National Abortion Rights Action

League

Rachel Schwartz

Period 8

For more than 30 years (the PAC was started in 1969), NARAL Pro-Choice America has been the nation's leading advocate for privacy and a woman's right to choose. With more than one million members and supporters, NARAL Pro-Choice America fights to protect the pro-choice values of freedom and privacy. The role of the NARAL is more important than ever in current times With the Supreme Court one vote away from overturning Roe v. Wade (decision recognizing that the constitutional right to privacy encompasses the right to choose abortion) and many state legislatures under anti-choice control. The majority of Americans believe in freedom and personal responsibility. The NARAL believe that women have the intelligence and thoughtfulness to make their own decisions about their reproductive health and that politicians should not interfere in the personal lives of women.

Foundation Mission Statement

• NARAL Pro-Choice America Mission Statement: NARAL Pro-Choice America's mission is to develop and sustain a constituency that uses the political process to guarantee every woman the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion.

• NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation Mission Statement: NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation's mission is to support and protect, as a fundamental right and value, a woman's freedom to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices through education, training, organizing, legal action, and public policy.

Issues and Concerns of the NARAL

Abortion

NARAL Pro-Choice America fights to protect the right to safe, legal abortion. Ever since the Supreme Court guaranteed a woman's right to choose more than 30 years ago with its landmark Roe v. Wade decision, the anti-choice movement has worked furiously to dismantle it with the ultimate goal of outlawing legal abortion altogether. Because of this, NARAL’s efforts are even more important in helping to prevent outlawing legal abortion.

Birth Control

Improving access to birth control is at the forefront of NARAL’s efforts to prevent unintended pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion. For the 98 percent of American women who use some form of contraception during their reproductive lives, birth control is basic, essential health care. Unfortunately, the far right is broadening its attacks to include blocking women’s access to birth control.

Sex Education

To address our country's high rate of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases among teens, NARAL Pro-Choice America supports honest, age-appropriate, and medically accurate sex education that teaches both abstinence and information about contraception. At the same time, anti-choice lawmakers are spending tax dollars on unproven, ideological "abstinence-only" programs that actually censor life-saving information.

Women of Color

Although many barriers to adequate health care apply to all women, systemic obstacles can have an especially negative effect on the ability of women of color to access quality reproductive-health care. As a result of these challenges, the reproductive-health needs of many women of color are going unmet in the United States. NARAL strives to overcome these barriers to guarantee every woman the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive-health choices.

Choice in the Courts

The NARAL feels that Americans who value freedom and privacy must remain committed to ensuring the independence and objectivity of our courts. The federal judiciary has historically played a key role in ensuring civil rights for ordinary Americans. Today, the right wing is determined to roll back these rights by packing the courts with anti-choice nominees.

The Bush Administration and Choice

President Bush, with the enthusiastic support of his anti-choice supporters, has waged a tireless war on women's reproductive freedom and personal privacy. Time and again, President Bush has taken steps to make abortion more difficult and dangerous, to block women’s access to birth control, and to inject politics into medicine and science. The NARAL is not supportive of his actions and ideas.

Actions to Influence Policy and the Public Agenda

Crowd Canvassing- Canvassing is an organizing term that means asking many people over the course of a few hours to sign a petition in support of or in opposition to something specific. It is a great way to get a high volume of signatures on a petition and educate the public about an issue. The NARAL sorts petitions they receive by states and deliver them to the appropriate elected officials so they know how people in their community feel about that particular issue. Also, petition signers who have indicated an interest will receive updates from NARAL Pro‐ Choice America. This helps to ensure that more pro‐choice people stay informed and take action on future issues.

Flyering- Flyers are one‐page documents that educate people in the community about a specific issue or event and urge them to get involved. By posting colorful, eye‐catching flyers, the NARAL communicates with a lot of people about issues related to a woman’s right to choose, such as promoting honest sex education in local

schools.

Pub Crawl- If you’re over 21, a pub crawl is a fun and easy way to collect petition signatures. A pub crawl involves getting a group of people together, going to at least three or four bars or clubs, and asking patrons at the bar to sign your petition.

Honk and Waves- A honk and wave is done by getting together a group of people to stand at a busy intersection during rush hour, hold pro‐choice signs, and wave to drivers so that they honk back. Holding a honk and wave is a fun, easy, and low‐cost way to get the word out about the fight to protect privacy and choice. With just a few friends, signs, and a lot of energy, thousands of commuters can be reached and on their way to or from work.

Letter to the editor-Letters to the editor are a powerful tool that influence readers of a newspaper, journal, or magazine by responding to an article or editorial printed by the publication. A letter can discuss any of the broad range of pro‐choice issues, including honest sex education and access to birth control.

Lobbying Congress

• NARAL Pro-Choice America fights the relentless onslaught of anti-choice policies and legislation introduced in Congress and works with pro-choice legislators in support of bills to protect a woman’s right to choose and expand women’s access to reproductive-health care. Fortune Magazine has described NARAL Pro-Choice America as "one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America."

Mobilizing Pro-Choice Americans

• NARAL Pro-Choice America uses traditional and innovative online organizing methods to mobilize pro-choice Americans in all 50 states. Their grassroots power helps to educate and mobilize pro-choice activists, stop anti-choice legislation, and defend their rights against well-funded, emboldened anti-choice forces. Through strategic organizing, they are building the next generation of pro-choice leaders who reflect the strength of our country’s diversity and share a commitment to protecting women’s reproductive freedom.

