The Catholic Church And The Politics Of Abortion

The Supreme Court's 1989 ruling in Webster vs Reproductive Health Services moved the abortion debate in the USA back to the state level, giving interest groups a new opportunity to push for redefinitions of legal access to abortion. One powerful group, the Catholic Church, has played an active role in the post-Webster era, and the Church hierarchy has mobilized to facilitate the passage of more restrictive abortion laws, and encourage the election of anti-abortion candidates to state-level political office. With a representative sample of state case studies, this volume sheds light on the internal workings and political activities of the Catholic Church and on the choices and strategies available to state-level political leaders as they respond to the Supreme Court's evolving doctrine on the constitutional right to abortion.