abortion

[Doug Henwood]

Lots of pro-Gore lefties are making the argument that a vote for 
Nader is a vote to end abortion. Here's the history of U.S. 
abortions, according to the CDC (the 1997 numbers are preliminary). 
The rate of abortions actually declined more quickly during the 
Clinton years than during the Reaganbush years. This is not to argue 
that a high abortion rate is good in itself, and I'm sure there are 
lots of complications behind these numbers, but still...

Doug

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ABORTION RATIO AND RATE, U.S.

                   ratio        rate

                 per 1,000   per 1,000

                  births    women 15-44

       1970          52           5

       1971         137          11

       1972         180          13

       1973         196          14

       1974         242          17

       1975         272          18

       1976         312          21

       1977         325          22

       1978         347          23

       1979         358          24

       1980         359          25

       1981         358          24

       1982         354          24

       1983         349          23

       1984         364          24

       1985         354          24

       1986         354          23

       1987         356          24

       1988         352          24

       1989         346          24

       1990         345          24

       1991         339          24

       1992         335          23

       1993         334          22

       1994         321          21

       1995         311          20

       1996         314          20

       1997         305          20

yearly change
1980-93           -0.6%       -1.0%
1993-97           -2.2%       -2.4%