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Research

• NARAL Pro-Choice America is the only organization that provides up-to-the-minute information about state bills, the enactment of new laws, and decisions handed down by state and federal courts related to reproductive rights. Their staff monitors state and federal activity on a daily basis.

Affiliate Networks

• NARAL Pro-Choice America pursues state-based organizing, advocacy and constituency building in coordination with its state affiliate network. State affiliates work to advance pro-choice legislative strategies and defeat anti-choice measures in their state legislatures, elect pro-choice candidates, and educate and engage the public on choice issues.

Most Recent form of taking action:

Free.will.power-NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation announced that it is launching free.will.power, an innovative video-based online initiative designed to reach younger activists and recruit a new generation of young women and men into the pro-choice movement.

http://www.myfreewillpower.com/

NARAL also takes advantage of the Web and telemarketing

NARAL in the News

NARAL Pro-Choice of American filed a lawsuit against Washington’s largest insurer for not providing prescription contraceptive coverage in the health care insurance policies it sells to small employers.

http://www.aclu.org/reproductiverights/contraception/12664prs20010712.html

Who Does NARAL Target?

NARAL mainly targets the average citizen, hoping to raise awareness about the ideas relating to pro-choice views (they often try to reach people via direct-mailings and have been surprisingly successful). NARAL also targets candidates and people who support their views to help spread the word.

NARAL’s Political Ideology

*NARAL feels it should be the choice of all women to choose when it comes to the issue of abortion. They also believe that all women should be provided with the option for proper birth control.

Anti-Choice Legislative Measures- Between 1995 and 2007, states enacted 557 anti-choice legislative measures. Since President Bush took office in 2001, state legislatures have considered almost 3,700 anti-choice measures; 293 of these have been enacted and NARAL has been working towards preventing the other proposed anti-choice measures from being enacted.

Supporters of the Democratic Party

*Because of their views and beliefs, NARAL is a supporter of the Democratic party. They strongly opposed Bush’s pro-life ideologies and supported Barack Obama in the most recent presidential election. This is a quote taken from the NARAL pro-choice America website:

“Pro-choice Americans voted for change in 2008, electing a pro-choice president and new pro-choice members of Congress. The results show that Americans want leaders who will work together to reduce unintended pregnancy and end the divisive attacks on a woman's right to choose.”

Obama with NARAL’s President Nancy Keenan

:// . . / / - - .http www prochoiceamerica org elections pro choice winners html --> winning pro-choice candidates in the 2008 election

Support to Candidates

• NARAL spent a total of $1,396,974 in 2008 fighting for their cause

• They gave $266,000 to federal candidates in the 2008 presidential election to support the Democratic party (no funds given to Republicans):// . . / / . ? = 00079541 =2008http www opensecrets org pacs pacgot php cmte C &cycle -recipients of funds from NARAL

*NARAL received close to $300,000 of individual contributions towards their efforts (only including donations over $200)

NARAL President Nancy Keenan spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of Obama and the pro-choice

ideals and attended the Democratic Party's platform committee meetings and said that while she was there she promised to keep the party's position in support of unlimited abortions paid for at

taxpayer expense in place.

Effectiveness

NARAL has been very effective in their efforts. They have a large number of supporters, make numerous efforts to gain new ones, make their cause known throughout the nation, and have been successful in their efforts in promoting and supporting a woman’s right to choose.

Examples and Legislation• In January 2005, NARAL Pro-Choice America challenged President Bush to

use his second term in office to unite the country by abandoning his divisive attacks on safe, legal abortion and devoting his efforts instead to common sense prevention measures that reduce the need for abortion. They have looked to pro-choice leaders in Congress and president-elect Barack Obama to end these attacks on a woman's right to choose and unify the country behind policies that the public supports.

Acts they are supporting: 1. Prevention First ActP : This bill would help women prevent unintended pregnancy

which would reduce the need for abortion - by increasing funds for family-planning services, assuring contraceptive equity in health-insurance plans, and improving women's access to emergency contraception.

2. Freedom of Choice Act: Following the Supreme Court's closely divided and bitter decision upholding the Federal Abortion Ban, it is clear that the right to choose is facing a new level of assault. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is a measure that will codify Roe v. Wade and guarantee the right to choose for future generations of women.

Others include: Responsible Education About Life Act ("REAL"), Access to Birth Control Act ("ABC"), Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act ("CARE"), Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act ("EPICC"), Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Responsibility, and Opportunity Act, Compassionate Care for Servicewomen Act

Weaknesses-NARAL pro-choice America only supports the

ideals of liberal Americans and generally only appeal to those who supports the ideals of a pro-choice America.

-They had President Bush working against them and he had legislation passed that supported ideals against those of NARAL

Strengths: Proven Success Through the Years and in the 2008 Election

• In 2008, NARAL Pro-Choice America repeatedly contacted approximately 290,000 households in eight battleground states (Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia) exposing McCain's extreme anti-choice record and persuading these critical voters to support Senator Obama. With more than one million supporters, NARAL Pro-Choice America is the political leader of the pro-choice movement. They have been successful in their efforts to educate all of America on the pro-choice ideals and are looking to a successful future with the recent election of pro-choice candidate Barack Obama.