Abortion has been a controversial topic in America for a long time. Now, throughout the past two years, legal abortion has gained more supporters across the country, as it was reflected in an Associated Press-GfK poll. This increase counts for both Democrats and Republicans.
The results — obtained from 1,007 adults — revealed that the percentage of people who supported legal abortion went up from 51% at the beginning of 2015 to 58% on the most recent survey, which was applied following last month’s shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado.
Specifically for Republicans, the percentage shifted from 35 percent starting 2015 to 40 percent in the current poll, although it is only a small change, since the coalition’s opinions on legal abortion remain fairly divided between conservative and more liberal Republicans. Seven out of 10 of the former think most or all forms of abortion should be banned, while six out of 10 of the latter have an opposing opinion.
In the case of Democrats, the support for legal abortion increased by seven percent in relation with past results (from 69 to 76 percent), a bit more than the contending side. Independents went from 43 percent to 54 percent of approval.
Members from both parties have explained their reasons as to why they consider abortion should be legal or illegal.
Victor Remdt, a 55 year old conservative Republican from Illinois, is mainly against abortion and strives for more restrictive laws when it comes to the issue. The man recounted how he was adopted and claimed that he wouldn’t be alive if her mother had chosen to get an abortion instead of giving him for adoption.
On the other hand, 59 year old Texan John Burk, who’s also a conservative from the same party, takes a more flexible stand on abortion, as he considers that a prohibition of the practice altogether would only lead to ‘back-alley abortions’ — which refers to getting the procedure done by unsafe methods, such as the use of the well known wire coat hanger.
“A woman has the right to decide what she wants to do with her body. I don’t think the government has the right to interfere,” argued liberal Democrat Larry Wiggins from North Carolina.
The topic has gained more room for discussion with the upcoming elections, as all the presidential candidates from each coalition have a different point of view on the matter. Democrat candidates all support legal abortion in all or most cases, and all Republican candidates think it should be banned, following the same terms.
Source: The Washington Post