Antiabortion-Rights Movement Had Successes In 2009, National Review Opinion Piece Argues

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 26 Jan 2010 - 4:00 PDT

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With the 2008 election of a Democratic president and Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, many analysts -- including conservatives -- advised Republicans to moderate their views on abortion, Michael New, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Alabama and a fellow at the Witherspoon Institute, writes in a National Review opinion piece. "However, the events of 2009 have clearly demonstrated the movement's resiliency and heft" and shown that "the right-to-life movement is an indispensible part of the center-right coalition," New writes. He argues that antiabortion-rights advocates have made gains in public opinion polls and led opposition to President Obama's health reform plans.

In May 2009, a "Gallup poll found that 51% of Americans describe themselves as pro-life, while only 42% describe themselves as pro-choice," marking "the first time that a Gallup survey has found a higher percentage of Americans on the pro-life side," according to New. He claims that subsequent polls by the Polling Company, Gallup, Rasmussen, Fox News and Pew "all showed a substantial increase in the number of people either willing to identify themselves as pro-life or willing to support greater restrictions on abortion."

New continues, "The increased influence of the pro-life movement is perhaps most conspicuous in the ongoing debate over health care reform," adding that "it has insisted on an explicit ban on federal abortion funding and has offered clear and vocal opposition to any compromise proposals." Abortion-rights opponents recognize that "abortion funding is a very effective wedge issue dividing moderate Democrats from Obama and his liberal base," New writes, adding that "more than anything else, the conflict over abortion funding is responsible for the delay, and quite possibly the eventual defeat, of ObamaCare." While several "observers were willing to dismiss abortion opponents as irrelevant just twelve months ago," the antiabortion-rights movement "rallied and enjoyed a successful year" in 2009, according to New (New, National Review, 1/22).

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