What Do the Statistics Mean?

AMERICAN DEMOGRAPHICS, February 1999—A recent article asked,“Do 57% of Americans think abortion is wrong? Or do 69% think a woman should be able to get an abortion?” According to the report in American Demographics, both poll results are valid. “The difference is all in the way the questions are worded.”

As part of a regular Newsweek poll, Princeton Survey Research Associates asked a series of questions about abortion in late 1998. The response to one question—"Do you personally believe that abortion is wrong?" — seemed to indicate strong support for the pro-life view. A total of 57% of the public answered that abortion is wrong.Thirty-six percent said abortion is not wrong.

But, according to the report, “the very next question found results that the pro-choice side couldn't help but like:‘Whatever your own personal view of abortion, do you favor or oppose a woman in this country having the choice to have an abortion with the advice of her doctor?’ On this question, 69% said they favor a woman having the choice to have an abortion. Only 24% said no.”

How can these two sets of numbers be reconciled? Isn't the public taking two opposing views on abortion at the same time? asked the article.

Its answer:The public is listening to the exact questions and giving a nuanced set of answers.Poorly stated or slanted questions simply generate confusing and often meaningless results, it said. It's impossible to understand a poll's findings without knowing the exact wording of the questions.

So what is the best thing to do? “The next time someone quotes a poll to you, make sure you ask:‘What was the question?’” suggests the report.

N.Y. Gov. Urges Removal of GOP Plank on Abortion

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, March 13—At a time when the Republican Party is struggling to overcome strong internal disagreements on abortion and other social issues, New York Gov. George Pataki told the Calif. Daily, it is “time to remove the anti-abortion plank from the party's platform.”

The plank in question reads, in part, “The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed,”according to the report. It goes on to call for a constitutional amendment banning abortions.

Said the report, Pataki said that the platform should recognize “diverse opinions” on abortion.In a report by the Associated Press, Pataki said, "Where there are differences, such as on the question of abortion, I think we should just recognize … the existence of a diversity of opinion, tolerate that diversity of opinion and have a big-tent type of philosophy.”

But in 1990, when Pataki, then a state assemblyman and chairman of the state GOP platform committee, set off a battle with other party members when he fought to have an anti-abortion plank removed from the state platform, said the report.The battle led to a poor GOP showing in that fall's gubernatorial election, won by the Democrat, Mario Cuomo.

Minnesota Law Fuels a Hot Debate

U.S. NEWS & World Report, March 22— “Pro-life” groups and “pro-choice” activists can agree on one thing, according to a recent article. “Minnesota's new abortion reporting requirements are the nation's most comprehensive.” “What they can't agree on is what impact they will have,” it said.

“The rules require doctors to pinpoint why patients want abortions by using a 10-point checklist that includes motives ranging from "emotional health" to "economics" to "does not want children at this time." Doctors must also record the number of abortions they perform, in addition to post-abortion complications and the woman's method of payment,” it said.

Although the new requirements took effect last year, the state health department won't begin compiling the data until April 1, it said. But pro-life groups that helped push the reporting law through last year's legislative session hope the new data yield a better understanding of abortion. "If we could find out why women are having abortions, maybe there is a way to address the issue in terms of public policy," says Jackie Schwietz of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, told the magazine. She hopes the law becomes a model for other states.