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Latest CNN Poll Finds 61% of Americans Oppose Tax-funded Abortions


Latest CNN Poll Finds 61% of Americans Oppose Tax-funded Abortions
As debate rages in Washington, D.C. over government-run healthcare, a new poll conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corporation revealed that Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of taxpayer dollars paying for abortions in any proposed healthcare plan.
Last month the House healthcare bill, known as H.R. 3962, which was authored by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California), passed by a mere five votes. The “Affordable Health Care for America Act” nearly died on the House floor until theStupak Amendment was included, which prohibited the funding of abortions with taxpayer dollars. Once taxpayer funded abortions were omitted from the bill, it passed, albeit by the narrowest of margins. In the final tally, 219 Democrats voted for the legislation, and 39 Democrats voted against it. Rep. Joe Cao (R-Louisiana) was the only Republican who voted in favor of the bill.
Now the spotlight is on the Senate. Some moderate Democrats, such as Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska, intend to introduce an amendment that would add similar language opposing taxpayer-funded abortion to the Senate healthcare bill. Nelson has said that he may join a Republican filibuster against the bill unless the amendment is adopted.
Even though the Stupak amendment made it through the House, some Democrat House Members are now saying they have enough votes to block any bill that comes back to the House with the language intact.
That decision may not bode well for those up for re-election in the 2010 mid-term elections.
A CNN poll released on November 18th reveals that 61% of those interviewed are against using taxpayer dollars for abortions. This sentiment mirrors a growing trend spotlighted in a previous edition of Dateline Sacramento. A recent Gallup poll revealed that more Americans identify themselves as pro-life rather than pro-choice by a margin of 51 to 42 percent.
The CNN poll also indicates that the public might also favor legislation that would prevent many women from getting their health insurance plan to cover the cost of an abortion, even if no federal funds are involved.

And by a 51 percent to 45 percent margin, those interviewed think that women who get abortions should pay the full costs out of their own pocket, even if they have private health insurance and no federal funds are involved.

It would be wise for our elected officials in Washington, D.C. to listen to the people who elected them as their representatives. If legislators continue to intentionally ignore their constituency, those up for re-election face a significant risk of losing their seats in November 2010.
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