Press Teleconference Call - Thursday, September 10, 2009 -- 2:00 p.m. EDT

Contact: Joy Yearout, Susan B. Anthony List, 703-380-6674, jyearout@sba-list.org 

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today the Susan B. Anthony List announced the results of a nationwide poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies on government funding for abortion in health care reform.  

"The bottom line is this: including government funds for abortion on-demand in health care reform is unappealing to American voters nationwide, women and men alike," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List.  "This may be surprising to elites, but it is not to the rest of America.  Americans realize pro-abortion feminists have dramatically overrepresented a minority position, misstating the centrality and 'need' for abortion on-demand.  If the Congressional leadership and the President fall on the sword of abortion coverage, pleasing their allies and weaving it into the fabric of our daily lives, they do so at the peril of the entire bill and their own political futures. Today's polling data offers the latest compelling reason for Congress to reject the President's health care proposal without authentic language to exclude abortion funding."

Full poll results and analysis are available on the Susan B. Anthony List website at www.sba-list.org/poll.  Key findings of the poll include:

• The Inclusion of Government Funded Abortions in the President's Health Care Reform Plan Turns Off Five Times More Voters Than it Gains.  More than four-in-ten voters (43%) say they would be less likely to support the president's proposed health plan if the government pays for abortions.  Intensity is strong, with over one-third (36%) of voters saying they would be much less likely to support the plan.  Forty-six percent (46%) say it would make no difference to their support for the president's plan.  Only 8% say it would make them more likely to support the plan. 
   
• 58% of Americans disagree with the statement, "If the government is going to make a public health plan available for all Americans it has an obligation to provide abortion services under that plan." 
   
• 55% of Americans agree with the statement, "Whatever my opinion on the issue, I think it would be wrong for the government to pay for abortions." 
   
• 52% of Americans agree with the statement, "I do not want the government to help fund health care plans that fund abortions."
   
• Among Democrats who are concerned about the inclusion of abortion in healthcare, 2 to 1 disapprove of abortion funding in health care.  Twenty-five percent (25%) of Democrats are less likely to support the president's plan if it contains abortion funding.  Less than half that number (12%) more likely to support the president's plan if it contains abortion funding.

Press teleconference call to discuss the poll results will take place Thursday, September 10, 2009 at exactly 2 p.m. EDT. Call in at least 2 minutes before: 916-233-0780  Passcode: 418647# (announce name and media organization).  Guests on the call include Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List, Alex Bratty, Vice President of Public Opinion Strategies, and Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life.

NOTE: For speaker bios, transcripts, or audio versions of the press call, please go to www.NewsGuests.com.

Public Opinion Strategies conducted the national survey of N=800 registered voters August 30 - September 1, 2009. The nationwide survey, commissioned by the Susan B. Anthony List, has a margin of error of ±3.5%.

The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of Americans, over 162,000 residing in all 50 states, dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the percentage of pro-life women in the political process.

www.sba-list.org