An article yesterday in the St. Petersburg Times touts a poll that indicates Floridians are opposed to the Pro-Life bill HB 1143. However, closer scrutiny of the question that the poll asked reveals why the poll results were most likely skewed by the biased question.
The Ultrasound bill question that Ipsos Public Affairs presented to callers painted a vastly biased and misinformed characterization of HB 1143 and the choice that the bill provides to women seeking an abortion. The question makes it sound like the ultrasound is some new cost imposed on women, when in reality, most abortion clinics charge for an ultrasound now to determine the age of the baby and never provide that information to the woman. In other words, she is paying today for a service that benefits the abortion doctor because he determines from the ultrasound how large the baby is and how much more he can charge the woman for the abortion. The poll question also falsely claims that the woman will be forced to view the ultrasound and listen to a description of the ultrasound. In reality, the bill provides every woman the option, for any reason, to deny the opportunity to view the image and have the ultrasound explained.
See the full poll results here:
http://blogs.tampabay.com/files/florida-polling-topline-5-20-2010.doc
