329: Why the Fight for the Department of Health
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston drives home the importance of understanding that Roe vs. Wade has not been “overturned“. Those who focus on using that language have misunderstood and can best be described as only supporters of the 10th Amendment - States’ Rights. The Dobbs Decision, which was hailed by the media for two months before it’ release as “overturning“ Roe v s.Wade, did no such thing. It is actually completely silent on the use of medicine to kill, and specifically the killing of unborn human babies. This is why the pr-life movement...
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328: What to Ask Local Candidates
Life Matters
Sadly, many haven't seen the depths to which the violation of the right to life has altered our culture and society. Today on Life Matters, we dive into the idea that support this right, the idea that innocent human lives should be protected. We have to engage in the realm of ideas. There's a lot of misunderstanding right now in the pro-life movement. Many people have said after 2022 and the Dobbs Decision that Roe v. Wade is overturned, that we’ve won, we've got our goals. This is a gross misunderstanding and it is a manipulation by the media to get people to say, “Oh, the...
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327: Reductionism - The Enemy of Clear Thinking
Life Matters
Roe vs. Wade has not been overturned. The media has repeated it, but it’s really not true. In today’s episode of Life Matters, we’re going to spend some time talking about the meaning of the word ‘overturned’. What does that really mean? But to answer that, you have to understand what Roe vs. Wade really did. Many people think that Roe vs. Wade simply gave women the right to choose. We're going to talk about what the Supreme Court really did do in Roe, what it's doing now through the Dobbs Decision and the subsequent decisions which are limiting the power of the...
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326: How Genuine and How Christian?
Life Matters
If the celebrates your Christianity, then be afraid. Be very afraid. I must admit that being a professing Christian is not an easy thing, particularly today. I hate religious ‘posturing’ - especially in myself. The scripture is clear: The Pharisee and tax collector, one a false ‘religious’ leader, the other a genuinely broken, penitent man, is one of Christ’s more poignant teachings on this. The Good Samaritan another. How real is your, or my faith? So it is with sadness and carefulness that I must insist mentioning the actual actions: the facts and policies...
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325: The Ongoing Battle Ahead In 2025
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian explores what’s ahead in 2025 and how the election victory of November is merely the beginning. Brian also explained in detail the nature of his recent illness. His congestive heart failure had him hospitalized for three months - a month and a half in intensive care and a month and a half in cardio recovery care. He is now recovering at home. Brian explains that the year ahead includes many challenges, including the very strong push for killing the medically dependent. Eleven jurisdictions across the United States have currently authorized physician...
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287: Do Polls Tell the Truth? - Rebroadcast
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explores the idea of popular opinion polls. At election time, the media will often present what they claim to be public opinion on the issue of abortion. It is critically important to understand that, very often the general, and unspecific nature of the terms used does not often reflect a valid view of public opinion. More specifically, generic feelings about “choice”, support for Roe, or reproductive freedom do not accurately reflect the average American’s view of abortion particulars. Brian examine’s the current habit for many...
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313: Local Elections Matter - Rebroadcast
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnson explains the importance of elections, each and every election. More importantly, he focuses on the power of your vote the further down the ballot you go. On a statewide level, your vote is a drop in the bucket. But as various jurisdictions get smaller, the number of voters also gets dramatically smaller and this is why local elections are so important. In order to have candidates for the state legislature, or for Congress, you must draw from people with some degree of political experience. Most people who run for these...
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324: Election 2024
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston explains the real issues that are at stake. Brian warns listeners of the dangers of popular media culture. He reminds us that Orwell‘s purpose in writing “1984” was actually to portray how the average person responds to a dominant media culture, dedicated to influencing and controlling society. But there are deeper issues that matter, issues that the media either ignores, misrepresents, or intentionally attacks. In order to be truly responsible for ourselves, our lives, our family, and if we believe in God, responsible to our Maker,...
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323: Global Warming
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston takes a deep dive into real science. He takes a deep dive into simple grade school science, of basic earth science, basic astronomy as taught in sixth grade, and the common sense science that any fifth or sixth grader can understand. The issue we must clearly destroy, and which is probably the most insidious and clever at this moment, is the whole idea of man-made global warming. The president of the United States and many internationalists have proclaimed that man-made global warming is the single, in fact the only, true dispositive threat...
