Americans are mostly pro-life, not pro-choice

Another in a series of surveys checking the American attitude on abortion is showing that, for the first time in more than 10 years, most people say they are pro-life, not pro-choice.

The results of a Gallup Poll released Friday show that most Americans when asked labeled themselves pro-life, not pro-choice, by a 51 percent to 42 percent margin.

Those numbers aren't statistically overwhelming, but given the emotional charge of the continuing national debate on abortion — not to mention a seat to fill on the U.S. Supreme Court that first made abortion legal in 1973 — the issue seems to be getting pushed into the spotlight again.

That's as good a guess as any, state Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, said Friday when asked to assess the apparent shift in attitude shown by Gallup.

"I can't say or know for sure, but I think it reflects a shift that's real, not just a statistical blip that comes from people taking stock of the increased public discussion about abortion and really looking at their values personally," Ray said.

Ray and other pro-life lawmakers contacted for a response to the poll said its results, while positive to the ongoing effort to make most abortions illegal again, it doesn't motivate them to draft new legislation to that end.

"At this point we've done about all we can do, short of a Supreme Court decision or states getting authority to decide the issue at that level — where the decision ought to be," Ray said.

Along with Ray's bill (HB90) making post-20 week abortions a second-degree felony homicide this past session, lawmakers also approved a bill (HB222) that requires physicians to advise a mother that an abortion causes fetal pain and anesthesia is available. They also approved HB114, the establishment of a public fund for private donors to help pay for legal costs when the issue ends up in court again.

Ray and other lawmakers said poll results, no matter the source, are interesting but don't hold sway in their effort to have the procedure made illegal except for extenuating circumstances such as the immediate physical health risk of the mother or child.

Those rooted in the pro-choice side of the debate said polls are interesting but won't influence the course of their effort, either.