Pro-Life Works: Pro-Life is the "New Normal"

May 28, 2010

Gallup Polls Indicate Pro-Life is the "New Normal"

Doug McGee

Membership Services Associate

According to research done by the Gallup Organization, more Americans are now consistently identifying themselves as “Pro-Life” than “pro-choice.”  The statistics behind this finding are fascinating, and reveal several trends that are helping the Pro-Life movement to grow.  Those in favor of abortion are already attacking this finding, but their logic does not hold up against examination. 

Gallup is identifying “Pro-Life” as the “new normal” because this is the third consecutive time more Americans have identified themselves as “Pro-Life” over “pro-choice.”  According to NRLC.org, Gallup found in May 2010 that 47% of the adults polled identified themselves as “Pro-Life” compared to 45% who identified themselves as “pro-choice.”  These findings were very similar to July 2009 when 47% were “Pro-Life” and 46% were “pro-choice.”  The biggest “Pro-Life” majority was in May 2009 when 51% were “Pro-Life” and 42% were “pro-choice.”

There are several factors that can help explain why more Americans are choosing the Pro-Life label.  With the election of Pro-Abortion President Obama, political polarization has grown in this country.  Republicans and Republican –leaning independents are now more likely to identify themselves as Pro-Life.  As all age groups have become more involved in the movement, there is a stronger tendency for them to officially link themselves with the Pro-Life movement. 

Abortion groups are trying to explain away these findings, but they are not making a very convincing argument.  According to NRLC.org, they are blaming President Obama for the increase in the number of Americans identifying themselves as “Pro-Life” because he has “softened the language around Democratic support of abortion.”  It is counter-intuitive to say that one of the most vocally abortion-minded presidents who just signed a controversial universal healthcare bill with abortion funding into law is soft on abortion. 

Gallup’s findings are very significant, and give us hope that the Pro-Life movement is growing and on the verge of expanding to new heights.  This hope must be tempered with realism: we still have a long way to go.  The margin of these polls is razor-thin, and with the passage of the health care bill and possible appointment of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court there are several new struggles ahead for the Pro-Life movement. 

Read more about the Gallup Poll findings and response of the abortion establishment: 

Andrusko, Dave. "‘Pro-Life’ is Now the ‘New Normal,’ Gallup Says" NRLC News and Views.  17 May 2010. http://www.nrlc.org/News_and_Views/May10/nv051710part3.html

Andrusko, Dave. "Pro-Abortionists Try to Explain Gallup Conclusion that Pro-Life is ‘New Normal’" NRLC News and Views.  18 May 2010. 

http://www.nrlc.org/News_and_Views/May10/nv051810part2.html