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322: The Actual Debate
Life Matters
In this episode of Life Matters, Brian Johnston takes an even deeper dive into the real significance of the recent presidential debate. Previously, he explored the debate through the eyes of Fox News host, Shannon Bream and United States Senator from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman. But both of those commentators from right and left were dealing with a very facile, surface analysis, particularly focusing on the significance of Joe Biden‘s performance. But that is what EVERY media outlet has focused on - every Republican and even Democrat pundit has made America focus on that topic. And...
info_outlineIn this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston returns to the subject of public opinion polls and Americans’ real attitudes regarding the legalization of human abortion.
Johnston reminds us that we must focus on what the right to life debate is. It is not about emotions, or feelings, how much we like babies, or our personal religious upbringing. Very specifically, it is a legal question, as all questions of “rights” actually are.
It is essential to understand that this debate of the last 50 years regarding the legality of abortion and the impact of the Roe versus Wade decision, is a matter of legal judgment. And therefore, public opinion must be viewed as a question of what legal protections ought to be offered to which human beings (babies in the womb), at which times, and under which specific legal conditions.
This very particular and incisive understanding of the debate is required now. This is required for each and every pro-life individual, and specifically in each and every state, because the Dobbs decision has returned the authority of each and every state and its legislatures to determine the laws of that particular jurisdiction, that particular state.
As demonstrated in the previous program on this subject: 287: Public Opinion Polls, the nature of the question and the language used by the questioner will often determine the answer given by the respondent.
Because of this, many news outlets which seek to mold public opinion rather than inform, will use misleading and incomplete language. This is done in order to have the respondent come to a conclusion which the news outlet desires to see in all Americans.
When it comes to the abortion question and specific terms and references to the law, specific terms are often used. Words such as ‘choice,’ ‘freedom to choose’, ‘reproductive rights’, and even ‘Roe v. Wade’, specifically because Roe v. Wade has rarely been accurately described and explained to the public.
These vague generalities are by no means capable of determining an American individual’s actual sentiments regarding appropriate abortion law.
There are however many polls which do respect the specific details of an issue: When is the abortion done? At what gestation is that child? For what reason is that child’s life being ended? These are very important determinative legal issues that the law applies to every legally questioned action. Again the issue of the right to life is, at its heart, a legal question.
California is often considered one of the most progressive and “pro-choice“ states in the nation. But the old LA Times/California pool which was changed in the 1990s, had indeed asked detailed specific questions after its first generic pro-choice or pro-life question.
For some reason that pool no longer exists in that iteration. The most popular league reporting on California polls is taken from the Pew Charitable Trust which was discussed in depth in the previous program.
A recent Rasmussen poll once again asked average California voters specific details of abortion law, and specific questions regarding what type of abortion law these Californians felt to be appropriate. This Rasmussen poll and its specific questions can be viewed here:
The popular, dominant media culture does not like these polling results. And rarely if ever will make such results a dominant aspect of their reportage. But these results are extremely common and demonstrated in the most recent of national Gallup polls please see the Gallup survey here:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/235469/trimesters-key-abortion-views.aspx
The same parallel opinions of all Americans are reflected as well in the recent Marist Poll, which can be seen here:
Polls across the nation, and yes even in California, demonstrate that the average thinking person does not regard abortion on demand, abortion at any time in pregnancy for any reason, or no reason in particular (just for choice), or unlimited abortion as a desirable legal outcome. The typical support level is 13 to 18% of the populace.
When asked, the vast majority of the public have consistently demonstrated a desire for legal restrictions on abortion, when they are done, and on the reasons for doing them. The average American when asked and informed, wants to see abortion limited, or in the words of the Democrat party of the 1980s: “safe, legal, and rare.“
Now that Roe has been overturn and each state can indeed exercise its authority to protect the right to life, laws that will in fact make abortions very rare can indeed be put into place.
The question is: Will that phrase merely be a slogan or will it indeed take on the force of law?
That legal question is the real issue of the Right To Life.