More Americans pro-life rather than pro-choice

For the first time in more than 15 years of polling, more Americans self-identify as pro-life (51 percent) over pro-choice (42 percent), according to Gallup. Almost an equal number oppose abortion in all circumstances as those who support abortion in all circumstances, with the vast majority in the middle, although this survey shows a significant increase in the percentage of Americans who oppose abortions in all circumstances.

So if the extreme positions on abortion are relatively equal and compare to past surveys, what has changed? Well, the change in self-identification can be attributed to the vast moderate middle; Americans who have always been uneasy with abortion and favored every restriction possible, except for an outright ban on the procedure.

The Obama administration's radically pro-abortion policies have probably contributed to this shift in self-identification, as this polling is supported by other recent polling, including a Rasmussen survey that found strong opposition to Obama's reversal of the Mexico City policy, which allows taxpayer funding for abortions overseas, and the 42-39 percent lead for Republicans as the party whom Americans most trust on the issue of abortion.