Two days after "values voters" helped spring Bush to reelection, many Americans wonder what those values issues are. President Bush didn't mention values or marriage or abortion in the press conference he held November 4 to lay out plans for his second term.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/11/20041104-5.html. For conservative Christian public policy and lobby groups, "values" voting means two things: abortion and gay marriage. Here are the steps from various groups the country is likely to see on these two issues.
"It means that if the president stays true to his word, the next four years will be defining ones for family issues, including marriage, life, and taxes."
Abortion
Just two days after the election, the Family Research Council has already issued an "action alert" about abortion. Family Research Council reprimanded Senator Arlen Specter's (R-PA), the likely future head of the Senate Judiciary Committee for urging Bush not to nominate judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade to the Supreme Court. The Council asked its members to call other senators on the committee to protest Specter becoming Judiciary chair.
"Our pro-life President and his colleagues in the Senate MUST NOT ALLOW Senator Specter to determine the makeup of our courts!" the action alert stated.
" Operation Rescue calls upon President Bush to waste no time in pushing forward the Culture of Life and urges him to take immediate and aggressive action to stop the shedding of innocent blood through abortion in our nation."
http://www.operationrescue.org/archives/000124.shtml
"Mr. President, you have been given a mandate to end abortion in our nation by the American people who cast their votes for you" said Troy Newman of Operation Rescue
Pro-life groups and related policy groups are currently promoting the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act (S.2466), which require doctors performing abortions to inform women seeking an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy that abortion can inflict pain on a fetus.
http://congress.cwfa.org/cwfa/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=6269081
American Life League
http://www.all.org/hp9.htm
" Many pro-life groups are gleefully declaring victory following George W. Bush's apparent re-election, but I cannot share in their enthusiasm. It is true that Mr. Bush defeated one of the most solidly pro-abortion candidates to ever seek the White House. However, the Bush administration's first term has been less than sterling in terms of total commitment to the pro-life effort."
" President must embrace 100% pro-life position"
Gay Marriage
Many anti-gay marriage activists consider Bush's reelection, along with the passage of marriage referendums in 11 states evidence that it's time to reinvigorate the fight for a federal marriage amendment.
The groups will also be fighting for the government side in lawsuits filed to repeal the referendums. One suit has already been filed in Oklahoma challenging the state's referendum banning gay marriage.
The Alliance for Marriage suits in more states to follow--and therefore plans to work harder to pass a marriage amendment. "Our efforts to let the people decide the future of marriage in America preceded this election -- and will continue so long as activists strive to overcome public opinion by striking down our marriage laws in court," Alliance president Matt Daniels said in a press release. The Alliance called the "state marriage victories" a "prelude to real battle."
http://www.allianceformarriage.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5550
FRC's plan for Bush's second term:
"For Bush's second term FRC is eager to begin working with the Administration and with Congress to aggressively pursue a Marriage Protection Amendment to the Constitution that will prohibit judges from redefining marriage for America."
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR04K03