(Angus Reid – CPOD Global Scan) – American adults remain divided over pregnancy termination, according to a poll by CBS News and the New York Times. 36 per cent of respondents say abortion should be generally available to those who want it, while 26 per cent believe it should not be permitted.
(Angus Reid – CPOD Global Scan) – American adults remain divided over pregnancy termination, according to a poll by CBS News and the New York Times. 36 per cent of respondents say abortion should be generally available to those who want it, while 26 per cent believe it should not be permitted.
A Supreme Court ruling in 1973 gave American women the right to an abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. United States president George W. Bush signed a federal restriction on late term abortions in November 2003, but the law was immediately challenged by U.S. District judge Richard Kopf, who issued a temporary restraining order.
Last April, Republican Kansas senator Sam Brownback introduced the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act. The legislation would make it mandatory for abortion clinics to tell women about medical evidence that a fetus can experience pain by the twentieth week of gestation.
In October, U.S. Supreme Court chief justice William Rehnquist was hospitalized and treated for thyroid cancer. Eight of the nine current justices are over 65 years of age, and three members—Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens—have had health problems.
In the Oct. 13 presidential debate, Bush said, “I will pick judges who will interpret the Constitution, but I’ll have no litmus test.” 71 per cent of respondents say the president is likely to appoint justices who will vote to make abortion against the law.
Polling Data
Which of these comes closest to your view? Abortion should be generally available to those who want it; abortion should be available but under stricter limits than it is now; or abortion should not be permitted?
Available | 36% |
Available, but stricter | 35% |
Not permitted | 26% |
Don’t know | 2% |
When George W. Bush appoints Supreme Court justices, do you think he is likely to appoint Justices who will vote to keep abortion legal; or justices who will vote to make abortion against the law?
Keep abortion legal | 15% |
Make abortion against the law | 71% |
Neither | 2% |
Don’t know | 13% |
Source: CBS News / The New York Times
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,118 American adults, conducted from Jan. 14 to Jan. 18, 2005. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
