Pro-choice politics

A Gallup survey of combined polls on abortion shows that the views on abortion trend back and forth. Currently there is only about a 1% favor toward pro-abortion/pro-choice.

Last week I read with interest Marist Poll National Adults, based on interviews conducted December 12th through December 18th, 2016.

The question was asked, “On the issue of abortion, do you consider yourself pro-life or pro-choice?” Nation-wide 42% were pro-life, while 52% were pro-choice and 6% were unsure. When the detailed questions are brought out, the details get interesting.

Though 52% answered as being pro-choice, when asked, “In the long run, do you believe having an abortion improves a woman’s life or in the long run do you believe abortion does more harm than good to a woman,” only 31% thought it improved a woman’s life, while 50% thought it does more harm.

When it comes to using tax dollars to pay for a woman’s abortion, the majority opposes it – 28% oppose and 33% strongly oppose. Only 9% strongly support it. When it comes to using tax dollars to support abortion in other countries, 83% oppose or strongly oppose it. 30%, a plurality, believe that abortion should be allowed only in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.

60% of the nation-wide respondents thought those who have moral objections to abortion should not be legally required to perform or provide insurance coverage for abortions.

When asked, “Regardless of whether or not you think it should be legal, do you believe that, in general, or morally wrong,” 59% said they thought it was morally wrong. Interestingly, the majority of American women (59 percent) say abortion is morally wrong, the same percentage of all Americans who agree it is morally wrong.