EDITORIAL:
From stem cells to wages & trade
___President Bush modeled moral decision-making as he pondered stem-cell research.
___This is true whether or not most Americans agree with his decision. His stem-cell process should provide the pattern he follows throughout his administration.
___The president recognized four factors, he and his aides said: (1) Federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research is a moral and ethical issue. (2) Americans have not achieved consensus on human cost vs. medical value of research. (3) He needed advice from experts representing all perspectives. (4) His decision should be based on moral merit, not political popularity.
___Some people would dispute some of these points; others would question whether they reflect the president's intent, much less his actions. We live in contentious days. But sources close to Bush report that he suspended politics in favor of propriety.
___"He looked at it based on the merits--on what he thinks is best for the American people," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told the Dallas Morning News. As the president considered possibilities, he admonished those who urged him to weigh political liabilities, added Karen Hughes, a top adviser.
___"One of the things you learn as president is that you're not able to make all people happy all the time," Hughes said.
___What an understatement. While some conservatives gave the president credit for reasonable compromise, others berated him for reneging on campaign promises. And while some advocates of stem-cell research conceded he opened the door for advance, others faulted him for strict limits on cells that can be studied.
___Bush's stem-cell ruling is one of his most important decisions. He protected embryonic stem cells not already involved in scientific study. He also affirmed funding for research on "lines" of cells that already have been harvested for science.
___Perhaps some of the protected embryos will be implanted in women's bodies and develop as babies. And perhaps some of the cells scheduled for study will lead to medical cures. Bush's decision will touch thousands, maybe millions, of lives.
___The process he used to make his decision could touch even more. Why not adopt it as the pattern for all his major decisions?
___ Yes, stem-cell research involves ethics and morality. But sexual and reproductive issues aren't the only moral questions. Most major decisions the president makes have ethical implications.
___Environmental issues, such as air and water cleanliness and oil exploration, involve moral standards. The same goes for health care, wages, immigration, defense, civil rights at home and abroad, taxes, trade relations and foreign affairs. Too often, the government examines these and other policies only through lenses labeled "business" and "national security." Yet they are moral and ethical at their core. The president and his advisers, as well as Congress, should exert energy on the moral relevance of such decisions.
___ Americans have not achieved consensus on these and many other issues. Our politicians should acknowledge, rather than exploit, that fact. Too often, the public's feelings are not considered except how they help a candidate win 50 percent plus one votes on election day. But politicians who recognize and seek to bridge America's differences can bring healing, not strife, to the nation.
___ Similarly, the president and other leaders should follow the inclusive example he set with stem-cell research. They should hear all American perspectives. Bush intentionally listened to experts from across the spectrum. He sought the counsel of people who do not agree with him. This strengthened his decision and helped him affirm the concerns of many people.
___Of course, leadership eventually involves making decisions. But the consideration of the full range of American voices can shape the tone of those decisions, which often may be as important as the details.
___ Decisions should be based on merit, not politics. We live in a finger-in-the-wind age, the era of political polls. We need leaders who will do what is right, regardless of personal cost. (Ironically, this may be the best politics; Americans long for leaders with courage of conviction.) Politicians blame media and other social shapers for moral decline while they bow to the basest political desires and propose quick fixes. Those who triumph over that temptation and model moral courage will offer the best solutions and demonstrate how to achieve them.
___This decision-making pattern can build a stronger society by affirming the moral and ethical dimensions of public issues and providing the framework for making just decisions.
___ Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com
The Baptist Standard
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook