That's the promise of the new study released today by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. According to the group's news release, the study is the first of its kind and looks at the "long- and short-term effects of public policy on the abortion rate over a twenty-year period. The findings reveal that social and economic supports for women and families dramatically reduce the number of abortions. As Democrats gather in Denver for their national convention, and as Republicans prepare to gather next week, the study offers compelling findings that pro-life and pro-choice leaders from both political parties can unite behind to reduce abortions."Indeed, if this holds true, the findingswould (I would think) provide ammunition for those looking to move beyond the stalemate over Roe v. Wade. Apparently the findings were presented at a "town hall" meeting in Denver with Sen. Bob Casey, Rep. Heath Shuler and others,and sponsored by Democrats for Life of America. I haven't seen a write-up, so don't know what they may have added.Catholics in Alliance commissioned the study, which wasconducted by Joseph Wright, a political science professor at Penn State University and a visiting fellow at the University of Notre Dame, and Michael Bailey, a professor of American government at Georgetown University. You can read it here (in a 19-page PDF file). Tom Roberts at NCR also hascoverage.

David Gibson is the director of Fordham’s Center on Religion & Culture.

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