A new poll has revealed that over half of Democrats support lethal discrimination against babies diagnosed with Down syndrome.

The latest Marist poll commissioned by the Knights of Columbus revealed this week that 58% of Americans surveyed oppose or strongly oppose abortion "because the child will be born with Down Syndrome."

39% of respondents alternatively said they support or strongly support the selective termination of members of that group of human beings previously lumped into the category of "lives not worth living" by the Nazi regime and gleefully targeted for eradication in recent years by other eugenicist nations.

These responses reflect significant changes since 2021, when the annual Knights of Columbus-Marist Poll found that 69% of Americans were against aborting babies with Down syndrome and only 22% signaled support.

Responses this year were even more damning when broken down according to respondents' general views on abortion and political affiliation.

54% of self-described "pro-choice" respondents said they supported the termination of potential politicians, actors, religious role models, and artists on the basis of Down syndrome diagnoses.

Self-identified Democrats were even more supportive of the program — 56% said they supported or strongly supported abortion in cases where the baby has Down syndrome. By way of comparison, only 24% of Republicans signaled support and 39% of self-identified independents expressed support.

Down syndrome or trisomy 21 is a genetic disorder that varies in severity but does not preclude those affected from living long and fulfilling lives. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is caused when abnormal cell division produces an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21.

Granted the continued need to protect people with Down syndrome, Kansas Rep. Ron Estes (R) re-introduced legislation Thursday that would federally ban physicians from knowingly performing an abortion because a baby received a prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21.

The "Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act," which has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, notes that the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs ruling "correctly affirmed that there is no constitutional right to abort an unborn child and that the Court's prior decision in Roe was not based in the Constitution's text nor was it deeply rooted in the history and tradition of the United States."

Estes' bill also highlights that federal law presently protects people with disabilities from discrimination, including in the provision of medical care.The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, for instance, states, "Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society."

Estes' bill further underscores that individuals with Down syndrome "are inherently valuable and worthy of dignity and respect. They enrich and strengthen our society in countless ways, including but not limited to by building meaningful relationships, participating in and creating families, learning, and working alongside other Americans."

Despite this understanding, people with Down syndrome are nevertheless targeted for destruction here and abroad.

According to a 2012 study published in the journal Prenatal Diagnosis, the weighted mean abortion rate for babies diagnosed with Down syndrome in the U.S. was 67%.

Joint Economic Committee Republicans estimated in 2022 that 80% more babies with Down syndrome would be born every year absent selective abortion.

The Independent reported that Iceland only sees one or two children with Down syndrome born every year because nearly all expectant mothers on the island who receive a positive prenatal test have their child promptly executed.

H.R. 461 would make it unlawful to kill an unborn baby on the basis of a test or prenatal diagnosis indicating the child has Down syndrome. Additionally, it would prohibit the use of coercion or intimidation to prompt a mother into getting an abortion on the basis of her baby's Down syndrome diagnosis.

"Having one more chromosome should never be validation for ending life, and the Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act protects individuals with disabilities," Estes said in a statement. "This is common-sense legislation that will save precious lives."

The resolution has received support in both chambers of Congress. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) will reportedly soon introduce a companion bill in the Senate.

"Every life is created with God-given dignity and potential — no matter how small or how many chromosomes they may have," said Daines. "We are making great strides to build a culture of life in America, but there is more work to be done. Now more than ever it's critical we continue our fight on the federal level to be a voice for the most vulnerable and protect young moms from the dangers of do-it-yourself chemical abortions."

The Knights of Columbus-Marist poll also revealed that 20% of Democratic respondents supported or strongly supported abortion on the basis of the babies' sex. 86% of all respondents indicated they were opposed to sex-selective abortions.

66% of all respondents suggested there should limits placed on when abortion is allowed. 49% of Democrats and 84% of Republicans agreed.

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