As we've seen in numerous polls over the last two years, opposition to abortion isn't merely a "mainstream" American position. It's a majority one. Gallup's new national survey on the question is packed with fascinating data. Especially interesting is the break-down of public opinion split among four options: Abortion should be always legal, legal in "most" circumstances, legal "only in a few" circumstances, or never legal. The former two viewpoints represent the traditional "pro-choice" stance. The latter two are where the "pro-life" movement plants its policy flag. A few highlights from the findings:
(1) On the nominal "pro-life" vs. "pro-choice" question, pro-lifers narrowly outnumber the other side, 48-45.
(2) Fully 58 percent of adults say abortion should be illegal in all circumstances, or only permitted in "a few." Just 39 percent say the practice should be legal in "all" or "most" circumstances.
(3) On that same question, 57 percent of women adopt a pro-life view; 40 percent adopt the more doctrinaire "pro-choice" position, which is supposed to be the official stance of their entire gender.
(4) Millenials (aged 18-34) are the most likely group to believe abortion should be outlawed in all circumstances. Overall, 57 percent of these young voters select one of the pro-life options.
(5) By partisan break-down, 59 percent of independents oppose abortion in all or most cases, as do 43 percent of Democrats. The pro-life positions are adopted by 78 percent of Republicans.
(6) Seventy-four percent of the public is paying little or no attention to the trial of late-term abortionist and accused serial killer Kermit Gosnell. A paltry 25 percent are paying "very" or "somewhat" close attention.
(7) Pluralities believe the media isn't giving the Gosnell case sufficient coverage, though a majority admits it doesn't know enough to say either way. Kermit Gosnell is still an unknown among most of the populace. One wonders how people's abortion views might shift if they were made aware of the horrors that took place at his Philadelphia clinic.
Keep these statistics tucked away for the next time someone who supports taxpayer-funded, late-term abortion-on-demand tries to cast pro-lifers as "extreme." Also, be sure to read this post about how the Cleveland kidnapper is being charged with the deaths of five unborn children. One of his captives became pregnant five times; he beat her stomach until she miscarried in each case. Because those were "wanted" unborn children, their killer faces multiple charges, making him eligible for the death penalty. But if those unborn children had been poisoned and suctioned out by an abortionist, it would have been perfectly legal. Should the "wantedness" of a child determine her humanity?
UPDATE - Per the Susan B. Anthony List, Gallup also notes that overwhelming majorities of Americans oppose late-term abortions; 80 percent reject third trimester abortions, and 64 percent do the same in the second trimester. This is why Live Action's ongoing expose is so important.