Americans Shift to the Right on Abortion: Poll

President's Notre Dame speech was radical and conservative: Dionne

(NEWSER) - Abortion opponents protested and pro-life students skipped, but Barack Obama's Notre Dame commencement address was at once "the most radical and the most conservative speech of his presidency," writes Washington Post columnist EJ Dionne. The president refused to indulge the protesters' desire to "reignite the culture wars," opting for humility and compromise—but he showed a comfort with the language of faith equal to George Bush. More»

(NEWSER) - Catholics are pulling out all the stops to quash the Freedom of Choice Act, peppering Congress and the White House with postcards and letters. There’s just one problem: There is no Freedom of Choice Act. The bill has been introduced in years past, but it isn’t before Congress now, won’t be anytime soon, and wouldn’t pass if it were, Time reports. More»

Down to 41%, according to new Gallup poll

(NEWSER) - The number of Americans who identify themselves as pro-choice fell precipitously this year, dropping to an all-time Gallup low of 41%, according to a new poll . On the flip side, 50% said they were pro-life. When Gallup first started asking the question back in 1995, the numbers were dramatically different, with 56% identifying as pro-choice to only 33% as pro-life. But in the years since the pro-choice lead narrowed and eventually disappeared. More»

Says life begins at conception, but supporters say it doesn't ban abortion

(NEWSER) - The Oklahoma Senate has passed a controversial bill that declares that life begins at the moment of conception, in a landslide 34-8 vote. The Personhood Act passed yesterday after two hours of debate. It's unclear what effect the bill will have, however; its author says it's just a statement and doesn't ban or even restrict abortion rights, birth control access, or stem cell research. He adds that anyone saying so is merely "fear mongering," the Oklahoman reports. More»

Some think it's time for a new name—but do we need it?

(NEWSER) - New Gallup polls show that most Americans don't want abortion criminalized, but they remain divided between pro-life and pro-choice advocates—and let's face it, Lynn Harris writes for Salon , the pro-lifers have the better name. "Life" is "the rhetorical rock that will always beat our scissors," writes Harris, whereas "'choice' sounds to me like what you make between baked and mashed." Is it time for a new term? More»