Why is there such a difference in the durability of two foundational issues of American conservatism: gay marriage and abortion?
Same-sex marriage burst onto the political scene in the early 1990s, lasted through the mid-2000s, and is now quietly fading. Abortion, as a political call to arms, has been around twice as long and shows no signs of disappearing. …
What is it about abortion that gives it such political staying power? One obvious answer it is that for opponents it is an issue of life and death. For pro-choice women, it is a question of personal autonomy and bodily integrity. CONT.
Tom Edsall (Columbia U.), New York Times
Recent polls: Abortion