Anti-Choice Crowd Still Making No Inroads

The chart above is from a recent Gallup Poll (conducted May 2nd through 7th of a nationwide sample of 1,535 adults -- with a margin of error of 4 points). The chart makes it look like the anti-choice crowd might be making some progress in this country, since 48% of the population identified themselves as "pro-life" and only 45% as "pro-choice".

But that is just an illusion, and is more indicative of the fact that a whole lot of people like to think of themselves as being in favor of life (even though many of them actually support Roe vs Wade). I think if you substituted "anti-choice" for "pro-life", those figures would drop dramatically. And that is born out by this next chart from that same poll.

Note that the number of people who oppose abortion has remained very constant since 1975 (about 38 years). Only 20% of the population opposes abortion in all cases (the position the anti-abortion crowd wants America to support). Meanwhile, 26% would support abortion in all cases -- and a majority of the population (52%) likes things as they are, with abortion being permitted with restrictions (as Roe vs Wade does).

The anti-abortion people have been loud and vociferous in their opposition for over 40 years now, but they haven't accomplished much (if anything) at all. Most Americans support the right of women to control their own bodies, and believe the Supreme Court decision of Roe vs Wade is a reasonable way to accomplish that.