 |
 |
Bush's Victory Puts Focus On Morality, Its Effect On Policy By Elizabeth Lynch - Poughkeepsie Journal Saturday, November 6, 2004 The moral issues that guided voters' decision will have far-reaching policy implications over the next four years. Stem cell research, abortion and a constitutional amendment on marriage all could see substantial policy shifts now President Bush has been reelected. Bush was elected with strong backing from conservative Republicans and now he's been returned to office, he will be expected to push their agenda through. ''Moral issues are most important,'' Fishkill resident Joel Mojica said Tuesday after casting his ballot for Bush, as did his wife, Rachel. ''As a believer in God, I had to be very careful who I voted for.'' ''Someone of moral values is very important for our future,'' Rachel Mojica said Tuesday. In his next term, Bush will be faced with many moral decisions that will affect future policy, including the fact he likely will appoint at least one new member to the U.S. Supreme Court. Many expect his appointment to be someone who will strictly interpret the U.S. Constitution. ''The Supreme Court is a small part of this,'' said Helen Westover, who is a pro-life activist. ''This is a religious country. It wasn't the terrorism, it wasn't the economy. It was moral issues.'' The focus on moral issues is a good thing, said the Rev. Bruce Chilton, a religion professor at Bard College and rector of St. John the Evangelist Church in Barrytown. But, he said, the issues at stake must expand beyond a narrow few to include the war in Iraq, capital punishment, health care and many others. ''If you really want to have a debate about life, it has to go far beyond making disapproving noises about abortion and stem cell research,'' Chilton said. ''Selective morality is no morality at all. You have to be consistent in your ethical consideration.'' The strength of the conservatives was possible in part, Chilton said, because those who hold opposing viewpoints are uncomfortable discussing moral issues. ''Policy judgment will always include a moral consideration,'' Chilton said. Jennifer Shagan, founder of the Dutchess County National Organization for Women, said debating moral issues is difficult. ''Unfortunately, the (conservative) right believes that their way is always right and they justify that with their religious beliefs. If you don't agree with their beliefs then [they argue that] you're not moral,'' she said. Political science professors have said the election results highlight the political shift to the conservative right. ''The majority of America is conservative, has been and has finally found its voice,'' Westover said. ''The reality is the issues up in the minds of the voters were moral issues.'' Wappingers Falls resident Terry Tornatore, who has early onset Parkinson's disease, supported Bush, despite the fact the president has restricted federal financing for human embryonic stem cell research and opposes destroying human embryos to harvest the stem cells. ''Just because it's a potential winner doesn't mean that it's right to do,'' Tornatore said. ''It goes against the Catholic faith that I believe in. Embryonic stem cell research should not be where we're focusing.'' Besides, Tornatore said, there are private funding sources that can continue to support the research. ''He's saying there will be no more federal funds,'' Tornatore said. Cure could be slowed But East Fishkill resident Thomas Rubeo, who has had Parkinson's for more than 15 years, and his wife Gloria, voted for Kerry. They believe stem cell research -- and as a result a cure for Parkinson's - - will be slowed under Bush. ''I think the moral issues have to be decided by the person, the individual. I don't think any blatant endorsement or pressure should come from any religious group,'' Thomas Rubeo said. The Rubeos believe both federal and private money should support stem cell research and say there are many avenues where stem cells can be obtained, including umbilical cords, as well as frozen embryos that must be destroyed. ''At our age, we feel that what we're doing is going to benefit for our children and our children's children,'' Thomas Rubeo said. ''We don't expect a cure in our lifetime.'' Town of Poughkeepsie resident Ken Robinson, who has been in an 18- year gay relationship, said he expects a constitutional amendment seeking to define marriage as only between a man and a women will be pushed forward again. ''I think it has a reasonable chance of passing, but I think there are enough socially responsible Republicans who are not kowtowing to the evangelical base.'' Bush's election, Robinson said, is ''going to set us back probably to the 1950s because of his unwillingness to accept the scientific fact that gays are born gay and it is not a choice,'' Robinson said. ''Gays are the equal opportunity minority group to pick on now.'' Marti Armstrong, who counsels women who have had abortions and who is involved in the pro-life movement, said she believes the pro-life issues were the ''elephant in the room'' no one wanted to talk about. ''As soon as you have this trend away from (the moral issues), it's not going to work,'' said Armstrong, referring to gay marriage, stem cell research and abortion. But abortion she said, was the most important of them and that there should be policy changes to implement the pro-life agenda. ''I don't know if we are or not, but I think it will be a terrible mistake if we don't,'' Armstrong said. Bush's election means funding for Planned Parenthood of the Mid- Hudson likely is in jeopardy, said the organization's executive director, Steven White. But he said Roe V. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that granted women the right to choose an abortion, also is in jeopardy, ''which would be an enormous setback for the women and men of this country. '''We've enjoyed 30 years of legal and safe abortion, to go back to that -- to unsafe and illegal abortions would be an absolute human tragedy,'' White said. Shagan doesn't believe the option to have an abortion will be eliminated. ''If you try to take away choice, I think at this point it would start some kind of civil war,'' she said. ''This is an attack.'' Elizabeth Lynch can be reached at [log in to unmask] SOURCE: Poughkeepsie Journal, NY http://tinyurl.com/4dlpr * * * Murray Charters <[log in to unmask]> Please place this address in your address book Please purge all others Web site: Parkinsons Resources on the WWWeb http://www.geocities.com/murraycharters ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn