U.S. Catholics Back Healthcare Finance Reform, Plus Abortion: Poll

U.S. Catholics support a “public option” in healthcare finance reform along with public funding for abortion, according to a new poll.

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Catholics support a “public option” in healthcare finance reform along with public funding for abortion, according to a new poll.

The top priority among those 923 Catholic registered voters polled nationally was reducing costs associated with healthcare; in fact, it ranked just below fixing the U.S. economy, the results showed.

Half of the respondents, however, said that public and/or private insurance plans ought to cover abortion as seen fit by a woman and her doctor.

Of those polled, 84 percent said that they attend church regularly – either several times a week or throughout the year.

The poll was conducted online, Sept. 16 through 21, by Belden Russonello and Stewart for Catholics for Choice, a pro-choice organization based in Washington, D.C. founded in 1973.

The surveyed Catholic voters (68 percent) disapproved of the U.S. Catholic bishops urging that all Catholics should opposed the government plan should it carry abortion funding.

“This poll clearly demonstrates that the bishops do not represent Catholic voters. Catholics have compassion,” sid CFC president Jon O’Brien. They want everybody to have access to comprehensive healthcare — including abortion in many circumstances.”

O’Brien noted that the two most recent polls on abortion authorized by U.S. bishops asked other faith groups other than Catholics for their opinions.

“Catholic views on healthcare and abortion are mainstream American views,” said the pollsters, Belden Russonello and Stewart.

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Catholics for Change

www.CatholicsforChoice.org