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October 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As the 2020 Presidential election consumes the news, it is important for pro-lifers to truly understand the impact this election will have in the battle to save lives. 

In today’s episode of The Van Maren Show, Dr. Michael New, a research scholar, joins Jonathon to discuss how a Democratic Presidency impacts abortion rates, and what would happen if Joe Biden was able to repeal the Hyde Amendment. 

Michael New, Ph.D. is an Associate Scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, and a visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science and Social Research at The Catholic University of America. He studied Political Science and Statistics at Stanford University and has completed numerous pro-life research projects. 

One surprising figure that has been cited recently, especially in memes, is that the number of abortions decreases during Democratic presidencies. The argument is that Democrats increase welfare programs and funding, which decreases the financial pressures that lead to abortions. Dr. New quickly dispels this myth. 

Listen to the full interview here: 

The abortion rate has been on a steady decline since 1980, according to Dr. New. In fact, when it did go up, it did so under a Democratic President, President Jimmy Carter. 

When looking at the number of abortions, it is important to note that this figure is impacted by the number of women of childbearing age. Additionally, reporting the number of abortions has changed over the years. For example, California stopped reporting the number of abortions. 

Van Maren also points out that the rate of sexual activity among minors is decreasing. Although some may argue this is due to liberal sex-education, this isn’t the case. Dr. New tells listeners that research shows non-abstinence-based sex-education classes do not reduce pregnancy rates. 

Dr. New also highlights the fact that increasing access to contraception does not reduce the rate of abortion. Research indicates that half of women seeking abortions were using birth control the month they got pregnant. Dr. New points to the fact that the contraception mentality separates sex from procreation which lends itself to more of an abortion mentality.

Surprisingly, Dr. New also tells listeners that social welfare programs aren’t linked to a reduction in abortions. Currently, no research shows that welfare programs impact the number of abortions. 

What does impact the number of abortions according to the research? Federal funding of abortion. Numerous research studies show that decreasing federal funding of abortions decreases the number of abortions. 

Even the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion research institute, found that reducing Medicaid funding resulted in more unplanned pregnancies being carried to term. 

The Center for Reproductive Rights also did an analysis in 2010 that found that the Hyde Amendment had stopped 1 million abortions since 1976. 

Dr. New completed his own analysis for the Charlotte Lozier Institute and found that from 1976 to 2020, the Hyde Amendment had stopped 2.4 million abortions. 

“Don’t anybody tell you that pro-life political involvement has been for naught. There are 2.4 million women out there who have been spared a lifetime of regret because of the Hyde amendment and there are 2.4 million people walking around today who owe their lives to the Hyde Amendment,” Dr. New tells listeners. 

The Hyde Amendment prevents federal funding of abortions except to “save the life of the woman” or in the case of incest or rape. The Hyde Amendment was passed in 1976 and was upheld by the Supreme Court in a 1980 ruling. 

The Hyde Amendment, which is a budget provision, has been passed every single year. It has been passed every single year, despite the party of the President or the party in control of Congress. Both Clinton and Obama signed appropriations bills that included the Hyde Amendment. 

“So it is something that at one point enjoyed a lot of bipartisan support,” Dr. New says.

Now, Joe Biden is promising to repeal the Hyde Amendment as soon as he becomes President. 

“Regardless of what the exact figure [number of babies saved] is, it is a big number, lives are being saved by the Hyde Amendment and the election of Joe Biden wold clearly put the Hyde Amendment in danger,” Dr. New tells listeners, “I don’t ever advocate panicking, but we should be concerned.”

Dr. New also points out that Biden could also try to “pack the court” by adding more members to the Supreme Court. If this happens, the court would most likely be anti-life and would rule against both federal and state pro-life policies. 

Although there is often a strong conservative push back at the state level when a Democrat takes the White House, Dr. New warns that this won’t be enough to combat a Biden presidency. 

“I think overall a Biden presidency would do much more harm than good.” 

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