Shownotes Transcript
In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston returns to the subject of public opinion polls and Americans’ real attitudes regarding the legalization of human abortion.
Johnston reminds us that we must focus on what the right to life debate is. It is not about emotions, or feelings, how much we like babies, or our personal religious upbringing. Very specifically, it is a legal question, as all questions of “rights” actually are.
It is essential to understand that this debate of the last 50 years regarding the legality of abortion and the impact of the Roe versus Wade decision, is a matter of legal judgment. And therefore, public opinion must be viewed as a question of what legal protections ought to be offered to which human beings (babies in the womb), at which times, and under which specific legal conditions.
This very particular and incisive understanding of the debate is required now. This is required for each and every pro-life individual, and specifically in each and every state, because the Dobbs decision has returned the authority of each and every state and its legislatures to determine the laws of that particular jurisdiction, that particular state.
As demonstrated in the previous program on this subject: 287: Public Opinion Polls, the nature of the question and the language used by the questioner will often determine the answer given by the respondent.
Because of this, many news outlets which seek to mold public opinion rather than inform, will use misleading and incomplete language. This is done in order to have the respondent come to a conclusion which the news outlet desires to see in all Americans.
When it comes to the abortion question and specific terms and references to the law, specific terms are often used. Words such as ‘choice,’ ‘freedom to choose’, ‘reproductive rights’, and even ‘Roe v. Wade’, specifically because Roe v. Wade has rarely been accurately described and explained to the public.
These vague generalities are by no means capable of determining an American individual’s actual sentiments regarding appropriate abortion law.
There are however many polls which do respect the specific details of an issue: When is the abortion done? At what gestation is that child? For what reason is that child’s life being ended? These are very important determinative legal issues that the law applies to every legally questioned action. Again the issue of the right to life is, at its heart, a legal question.
California is often considered one of the most progressive and “pro-choice“ states in the nation. But the old LA Times/California pool which was changed in the 1990s, had indeed asked detailed specific questions after its first generic pro-choice or pro-life question.
For some reason that pool no longer exists in that iteration. The most popular league reporting on California polls is taken from the Pew Charitable Trust which was discussed in depth in the previous program.
A recent Rasmussen poll once again asked average California voters specific details of abortion law, and specific questions regarding what type of abortion law these Californians felt to be appropriate. This Rasmussen poll and its specific questions can be viewed here:
The popular, dominant media culture does not like these polling results. And rarely if ever will make such results a dominant aspect of their reportage. But these results are extremely common and demonstrated in the most recent of national Gallup polls please see the Gallup survey here:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/235469/trimesters-key-abortion-views.aspx)
The same parallel opinions of all Americans are reflected as well in the recent Marist Poll, which can be seen here:
Polls across the nation, and yes even in California, demonstrate that the average thinking person does not regard abortion on demand, abortion at any time in pregnancy for any reason, or no reason in particular (just for choice), or unlimited abortion as a desirable legal outcome. The typical support level is 13 to 18% of the populace.
When asked, the vast majority of the public have consistently demonstrated a desire for legal restrictions on abortion, when they are done, and on the reasons for doing them. The average American when asked and informed, wants to see abortion limited, or in the words of the Democrat party of the 1980s: “safe, legal, and rare.“
Now that Roe has been overturn and each state can indeed exercise its authority to protect the right to life, laws that will in fact make abortions very rare can indeed be put into place.
The question is: Will that phrase merely be a slogan or will it indeed take on the force of law?
That legal question is the real issue of the Right To Life.