Partial-birth abortion? Here are three opinion poll questions on the same issue, with the poll results:

As you may know, President Bush and the U.S. Congress recently approved a new law that prohibits a procedure commonly known as a “partial-birth abortion.” Do you favor or oppose this new law? Result: 47% favor; 40%

oppose.

I would like to ask your opinion about a specific abortion procedure known as “late-term” abortion or “partial-birth” abortion, which is sometimes performed on women during the last few months of pregnancy. Do you think that the government should make this procedure illegal, or do you think that this procedure should be legal? Result: 68% said it should be illegal;

25% said it should be legal.

Do you favor or oppose a law which would make it illegal to perform a specific abortion procedure conducted in the last six months of a woman’s pregnancy known as a partial-birth abortion, except in cases necessary to save the life of the mother? Result: 57% favor; 38% oppose.

Using this example, discuss the difficulty of using responses to opinion polls to understand public opinion.

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