Important KOC Study Finds "Broad Consensus" that "Abortion Should be Significantly Restricted" -- Part Three of Three

A friend passed along a fascinating and very timely study conducted for the Knights of Columbus by the Marist College Institute of Public Opinion. (www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/news/releases/detail/548040.html.) We learn, or re-learn, that a strong majority of the American electorate (and even more so among practicing Catholics) approves of abortion in only a very limited set of circumstances.

Likewise we learn that even among self-described "pro-choicers," only a small percentage actually support the findings of Roe--abortion on demand throughout the entire pregnancy.

Moreover there is much more support for a candidate who says that life begins at conception than perhaps is commonly thought.

Conducted between September 24 and October 3, we're told the study "was designed to enable comparisons of the views of Catholic voters with those of the general electorate." Equally as fascinating was how the "65 percent of Catholics who practice their faith regularly differ from the 35 percent who do not."

For our purposes, highlights include the following:

* Among all Americans, a total of 60% of the respondents would allow abortions only in cases that make up a small percentage of the reasons abortions are performed (or not at all). Specifically, 32% said that abortion should be allowed only in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother; another 15 %  said that abortion should be allowed only to save the life of the mother; and 13% said that abortion should never be permitted under any circumstance.

Among practicing Catholics, 72%  would limit abortions to these rare cases (or not at all). According to the study, 47% of non-practicing Catholics would limit abortion to these rare cases (or not at all).

* Among all Americans, 24% said abortion should be allowed during the first three months of pregnancy; 8% said that abortion should be allowed only during the first six months of pregnancy;  but only 8% subscribed to the policy enunciated in Roe: abortion should be available to a woman any time she wants one during her entire pregnancy.

* What about self-described "pro-choicers"? Only 15% favored unrestricted abortion throughout pregnancy. Another 71% said they would restrict abortions to the first trimester (43%) or to cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother (28%).

This led Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson to conclude "that there is broad consensus among Americans that abortion should be significantly restricted."

The study also asked this question about candidates. "Would you definitely vote for, vote for but with reservations, or would you definitely not vote for a candidate" who would "maintain that life begins at conception?"

Among registered voters, 50% would definitely vote for such a candidate (63% of practicing Catholics) and another 21% would vote for such a candidate with reservations (19% of practicing Catholics). Only 22% of all Americans  said they would definitely not vote for such a candidate.

But it is noteworthy that 39% of non-practicing Catholics would also vote for this candidate and another 23% would vote for him or her with reservations.

Bearing in mind the limitations of what people really mean when they say they are "pro-choice" in mind, the study found that 50% say they are pro-choice and 44% say they are pro-life. However, "59 percent of practicing Catholics are pro-life, while 65 percent of non-practicing Catholics are pro-choice," according to the study. "Non-practicing Catholics are far more likely to be pro-choice than the population at large (65 percent vs. 50 percent)."

Indicating how much education work we have yet to do, the study also found that 53% said they would definitely vote for a candidate who supported embryonic stem-cell research.

Part One -- At Long Last: A Debate About Abortion
Part Two -- Obama Distorts His Abortion Record In Third Debate