New Poll Shows Most Arkansans Still Oppose Same-Sex Marriage, Abortion

Abortion, , ,

Pollsters from the University of Arkansas released their annual Arkansas Poll today.

The poll results indicate most Arkansans still believe same-sex marriage should not be recognized, and the overwhelming majority oppose abortion on demand.

The pollsters surveyed 801 Arkansans last October. Of those surveyed, 57% said same-sex marriage should not be recognized — the same number the Arkansas Poll found last year.

Forty-five percent favored laws that would make it more difficult to get an abortion.

Eighteen percent said abortion ought to be illegal in all circumstances, and 61% said it ought to be legal only under certain circumstances.

In other words, 79% of Arkansans believe abortion ought to be completely illegal or legal only under certain circumstances.

This tracks with major, national polls that show Americans generally believe abortion ought to be illegal in all but a few situations — such as in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the mother. Americans oppose abortion on demand, and Arkansans are no exception.

You can download the poll results here.

You can find a list of the questions pollsters asked here.

Photo: Credit: By Rennett Stowe from USA (Tapping a Pencil Uploaded by Atmoz) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Here’s What Thomas Jefferson Said About Giving Thanks:

Thanksgiving

We’re counting down to Thanksgiving at our office. Today we continue our series tracing the history of Thanksgiving.

At the prompting of the Continental Congress, on November 11, 1779, Thomas Jefferson—who was governor of Virginia at the time—issued a proclamation calling on Virginians to turn to God in prayer.

The proclamation says that “it becomes us humbly to approach the throne of Almighty God, with gratitude and praise,” and sets aside December 9 as a day of public Thanksgiving and prayer. It also calls on ministers to hold church services.

Jefferson’s proclamation is significant for two reasons:

First, because Thomas Jefferson is often regarded as one of the least religious of the Founding Fathers—even though he regularly attended church and read the Bible.

And second, because it is one of the earliest examples of a public official designating a day specifically for the purpose of giving thanks to God.

You can read Jefferson’s entire proclamation here.

For more than two centuries Americans have been pausing to give thanks at this time of year. I hope you and I can continue to carry that tradition forward, teaching it to our children and grandchildren.

If you have never donated to Family Council or the Education Alliance, now is a great time to do so. Your financial support will make Arkansas a better place to live, work, and raise a family. It will promote and strengthen home schooling. It will help fight abortion and make Arkansas a more pro-life state. Click here to send a generous, tax-deductible donation today.

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Congressional Proposal Would Scrap Adoption Tax Credit

Abortion, Adoption, , , ,

Last week Congress rolled out H.R. 1, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.” Congress needs to cut taxes and rework its budget, but the proposal contains a troubling provision: It ends the federal Adoption Tax Credit.

Under current law, a taxpayer may claim $13,570 in adoption tax credits per eligible child. This is a small step the federal government takes to encourage adoption.

Considering the government estimates average adoption expenses can run anywhere from $20,000 – $50,000, the credit helps make adoption a reality for many children and families. Unfortunately, the new budget proposal would end this good tax credit.

One way the government can oppose abortion is by promoting adoption. As President Reagan told Congress in 1985,

The question of abortion grips our nation. Abortion is either the taking of a human life or it isn’t. And if it is — and medical technology is increasingly showing it is — it must be stopped. It is a terrible irony that while some turn to abortion, so many others who cannot become parents cry out for children to adopt. We have room for these children. We can fill the cradles of those who want a child to love.

Adoption gives women alternatives to abortion. That’s why in 1995 we worked closely with Sen. Fay Boozman to pass a law in Arkansas giving families tax breaks for adoption expenses.

Congress should keep the federal Adoption Tax Credit in place. It’s a simple policy; the federal government misses out on very little tax revenue because of it; but it goes a long way to help end abortion in America.

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