After the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Democrats thought they found a lifeline. After all, Joe Biden’s approval rating is in the gutter (36%) and the midterm elections are right around the corner. Why, then, not make the midterms all about abortion and women’s rights? Generate enough anger and emotion and maybe Democrats will have a chance to stop the red tsunami that many are predicting in November. Once again, Biden and the Democrats have woefully underestimated American voters.
It goes without saying that abortion is an important issue and that people have very strong opinions on this topic. While this is undoubtedly true, most voters who understand the Dobbs decision realize that abortion has not been banned, but rightfully left to the states to decide. Therefore, the Supreme Court’s opinion did not give or take away any so-called rights.
Despite this obvious fact, Biden recently signed an executive order aimed to hit back against the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs and to appease those who feverishly oppose the Dobbs decision under the false pretense that it abolishes abortion. Putting aside the legality of this executive order, which is questionable, recent polling suggests that Biden’s efforts to make the midterm elections a referendum on abortion and women’s rights are failing.
According to data from various polls conducted after July 4, including a Harvard/Harris poll, Monmouth poll, and YouGov, voters have bigger concerns than abortion rights. For example, according to the Monmouth poll, voters ranked the issues in order of importance in the following manner: “33% inflation, 15% gas prices, 9% economy, 6% bills/groceries, 5% abortion, 3% guns.” In the Harvard/Harris poll, inflation (62%) and energy prices (28%) were the most important issues to voters.
On the issue of abortion, the results of the Harvard/Harris poll were also damaging for Biden and the Democrats. Specifically, despite the Dobbs decision, many voters oppose the Democrats’ policy allowing abortions-on-demand at any time. According to the poll, relating to the issue of abortion:
On overturning Roe: 45 percent support/55 percent oppose.
On banning all abortion, with exceptions for rape and incest: 37 percent support.
On banning abortions (with exceptions) after six weeks: 49 percent support.
On banning abortions (with exceptions) after 15 weeks: 72 percent support. And that includes 60 percent of Democrats.
These numbers should come as no surprise. While abortion is undoubtedly an important issue, Americans are more concerned with how they are going to make a living, pay their bills, and put food on the table. According to Dr. Wayne Lesperance, professor of political science at New England College, “All the emphasis on SCOTUS decisions, however impactful, are not resonating with voters. The cost of everything without obvious relief is on the minds of voters.”
This is the reality that Biden and the Democrats are facing. No matter how much they try to create smokescreens or deflect attention away from their many failed policies, they continue to fail. Americans are hurting, and Biden and the Democrats are doing absolutely nothing to help them. As reported by Inside Sources, an overview of the data from the Harvard/Harris poll, the Monmouth poll, and YouGov provided a grim view of how voters feel about the condition of the nation. Of note, 88 percent of Americans believe the nation is heading in the wrong direction, 57 percent think the federal government is making things worse on the issues that are most important to them, and 54 percent say the Biden administration policies are not helping the middle class.
This is Biden’s America. Come November, Americans can take an important first step in turning things around.
