[JeffAtlanta]

Nonetheless, when asked, large majorities support a ban on PBA. That's been declared against Roe by the Supreme Court.

That may be true but that doesn't mean that they want Roe overturned. They might not be crazy about some of late term abortions, but they're not willing to trade the blanket freedom that Roe gives them.

There are many areas where conservatives dissagree with Bush (border control, spending, etc) but that doesn't mean that they want him out of office.

Like I said, find a poll that simply asks "Do you want Roe overturned". See how much support it gets.

[sitetest]

Dear JeffAtlanta,

As I've already stated, if folks think that overturning Roe means "all abortions are instantly banned," I agree that most folks will say no. In fact, most folks are led to believe just that.

I've read that many polls that ask about support for Roe actually refer to Roe as protecting a right to abortion in the first trimester.

Here are a few pieces discussing polls on abortion with links.

This one is from 2003:

http://www.nrlc.org/news/2003/NRL02/osteen.html

I'll quote a bit from it:

"A nationwide Zogby poll last November found that 61% thought abortion should never be allowed or allowed only in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the mother's life. Only 36% thought abortion should be allowed for other reasons or always."

Here's a quote from this piece that deals with folks' misapprehensions about abortion:

"A January ABC News/Washington Post poll conducted by TNS Intersearch found apparently contradictory results with 57% saying abortion should be illegal to end an 'unwanted pregnancy'if 'the woman is unmarried and does not want the baby,' but 57% also saying abortion should be legal in all or most 'cases.' This indicates that a significant percentage of those polled do not realize that abortion is done in most 'cases' only because the pregnancy was 'unwanted.'"

Here's another:

http://www.nrlc.org/news/2003/NRL07/more_signs_of_a_pro.htm

"Most recently, a Gallup poll of May 5-7, 2003, demonstrated that the shift in the pro-life direction has persisted. Only 23% want abortion to be 'legal in all circumstances.' In addition, 15% want abortion 'legal under most circumstances'; 42% want it to be 'legal only in a few circumstances'; and 19% would make it 'illegal in all circumstances.'"

From this article, we also learn of Planned Parenthood's 2003 polling results:

"Regarding the legality of abortion, 30% (34% in 2001) of women hold that 'abortion should generally be available to those who want it' and 17% (19% in 2001) say that 'abortion should be available but under stricter limits than it is now' (emphasis added). But 34% (31% in 2001) of women say that "abortion should be against the law except in case of rape, incest, and to save the life of the mother;' and 17% (14% in 2001) hold that 'abortion should not be permitted at all.'"

Look at those numbers, JeffAtlanta:

30% - generally available
17% - stricter limits than is now
34% - rape, incest, life of mother
17% - total ban

Add the numbers, JeffAtlanta. 51% would outright ban or limit to the three exception cases, and another 17% would restrict abortion more than it is now.

That's from Planned Parenthood.

Most folks think that overturning Roe is about the immediate ban of all abortions. You know it isn't. I know it isn't.

It's time to do the right thing. It's time to appoint Justices and judges who will read the Constitution objectively and clearly, and who will thus throw out Roe, just as Plessy v. Ferguson was thrown out.

Roe's gotta go.


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