Washington D.C., Sep 10, 2009 / 07:17 pm (CNA).- A nationwide poll reports that most Americans do not want government funding for abortion in health care reform legislation.

About 55 percent of respondents to a Susan B. Anthony List poll said they thought it would be wrong for the government to fund abortions. Another 52 percent said they do not want the government to help fund health care plans that fund abortions. About 58 percent disagreed that a government-run health plan has an obligation to provide abortion services.

A reported 25 percent of Democrats said they would be less likely to support a reform plan that funds abortion, while only twelve percent of Democrats said they would be more likely to support it. Overall, 43 percent of respondents said they would be less likely to support such coverage, including the 36 percent of respondents who said their support would be much less likely in such a case.

Women were less likely than men to support abortion funding in government health care.

The poll of 800 registered voters was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies from August 30 to September 1 and claims a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.

Commenting on the poll results, Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said the inclusion of government funds for abortion in health care reform is “unappealing” to Americans nationwide.

“This may be surprising to elites, but it is not to the rest of America,” she continued. “Americans realize pro-abortion feminists have dramatically overrepresented a minority position, misstating the centrality and 'need' for abortion on-demand.

“If the Congressional leadership and the President fall on the sword of abortion coverage, pleasing their allies and weaving it into the fabric of our daily lives, they do so at the peril of the entire bill and their own political futures. Today's polling data offers the latest compelling reason for Congress to reject the President's health care proposal without authentic language to exclude abortion funding.”

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