A. Preserving the Sanctity of Life

Nothing is more important than preserving our society’s value of human life. If the right to life itself is not held in high regard, the foundation of all other rights is on shaky ground.

Abortion

• More than 47 million abortions have been conducted since the Supreme Court upheld abortion-on-demand in Roe v. Wade in 1973. (“Abortion in the United States: Statistics and Trends,” National Right to Life Committee, 4/24/2006)
  
  
• As of 2005, one out of four pregnancies ended in abortion. (“Induced Abortion in the United States,” Guttmacher Institute, 5/18/05)
  
  
• In 2002, nearly 1.3 million pregnancies were terminated through voluntary abortions. (Ibid.)
  
  
• According to a CBS/New York Times poll conducted in January 2006, 60 percent of Americans think stricter limits should be imposed on abortion or the procedure should be banned altogether. (“Abortion and Birth Control,” www.pollingreport.com, 1/20-25/06)
  
  
• Two out of three (69 percent) people believe parental consent should be required before a minor obtains an abortion. (CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll, 11/11-13/05)
  
  
• Thirty-six states have either parental consent or parental notification laws on the books and 28 of those laws were in effect as of December 2005. (“Parental Involvement Statutes,” National Right to Life Committee, December 2005)
  
  
• At least five women in the United States and one in Canada have died after taking the abortive medication regimen RU-486 and misoprostol leading many U.S. physicians to rethink the safety of the drugs. The death rate for women taking RU-486 is about one in 100,000, significantly higher than the one in one million death rate associated with surgical abortion. (“Some Doctors Voice Worry Over Abortion Pills’ Safety,” New York Times, 4/1/06)

Stem Cell Research

Almost out of a science fiction novel, the reality of human cloning is upon us. Now, it is up to us to make the responsible, ethical, and moral decisions for the future.

Every day, scientists seek out new ways to cure the diseases that affect millions of people around the world. However, that noble quest requires policy makers, physicians, patients and their families to question how far science should go to find a cure.

One example is the debate on embryonic stem cell research. While harvesting stem cells from viable embryos created during the in vitro fertilization process is held up as the greatest hope to cure everything from Parkinson’s disease to juvenile diabetes, the most promising research has actually seen success in treatments based on adult stem cells, not embryonic stem cells.

B. Defending American Values

Traditional Marriage

• Polling consistently finds that the majority of Americans continue to oppose the legalization of same-sex marriages. (FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll, 4/4-6/06; Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 3/8-12/06; Pew Research Center/Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 7/13-17/05)
  
  
• In 1996, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton (P.L. 104-199). For the purposes of federal law, DOMA defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman. The law also clarifies the authority of each state to not recognize same-sex marriages legalized in another state. (Same-Sex Marriages: Legal Issues, Congressional Research Service, 12/5/05)
  
  
• In 2004, Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriages. (Ibid.)
  
  
• Forty-four states protect traditional marriage through their state constitution or through other laws. (“Marriage in the 50 States,” Heritage Foundation, 4/26/2006)
  
  
• Since the Massachusetts decision, 15 states have enacted state constitutional amendments limiting marriage to a man and a woman and 19 states are considering language to amend the state constitutions. Legislation and initiatives supporting traditional marriage in 12 states are scheduled for consideration between 2006 and 2008. (Ibid.) 
  
  
• “Research indicates that, on average, children who grow up in families with both their biological parents in a low-conflict marriage are better off in a number of ways than children who grow up in single-, step- or cohabiting-parent households. Compared to children who are raised by their married parents, children in other family types are more likely to achieve lower levels of education, to become teen parents, and to experience health, behavior, and mental health problems.” (“Are Married Parents Really Better for Children?” Center for Law and Social Policy, May 2003)

Eminent Domain

The right to private property has always been a fundamental tenet of American government. Our Founding Fathers made clear that without the protection of personal property, the ability to protect all other rights and maintain a stable democracy would be undermined.

• “The first foundations of the social compact would be broken up were we definitely to refuse to its members the protection of their persons and property while in their lawful pursuits.” --Thomas Jefferson, 1812. 

The Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause clearly states, “nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.” This has been interpreted to mean that in certain instances private property could be transferred to a governmental entity if the owner was compensated for the loss, and if necessary for a greater public use, such as road construction and the installation of public utility lines.

Unfortunately, in the landmark ruling of Kelo v. City of New London, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a long history of protecting private property rights and opened the door for private property to be transferred to another private entity, if deemed more valuable to the community when owned by someone else.

• In a June 23, 2005, 5-4 decision decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the use of eminent domain by New London, Conn., for the public purpose of economic development by another private party. (“Justices Affirm Property Seizures,” Washington Post, 6/24/05)
  
• The Court ruled that since the economic development use of the property would benefit the community through increased tax revenue and new jobs, and thus serve a public purpose, it then is allowable under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment. (Kelo et al. v. City of New London et al., U.S. Supreme Court, 6/23/05)

This misguided ruling destroys the threshold whereby private property can be taken. Owners of property contributing little to public coffers by means of tax revenue such as non-profit and religious organizations, farmers, and those in lower income neighborhoods will be particularly vulnerable.

I have supported all legislation on a state level protecting individual property rights.