Many wary of GOP's moral agenda

Page 1A
Many wary of GOP's moral agenda
Poll: Public disliked Schiavo intervention
By Susan Page
USA TODAY 
WASHINGTON — The controversy over Terri Schiavo has raised concerns among many Americans about the moral agenda of the Republican Party and the political power of conservative Christians, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds.
In the survey, most Americans disapprove of the efforts by President Bush and Congress to draw federal courts into the dispute over treatment of the brain-damaged Florida woman. She died last week.
Some old stereotypes about the two parties have been reversed:
•By 55%-40%, respondents say Republicans, traditionally the party of limited government, are “trying to use the federal government to interfere with the private lives of most Americans” on moral values.
•By 53%-40%, they say Democrats, who sharply expanded government since the Depression, aren't trying to interfere on moral issues.
The debate over Schiavo has spotlighted the central role “values” issues — abortion, stem cell research, same-sex marriage and the right to live or die — now play in politics.
Mark Rozell, a professor at George Mason University in Virginia who studies religion and politics, says the case has created a “clear backlash.”
“It's one thing to look at religious conservatives as part of a broad coalition that makes up the Republican Party,” he says. “It's entirely another if people think that religious conservatives are calling the shots in the Bush administration for what was a deeply personal situation.”
But Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition says a poll his group commissioned shows wide support for those who sought to preserve Schiavo's life when the issue is placed “in the broader context of protecting the rights of the disabled.”
He met with members of Congress Tuesday to push for legislation to set “clear guidelines” in such cases.
In the poll taken Friday and Saturday, Bush's job-approval rating is 48%, 3 percentage points higher than in mid-March. His standing on personal characteristics such as trustworthiness remains above 50%.
Still, Americans by 53%-34% say they disapprove of Bush's handling of the Schiavo case. Congress' rating on Schiavo is worse: 76% disapprove, 20% approve.
By more than 2-to-1, 39%-18%, Americans say the “religious right” has too much influence in the Bush administration. That's a change from when the question was asked in CBS News/New York Times polls taken from 2001 to 2003. Then, approximately equal numbers said conservative Christians had too much and too little influence.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20050406/1a_offlede06.art.htm
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As it relates to Brownwood Texas, Religion, Politics (Republicans Bill Lester and Mike Connaway Race):

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
To: ;
;
;
; "Jeff Burton"

Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 10:31 AM
Subject: are the numbers correct ?
on page 5a of the wednesday march 10, 2004 Bulletin the numbers show
that Mike Conaway received 2,198 Brown County votes to Lester's 1,314 .
Is this correct ?

From: "Jeff Burton"
Date: Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:39:57 AM US/Central
To: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
Subject: Re: are the numbers correct ?
nope. it's the other way around. Lester won Brown, Kimble and Coleman
Counties.
Nobody's perfect.:)
Jeff J Burton
Campaign Manager
Mike Conaway for Congress
(432) 685-1033 Office
(432) 352-3923
----------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
To: "Jeff Burton"
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: ARNews
Jeff, In todays Brownwood Bulletin Editorial it was written that Bill
Lester ran a clean campaign. Am I missing something ? I find his run
for office comparable to the FreePAC'rs and our community has had plenty
of experience with them ( We and Mayor Massey publicly stood up against
their dirty campaigning as well ! ) What are your thoughts ?

From: "Jeff Burton"
Date: Thu Mar 11, 2004 02:11:19 PM US/Central
To: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
Subject: Re: ARNews

He and his people are out of touch with reality. They believe that they can
do or say anything in the name of God and it's ok. We ran into it all over
during the campaign. But we know now that it's only a small segment of the
population...About 25% :)
We are going to just let things settle down in Brownwood for a little while.
And then we will kiss and make up.

Jeff J Burton
Campaign Manager
Mike Conaway for Congress
(432) 685-1033 Office
(432) 352-3923
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From: "Jeff Burton"
Date: Mon Mar 15, 2004 11:24:24 AM US/Central
To: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
Subject: Re: should be concerned if you are living/visiting within these public airwaves

Yeah, I'm not surprised. It's kind of scary on your end of the district.