A new survey shows that about 78 percent of all Americans are in favor of regulating abortion clinics to have same safety standards as other outpatient surgical centers. Half of the Americans (51 percent) were pro-choice, and as many as 74 percent of pro-choice Americans believe the same.
The Marist poll, commissioned by Knights of Columbus, was done on 1,009 adults between July 5 and 12.
About 82 percent of Latinos, 77 percent of African Americans, 84 percent of millennials, and 77 percent of women, irrespective of party affiliations supported higher standards in abortion clinics.
Also, 70 percent of Americans believe that doctors who perform abortions should have admitting privileges to nearby hospitals. Some 77 percent of the millennials, 71 percent of women, and 71 percent of pro-lifers as well as pro-choicers had the same opinion.
Some 62 percent of Americans opposed taxpayer funding for abortion. About 65 percent of African Americans, 61 percent of Latinos, and 45 percent of pro-choice people agreed that funding abortions through taxpayer money was not conscientious. About 84 of Republicans, 61 percent of Independents, and 44 percent of Democrats were against taxpayer-funded abortions.
A substantial majority (56 percent) say that doctors should not be forced to perform abortions against their religious beliefs and conscience. About 41 percent of those who were pro-choice also believed that.
"The Americans people have spoken clearly on their desire for abortion restrictions, less taxpayer funding of it, and common sense regulations on this industry to protect women's health," said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. "Our courts, politicians, candidates and parties should heed this consensus."
"The majority of Americans in favor of abortion restrictions has been consistently around 8 in 10 for the better part of a decade," said Barbara Carvalho, director of the Marist Poll. "Though self-identification as pro-life or pro-choice can vary substantially from year to year, the support for restrictions is quite stable."
