Shaun Kenney | Politics and Religion in Virginia's Public Square


Thursday, January 29, 2004 SHOCKER: Pro-life legislation reduces the number of abortions So says an MIT researcher writing for the Heritage Foundation: The research, by Harvard-MIT Data Center post-doctoral fellow Michael J. New, is published by the Heritage Foundation (www.heritage.org). It explains the key role of life-affirming state laws in the substantial decline in the number of abortions during the 1990s-- after a rise in abortions during the 1970s and 1980s. "Dr. New's research shows that when politicians and judges decide against life-affirming legislation, they are like lifeguards turning their backs to the water," said Denise Burke, staff counsel with Americans United for Life (AUL). Using regression analysis, New's research shows that, by the end of the 1990s, four common types of state pro-life legislation were effective at reducing the number of abortions. Looking at state abortion data for every year from 1985 to 1999 (while holding a variety of economic and demographic factors constant), the Heritage study examines the impact of parental-involvement laws, Medicaid-funding restrictions, informed-consent laws, and partial-birth-abortion bans. I'm not mocking the study (well yes, in a way I suppose I am) because it does provide some worthwhile information regarding a direct link between pro-life legislation and abortion ratios in the United States. So the next time someone asks you the direct relationship, you can point to this study rather than rely on correlation. Still, in an instance where common sense prevailed, you just have to sit back and wonder sometimes why studies like this are necessary. posted by Shaun Kenney \| 1/29/2004 05:04:00 PM \| 0 comments 0 Comments: Post a Comment Home
	RedStormPAC $ JEFFERSONIAD POLL: Whom do you support for Virginia Attorney General? 1) John Brownlee 2) Ken Cuccinelli View Results About ShaunKenney.com is one of Virginia's oldest political blogs, focusing on the role of religion and politics in public life. Shaun Kenney, 30, lives in Fluvanna County, Virginia. Contact E-mail RSS/Atom Feed The Jeffersoniad Archives March 2002 April 2002 May 2002 June 2002 July 2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 April 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009