The Tide of Public Opinion is Finally Turning Against Abortion in the US

At long last, 38 years after Roe v. Wade, the tide of public opinion has finally turned against abortion. I believe that Roe v. Wade could be overturned within five years, providing President Obama is defeated in 2012. The next president will likely get to appoint a replacement for one of the aging liberals on the Supreme Court and practically any Republican candidate who gets elected will probably nominate a pro-life justice.

Consider this poll from Fox News showing that, between 1997 and 2010 the pro-life number has gone from 40% to 50% while the pro-choice number has gone from 50% to 42%. If you scroll down in the above link, you will see further evidence of the trend from other polls. For example, Gallup has seen the pro-life number steadily track upward.

Perhaps more important than polling is this news note from New Jersey:

After watching Gov. Chris Christie try to burnish a reputation as a fiscal conservative, political analysts said the New Jersey governor on Monday significantly broadened his national credentials as a social conservative by joining abortion protesters at a rally and encouraging them to "stand up and speak strongly in favor for the protection of every human life."

Christie spoke to the crowd from the top step outside the Statehouse, with the temperatures in the teens and the governor not in a topcoat. But there were other reasons why the five-minute speech was unusual.

Marie E. Tasy, executive director of New Jersey Right to Life, said it was the first time a New Jersey governor had addressed a pro-life rally. The event marked the 38th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision.

Christie had been silent on abortion during his first year in office and didn't refer to social views when he slashed funding for family planning from the state budget, saying that was a fiscal decision.

The Governor of New Jersey is now pro-life. Just think of how incredible that actually is. The tide is turning.