Sanctity of Human Life – Page 270

News Release: Poll Shows Arkansans Oppose Same-Sex Marriage and Abortion

Nov 7, 2017Jerry CoxAbortionAbortion, Life, Pro-life, Sanctity of Human Life

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Little Rock, AR — On Tuesday the University of Arkansas released its annual Arkansas Poll. Among other things, the poll indicated Arkansans’ views regarding same-sex marriage have not changed in the past year, and the overwhelming majority oppose abortion in all or most cases.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement saying, “This poll shows Arkansans still support traditional marriage and are deeply pro-life. Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed said same-sex marriage should not be recognized. That’s on par with past polls. Arkansans still believe marriage ought to be the union of one man and one woman, and these poll numbers reflect that fact.”

Cox said the poll shows Arkansans soundly reject the idea of abortion on demand. “According to the poll, eighteen percent said abortion ought to be illegal under all circumstances, and sixty-one percent said it ought to be legal only under certain circumstances. In other words, seventy-nine percent of Arkansans believe abortion ought to be completely illegal or legal only in a few cases. When you look specifically at likely voters, those numbers jump up to eighty-one percent. Arkansans overwhelmingly reject abortion, and Arkansas’ lawmakers have passed a lot of legislation protecting the lives of unborn children in recent years. I believe that is one reason abortion in Arkansas has fallen to the lowest levels since the 1970s, and abortion among teenagers is near an all-time low.”

Cox called the poll’s findings good news, saying, “Most Arkansans support traditional marriage, and they want to see unborn children protected. Those are things Family Council is committed to. We look forward to continuing that work in the future.”

Family Council is a conservative education and research organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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

Nov 7, 2017Jerry CoxAbortionAbortion, Life, Pro-life, Sanctity of Human Life

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.

Congressional Proposal Would Scrap Adoption Tax Credit

Nov 6, 2017Jerry CoxAbortion, AdoptionAbortion, Adoption, Life, Pro-life, Sanctity of Human Life

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.