Our colleague and popular Iowa political pundit Steve Deace has an excellent article up at the Washington Times arguing that the pro-life cause is actually a political winner.
For years the GOP establishment and moderate Republicans have worked together to marginalize pro-life conservatives because, they argued, social conservatism was a political loser. However, over the last few years any unbiased observer would notice that on the abortion issue, this was just not true. Most Americans (indeed most humans on the planet) are predisposed to being horrified at the thought of murdering a child (even one that is still in the womb). While the latest Gallup poll on the subject finds that 50% of Americans consider themselves pro-choice (the highest number ever) America may actually be more pro-life than ever before.
When asked when abortion should be legal, 55 percent of Americans oppose all abortions or say abortion should only be legal in a “few circumstances,” typically defined as cases such as rape, incest or if the life of the mother is in danger. Since those cases constitute, at most, 1-2 percent of all abortion cases, Gallup’s numbers confirm 55 percent of Americans oppose 98 percent or more of the 1.1 million abortions that take place annually in the United States.
The poll makes it clear that even 27 percent of those who call themselves “pro-choice” actually take a pro-life position wanting all abortions illegal or abortion legal in only the very rarest cases.
A CNN poll from 2014 found similar disgust for abortion among Americans.
According to the poll, 27% say that abortion should be legal in all circumstances, 13% say it should be legal in most circumstances, 38% say that it should be legal in few circumstances, and 20% say abortion should always be illegal…
Most Americans have never favored using public funds for abortions for women who cannot afford them. According to the survey, 56% remain opposed, with only 39% favoring public funding for abortions.
That means that 58% of Americans oppose almost all abortions. All of this should be good news for pro-life conservatives and it should be good news for the GOP, so why are so many candidates (like John Kasich) so scared to talk about it?
Here’s what Steve Deace had to say on ending abortion being a winning issue for the GOP.
After watching the Dow take its worst tumble since 2011, we will no doubt see GOP presidential candidates pivot to a heavy emphasis on economic matters. And even without this week’s market plunge the economy is usually on top of voters’ priority lists.
But before the hit to the stock market, the nation has been served weeks of macabre videos laying out Planned Parenthood’s bloodthirsty lust for dismembering babies to peddle their remains for profits. All the while displaying the chilling precision and emotional detachment of the stone-cold killers they are.
Instead of hammering our collective pocket book, these videos highlighted the corroded state of our civic soul. There is no way Election 2016 won’t reflect that, so candidates would be fools to disregard what the data points out—not only is it morally and ethically upright to fight against our nation’s growing rot, but it is also a winner with various political constituencies.
Recent pro-life polling conducted by Adam B. Schaeffer, Ph.D., director of research and co-founder of Evolving Strategies, says that just one Texas gubernatorial ad highlighting “Abortion Barbie” Wendy Davis’ support for a baby killing spree had a profound impact on the 2014 electorate. It shifted Democratic-leaning women by 10 points last year away from Ms. Davis and toward current Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and that’s not all. Voters ages 18-34 shifted to Mr. Abbott by 8 points, and Hispanic voters shifted by about 13 net points to Mr. Abbott.
Imagine that, women, younger voters and Hispanics – or what the GOPconsultant class refers to as “the trinity” – all persuaded and moved by one issue and one magic commercial. Wish you could bottle that? Well, turns out you can, Mr. Schaeffer said.
No comments:
Post a Comment