Poll: Majority oppose taxpayer money going to abortion providers in Title X

by Kathleen Gilbert

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 15, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – According to a poll released Wednesday, a majority of Americans – 54 percent – oppose giving tax dollars for family planning services to organizations that perform abortions. 

The poll, conducted by “the polling company, inc./WomanTrend,” also shows the intensity of this position: forty-three percent “strongly” oppose any federal funds going to abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood, while just 20 percent “strongly” support federal funds going to abortion providers.

“President Obama and congressional Democrats who fought to preserve funding for their political ally, Planned Parenthood, have snubbed the majority of Americans, both pro-life and pro-choice, who don’t want their money going to America’s largest abortion provider,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List.

“Planned Parenthood has raked in more than $300 million in profits over the past four years,” she said. “54 percent of Americans shouldn’t be coerced into contributing to an organization they don’t believe in, just by paying their taxes.  The arrogance of forcing them to do so is dumbfounding.”

Polling company President and CEO Kellyanne Conwa pointed out that “even 26 percent of pro-choice adherents rejected diverting taxpayer dollars for family planning organizations that provide abortions.”

However, other polls have shown a majority or plurality of Americans in favor of Planned Parenthood funding. Poll numbers ranged from 46 percent in favor according to Pluse Opinion Research - in a survey of likely American voters - and 65 percent in a CNN survey of American adults.

Conwa explained the apparent disparity, saying, “Some Americans may have positive attitudes toward Planned Parenthood, but may also reject the underlying premise that federal funding for family planning organizations should be fungible for abortions.”

On Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Senate struck down a final effort to defund abortion organization Planned Parenthood in the FY2011 budget bill.