Abortion Attitudes, Income, and Ethnicity


[Please, don't even attempt to view this in a proportional font.  I won't 
be responsible. -jr]

May 1992 Wirthlin poll

"I'm going to read you some different abortion legislation that is being 
considered.  For each one I read, please tell me whether you favor or 
oppose it."

"Using tax dollars to pay for abortions for women who cannot afford them." 

                         INCOME                         ETHNICITY
               <15K 15-30 30-40 40-60 >60K          White Black Other
               ---- ----- ----- ----- ----          ----- ----- -----
Total Sample    227  271   141   133   157           798   113    99
Total Favor      74  111    58    66    98           343    37    42
  Percentage     32%  41%   41%   49%   57%           43%   33%   42%
Total Oppose    144  145    82    65    64           424    72    54
  Percentage     63%  54%   58%   49%   41%           53%   64%   55%
Strongly Favor   37   59    32    31    52           191    21    16
  Percentage     16%  22%   22%   24%   34%           24%   18%   16%
Somewhat Favor   36   52    27    34    37           152    17    26
  Percentage     16%  19%   19%   26%   24%           19%   15%   26%
Somewhat Oppose  21   48    13    21    32           129     8    10
  Percentage      9%  18%    9%   15%   21%           16%    8%   10%
Strongly Oppose 124   97    69    44    32           295    64    45
  Percentage     54%  36%   49%   33%   20%           37%   57%   45%
Don't Know        9    9     1     2     3            22     3     3
  Percentage      4%   3%    1%    2%    2%            3%    3%    3%
Refused           -    5     -     1     -            10     -     1
  Percentage      -    2%    -     1%    -             1%    -     1%



"Amending the U.S. Constitution to protect the right of unborn children 
to live."  [ok, so it's a loaded question -- jr]

                         INCOME                         ETHNICITY
               <15K 15-30 30-40 40-60 >60K          White Black Other
               ---- ----- ----- ----- ----          ----- ----- -----
Total Sample    227  271   141   133   157           798   113    99
Total Favor     149  132    72    57    58           372    73    61
  Percentage     65%  49%   51%   42%   37%           47%   65%   61%
Total Oppose     63  119    61    69    91           363    36    36
  Percentage     28%  44%   43%   52%   58%           45%   32%   37%
Strongly Favor  102   95    55    44    42           265    54    47
  Percentage     45%  35%   39%   33%   27%           33%   48%   47%
Somewhat Favor   46   37    18    12    16           107    19    14
  Percentage     20%  14%   12%    9%   10%           13%   17%   14%
Somewhat Oppose  32   54    24    28    29           150    19    17
  Percentage     14%  20%   17%   21%   18%           19%   17%   17%
Strongly Oppose  31   64    36    41    62           213    18    19
  Percentage     14%  24%   26%   31%   40%           27%   16%   19%
Don't Know       12   16     8     6     7            52     3     1
  Percentage      5%   6%    6%    4%    4%            7%    3%    1%
Refused           4    4     -     2     1            12     -     1
  Percentage      2%   1%    -     2%    1%            1%    -     1%



"Generally speaking, would you consider yourself to be ... on the 
abortion issue?"

                         INCOME                         ETHNICITY
               <15K 15-30 30-40 40-60 >60K          White Black Other
               ---- ----- ----- ----- ----          ----- ----- -----
Total Sample    227  271   141   133   157           798   113    99
Pro-Life        106   96    49    50    53           269    60    56
  Percentage     47%  35%   34%   37%   34%           34%   53%   56%
Pro-Choice      105  150    81    72    93           460    49    34
  Percentage     46%  56%   57%   54%   59%           58%   43%   35%
Neutral           9   13     7     6     8            44     1     3
  Percentage      4%   5%    5%    5%    5%            5%    1%    3%
Don't Know        7   10     4     5     2            20     3     6
  Percentage      3%   4%    3%    3%    1%            2%    2%    6%
Refused           -    1     -     1     1             6     -     -
  Percentage      -    1%    -     1%    1%            1%    -     -


September 1991 Gallup poll
--------------------------

Question: "Do you think abortion should be legal under any circumstances, 
legal under only certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?"

                                          INCOME
                                 >50K   30-50  20-30  <20K
                                 ----   -----  -----  ----
Total Respondents                 317    385    303    520
Legal Under Any Circumstances     152    141     78    145
  Percentage                       48.0%  36.5%  25.8%  27.9%
Legal Under Certain Circumstances 132    205	161    255
  Percentage                       41.5%  53.3%  53.1%  49.1%
Illegal In All Circumstances       24     38     50     93
  Percentage                        7.7%   9.9%  16.6%  17.9%
Don't Know/Refused                  9      1     14     26
  Percentage                        2.8%   0.3%   4.5%   5.1%


Question: "In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the states cannot place
restrictions on a woman's right to an abortion during the first three
months of pregnancy.  Would you like to see this ruling overturned, or
not?"

                                          INCOME
                                 >50K   30-50  20-30  <20K
                                 ----   -----  -----  ----
Total Respondents                 329    400    320    440
Answer
  Yes                              99    170    141    209
  Percentage                       30.0%  42.6%  44.2%  47.4%
  No                              224    206    154    204
  Percentage                       67.9%  51.6%  48.2%  46.2%
Don't Know/Refused                  7     23     24     28
  Percentage                        2.1%   5.8%   7.6%   6.4%




November 1974 Gallup poll
-------------------------

Question: "Abortion through the third month of pregnancy should/should not
continue to be legal?"

             Income:                 Should  Should not
             -------                 ------  ----------
         $20,000 & over               62%       38%
         $15,999-$19,999              64%       36%
         $10,000-$14,999              52%       48%
         $7,000-$9,999                47%       53%
         $5,000-$6,999                42%       58%
         $3,000-$4,999                38%       62%
         Under $3,000                 38%       62%


Last modified August 1, 1997.

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