AL’sdirect-mail drive was a success that greatly increased the membership and financialresources. Constituents mailed their checks in record numbers in response to visiblethreats to abortion rights. The influx of resources allowed NARAL to expand and formalize its ties to localactivists. NARAL recruited affiliates by offering training for local leaders, low-costprofessionally produced NARAL literature, ‘how to’ manuals, and audiovisual aids. Thenational organization was eventually able to offer financial aid as well which allowed thenational organization to have more control in implementing state and local strategies. Thisemphasis on grass-roots organizing resulted in activists pushing to increase theinvolvement of the board of directors. Board members began attending at least fourmeeting a year and terms were shortened so that more activists could be brought into thedecision-making process. Changes were occurring within this organization.By 1983 the pro-choice groups were no longer acting in the defensive to thecountermovements. There was a fear that the victories that had been achieved inover-ruling many of the anti-abortion decisions may lead to complacency among theirconstituents. The director of NARAL demanded that his activists continue to take theanti-abortion threat seriously and that the pro-choice lobby continue in Washington. Itwas also essential that work continued to prohibit the reelection of the President Reaganand the possible opportunity of appointment of Supreme Court Justices by a conservativeleader. NARAL and other pro-choice organizations began lobbying Congress for aReproductive Health Equity Act that would restore Medicaid funding and federalemployee insurance coverage for abortions. As feared, the pro-choice constituent support began to decline as the movementshifted into the offensive. Local and national informants reported a drop in financialresources and active participation as thr...
