Misleading Story of the Month: Majority of Americans "Pro-Life"

S.D. I know the source will hardly be considered neutral on this issue bit a look at this report (Lifenews) gives a summary of recent events. The claims in the article can be confirmed by reference to multiple other sites associated with the pollsters themselves - I did and it takes a while.

Another good resource is pollingrport.com. The benefit of this is that it gives a history of polls and at least two of the most recent polls show a trend towards the pro-life position. Though it is a plurality.

I expect the number of polls on this issue will rise dramatically as the Supreme Court Justice nomination approaches.

The trouble with polls like this is, as some on this thread have already pointed out, that people's positions are often not black and white. There are those who consider themselves pro-life, in that they are opposed to any unnecessary terminations, but would, under certain circumstances, not make it illegal. Then there are those who call themselves pro-choice who strongly disapprove of using abortion as simply a contraceptive measure. And then there are those who have a more or less polarized view--the ones this poll was presumably designed to measure.

My intuitive guess is that many people fall into an in-between category, though I have no statistics to back that up.

This poll was not the best instrument to guage such subtleties. A lot would depend on precisely how the questions were phrased.

[edit on 22-5-2009 by Sestias]

reply to post by Tentickles


I know many, many pro-lifers. They all know if their ideas gain enough strength to become law, they have to say goodbye to a friend because they all know I would leave the country.

I think it might be true though, at least around here. Even people who get abortions are pro-life. Don't ask me how that works.

I would say almost everyone is pro-life I mean who wants to be anti-life maybe a serial killer or something. The problem comes when people are so propagandized pro-life means things like controlling other peoples choices and limited a woman's control over her own body. No one likes abortion it's not a pleasant thing but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

My biggest problem with those that describe themselves as pro lifers is that they are also the same ones that are quick to send someone else's child off to die in a war that's only purpose is to make big profits for the military industrialist.... These same folks are pro death, but some how don't see it that way.

reply to post by hypervigilant


Yea I agree with that as well, before we worry about ending all abortion we need to get our priorities straight and take care of the people already living on the planet. We first need to end all war, then end all starvation, then clothe and shelter the poor, then we could worry about abortion. You could probably throw disease somewhere in there as well.
I don't want to sound heartless, but people focus on abortion and then seem to ignore everything else that is wrong with the world. Unwanted babies only add more strain to a broken system and if a baby is unwanted it is not going to have a good life.

reply to post by miraclerock

Yes, The power brokers use emotional issues to manipulate the weak minded and avoid having to answer for issues that affect a larger percentage of us.