The news was greeted with mixed joy by both Wisconsin Right to Life and by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin. Each group took credit for the decrease. But each also warned the decrease might prove temporary unless each continues to support its side in the abortion debate.

          There were 8,267 abortions in Wisconsin (1,176 of them for Dane County residents) in 2007, some 1,313 fewer than were reported in 2006.

          In 1974, the year after Roe v. Wade, there were 10,920 abortions reported in the state. That number increased each year to a high of 21,754 in 1980 and has been gradually decreasing ever since.

          The abortion "rate" has also been declining. There were 11 abortions for every 100 live births in Wisconsin in 1974. That ratio increased to 20 per 100 live births in 1980 and decreased to a new low of 7 in 2007.

          Barbara Lyons, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, was quick to proclaim victory. 
          "Wisconsin Right to Life uses a multi-faceted strategy to reduce the number of abortions and the continued declines year after year prove our strategies are successful," she crowed.

          But she crowed no louder than did Lisa Boyce, vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood. 
          "The reduction in Wisconsin's abortion rate is a reflection of what we can do when prevention-based health care services like birth control are available to every woman in need," she said. "It is important that we continue to work with lawmakers to ensure that policies increasing access to birth control and comprehensive sex education are at the forefront of the health care debate in Wisconsin."

          Who is right? 
          I doubt Lyons or Boyce has any clear idea of what is going on. Abortions have been decreasing in Wisconsin for 27 years, through Democratic and Republican administrations. If that surprises you, it is because neither Wisconsin Right to Life nor Planned Parenthood has any financial incentive to emphasize the fact. Nor, for that matter, do the political parties. Republicans gain votes from people who think abortion is wrong, and Democrats gain votes by those who want to keep abortion legal.

          If abortion should stop being an issue, you will be less likely to send money to either the political parties or to the advocacy groups. So, both Lyons and Boyce are warning we shouldn't get too comfortable with good news.

          Lyons warned that "Planned Parenthood was forced to close two of its abortion clinics in Milwaukee and the Appleton area for several months in 2007 due to having no one willing to perform abortions." The clinics are now up and running, so "it is very possible that we will see an increase in the abortion numbers in 2008." Send money.

          Boyce agrees that "While this decline shows we are on the right track, more needs to be done in Wisconsin to help women access needed health care to avoid unintended pregnancies." Send money.

          The only sad conclusion we can draw is that, for these advocates, good news is, actually, bad news.