The Democratic presidential field has narrowed dramatically, leaving two major contenders in the ring — former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders. And while the two men are trying to distinguish themselves on any number of fronts, there is no real daylight between them when it comes to abortion policy. Both are in lockstep agreement with each other and with a powerful pro-abortion lobby. However, they’re not in agreement with a majority of the American electorate, a position which they may come to regret in November.
One recent Marist poll drilled down on specifics about the nuanced opinions Americans hold on abortion. It illustrated just how out of sync the candidates are with average, unradicalized Americans who have middle-of-the-road views — including Democratic voters.
Far from agreeing with the Democratic platform that abortion should be legal right up until the moment of birth, for any reason, and paid for by taxpayers, an overwhelming majority of Americans (70%) believe abortion should be limited to, at most, the first three months of pregnancy. This number includes nearly half of those who identify as “pro-choice.” People of all political persuasions, it seems, are able to take the lives of the unborn into consideration, even those who believe that women in early stages of pregnancy should be allowed to end them.
The recent passage of many laws (25 just last year) regulating abortion in the states proves that a great many Americans are uncomfortable with the radical abortion license espoused by the Democratic candidates. The legislators who passed, and the governors who signed these bills into law, were responding to majorities of constituents who want to limit abortion after a certain point in early or mid-pregnancy or abortions targeting babies for race or disability. In contrast, neither Sanders nor Biden believe that there might be some abortions, say elective late-term abortions when the unborn child can feel pain, that they would not support. A more sensitive electorate is likely to be repelled by this hardness of heart.
On the issue of taxpayer funding for abortion, the candidates are also out of sync with the 75% of Americans who oppose the funding of abortions overseas. Or the 60% of Americans that are against taxpayer funding of abortions here at home. Sanders thinks that unless American taxpayers are footing the bill, there is somehow a lack of reproductive freedom. He promised he would reverse the Mexico City policy which halted abortion funding overseas on day one of his administration.
Biden’s latest position includes opposition to the Hyde Amendment, which ensures federal money isn’t used to pay for abortions. Previously, Biden spent decades of his career in public service supporting Hyde as a just exemption for Americans who are morally opposed to facilitating the procedure. Sadly, he has now allowed himself to fall in line with a Democratic establishment beholden to the abortion lobby.
Biden and Sanders appear to be influenced more by fear of the political arm of abortion business Planned Parenthood and other loud voices in the abortion lobby than by mainstream Americans. Earlier this year, the giant abortion corporation got these candidates’ attention by announcing plans to spend a record $45 million during the 2020 cycle, including the presidential contest. But marching in lockstep with the radical pro-abortion lobby may not be a recipe for success when the electorate is walking to a kinder, gentler beat.
Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie is a policy adviser for The Catholic Association.
