The Empty Cradle Will Rock: How abortion is costing the Democrats voters--literally
Larry L. Eastland
More than 40 million legal abortions have been performed and documented in the 30 years since the U.S. Supreme Court declared abortion legal. The debate remains focused on the legality and morality of abortion. What's largely ignored is a factual analysis of the political consequences of 40 million abortions. Consider:
- There were 12,274,368 in the Voting Age Population of 205,815,000 missing
- from the 2000 presidential election, because of abortions from 1973-82.
- In this year's election, there will be 18,336,576 in the Voting Age
- Population missing because of abortions between 1972 and 1986.
- In the 2008 election, 24,408,960 in the Voting Age Population will be
- missing because of abortions between 1973-90.
These numbers will not change. They are based on individual choices made--aggregated nationally--as long as 30 years ago. Look inside these numbers at where the political impact is felt most. Do Democrats realize that millions of Missing Voters--due to the abortion policies they advocate--gave George W. Bush the margin of victory in 2000?
The number of abortions accumulate in size and political impact as the years roll along. Like an avalanche that picks up speed, mass, and power as it thunders down a mountain, the number of Missing Voters from abortion changes the landscape of politics. The absence of the missing voters may not be noticed, but that doesn't mean its political impact disappears. As seen during a famine, what no longer exists becomes as relevant as what does.
Let's begin with the obvious: Children born in any given year arrive at voting age in 18 years; conversely, children not born in a given year are "Missing Voters" 18 years later. Permanently so, unless someone discovers a way to give birth to a teenager in a nine-month gestation period. This table gives the number of Missing Voters from abortion and election years affected:
| Table 1: Abortions in the U.S., 1973-90 | |||
|
Years |
Abortions |
Aggregated |
Election Affected |
|
1973-74 |
1,643,200 |
1,643,200 |
1992 |
|
1975-78 |
4,939,800 |
6,583,000 |
1996 |
|
1979-82 |
6,202,800 |
12,785,800 |
2000 |
|
1983-86 |
6,314,800 |
19,100,600 |
2004 |
|
1987-90 |
6,325,400 |
25,426,000 |
2008 |
The question arises: Who would these Missing Voters have been if they had reached voting age? What would their values have been? How would they have voted? What impact would they have had on the great debates in America, including the abortion debate?
Read the entire article on the Wall Street Journal Opinion Journal website.