Pro-Life Does Not Necessarily Mean Anti-Abortion

The furor today over Gallup's new poll showing a tilt toward the "pro-life" viewpoint on abortion shouldn't obscure another finding.

As the company says in its analysis, "the dominant position on this question remains the middle option, as it has continuously since 1975: 53% currently say abortion should be legal only under certain circumstances." Put another way, there's no majority for outlawing abortion.

The Gallup analysis also suggests the numbers are fluid. After four years of a strong tilt in favor of unrestricted abortion, it says, "about as many Americans now say the procedure should be illegal in all circumstances (23%) as say it should be legal under any circumstances (22%)."

While that contrasts with the last few years, it is nothing new. There was rough equivalence at each end of the spectrum in 2005, 2002 and much of the decade between 1975 and 1985, Gallup says.

This is not to minimize the shift Gallup found, with 51% calling themselves pro-life versus 42% saying pro-choice. It may be that the pro-choice label is on its way to becoming as unappealing as "liberal." Many liberals now call themselves progressives. Maybe there will soon be a synonym -- euphemism? -- for pro-choice.

Whether they are semantics or sentiment, Gallup's results are real enough in a political sense. They're just one more reason for President Obama and other Democrats to say that now is not the time for a Freedom of Choice Act.