2006 CBS New poll, which reported that 51% of Americans want most or all abortions to be illegal, whereas only 12% want abortions to be legal in all cases.
Conclusion
The trend towards a more pro-life America has been clearly illustrated by the results of national polls over the past years. More and more Americans recognize the importance and need for meaningful abortion restrictions, and are willing to identify themselves as “pro-life” as opposed to “pro-abortion” or “pro-choice. Legislators should pay attention to these trends and facts, as it is their responsibility to pass laws and policies that accurately reflect the views of the Americans people. Laws that expand the right to abortion and increase access to elective abortions are not in line with the views of the American people. On the other hand, laws that ensure that abortions are rare (and, in those rare cases, that abortions are safe), are laws that adequately address the needs and views of the American people. For legislators who are looking to fulfill their responsibility to the American people, there is no time better than now to enact laws restricting abortions and protecting the sanctity of human life.
