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Another Poll on Abortion-Funding in Health Care
by Michael Sean Winters on Nov. 19, 2009
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Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionAnother poll, this one by CNN, says that 61% of Americans do not want federal funding of abortion coverage in the health care reform bill. 37% said that they do support such funding.
These findings, combined with those from the polls cited below, should stiffen the resolve of centrist Democrats – and the White House – to keep the Stupak Amendment largely in tact. These numbers come in spite of the disinformation campaign of the past two weeks conducted by the pro-choice forces which made it seem that Stupak would thrust Western civilization back into the dark ages.
Most Democrats are pro-choice. So, that 37% who support federal funding is almost all Democrats. That means that most of the 61% who oppose federal funding of abortion are not Democrats. Some of that 61% will not vote for Obama no matter what he does, but very few of the 37% will jump ship if he leaves the Stupak Amendment in tact. In short, if the administration is looking for a way to appeal to centrist, moderate voters, they should be putting pressure on Congress to keep Stupak, or almost all of it.
One of the things you find when you live in the estuary between politics and religion is that you have to keep reminding those who are all in the fresh water or the salt, that things look different from the other side. I always tell my clerical friends, “Yes, but they are politicians, not priests” and I always have to remind my political friends, “They are bishops not politicians.” But, the CNN numbers not only confirm the bishops’ stance in favor of pro-life health care reform, it confirms whatever political instinct led then-candidate Barack Obama to give a primetime speaking slot to Sen. Bob Casey at last year’s Democratic National Convention. Following such instincts resulted in Obama achieving a 14-point swing among Catholic voters above what John Kerry polled in 2004. It would be a shame if pressure from the pro-choice crowd were to force him to play to his base on this issue. He should stay in the center and insist on no federal funding for abortion.
Men pontificating about
Men pontificating about abortion, the sin only women can commit, are always wrong, always dishonest, always shameful.
You have to be careful how a
You have to be careful how a question is asked in a poll, as the same person could give you a different answer depending on how the question is asked. Of course if you are asked "do you want federal funding of abortion" most people would answer no. But if the question were asked, if a person is paying for a policy in the exchange with their own money, not involving any federal credits or subsidies, should they be allowed to choose a policy which offers abortion coverage, I have a feeling the answer would be quite different. Tricky things these polls. They are not as revealing as they seem. It's all in the way the question is posed. But we do love to use them, don't we, when they seem to work in our direction?
Peace and blessings.
Bart Stupak is one of the
Bart Stupak is one of the clearest thinking Representatives in the House. He has allowed those of us who support a consistent ethic of life- a complete voice in politics. Very proud he is from Michigan. May God bless him and call more to public service with his faith and integrity.
My suspicion is those poll
My suspicion is those poll numbers reflect a significant percentage of people who want health care far more than they care about federal funding for private insurance for abortion.
It was a brilliant strategy on the part of the USCCB to threaten health care for all Americans to pursuit their abortion crusade. This was a high risk strategy which may in fact back fire on them if they try it with other culture war issues.
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