2014 Survey Response:
THE NATURE OF PRO-LIFE ISSUES
1. Direct threats to human life include first of all
abortion, which takes the lives of well over a million US
children annually; embryonic stem cell harvesting;
euthanasia; and cloning. Additional threats to human
life include poverty, capital punishment, racism, war,
nuclear arms proliferation and exploitation. Since
each and every human being is unique and important, one's
personhood or worth should not be arbitrarily determined by
another's choice. No one exists solely as a means to
someone else's happiness. The choices we make, as
individuals and as a society, must be weighed in light of
their impact on human life and dignity. Do you
acknowledge both the breadth of pro life issues, and the
primacy of some of those issues, namely abortion, embryonic
stem cell harvesting, euthanasia, and cloning?
Yes, respect for human life must not be diminished.
ABORTION
2. Do you believe that a unique human life begins at
conception?
Yes.
If not, when? ___ 3 mths ___ 6 mths
___ 9 mths ___ 1 yr ___ 18 yrs?
3. The 14th Amendment states "nor shall any state deprive
any person of life, liberty or property without due process
of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection of the laws." The Supreme Court in Roe v.
Wade, 1973, stated that "if this suggestion of personhood is
established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for
the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed
specifically by the [14th] Amendment." The Court regrettably
concluded though that "we need not resolve the difficult
question of when life begins. When those trained in the
respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology
are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at
this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in
a position to speculate as to the answer." Do you believe
that the State has a compelling interest in protecting human
life beginning at conception?
All human life should be protected.
4. Is taking the life of a pre-born child through abortion
ever morally permissible? Check all that apply:
_____ No, it's never permissible
_x____ Yes, to save mother's life (although I’m not sure
this actually happens – in theory only)
_____ Yes, in cases of rape or incest
____ Yes, for physical deformity
_____ Yes, for gender
_____ Yes, for race
_____ Yes, to punish spouse
_____ Yes, it's always permissible
EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS AND CLONING
5. Do you oppose embryonic stem cell research or human
cloning, whether publically or privately funded?
Yes.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN ABORTION
6. Peer reviewed studies have shown that parental
involvement laws reduce the occurrence of risky sex in
teens, and more than 30 states currently have some form of
them. Either the teen refrains from engaging in sex or
is more careful before having sex. These laws help
teen mothers and fathers get the support and guidance they
need from parents in this important decision. Not
having them risks parental estrangement or alienation from
the child when in the greatest need and denies the dignity
of the family. Minors already must have parental
approval for even the most minor types of medical procedures
or medications and should also for the complex procedure of
abortion. Without parental involvement, a minor
impregnated by an adult often times is pressured into having
an abortion so as to conceal the fact that the adult is
guilty of statutory rape. Will you promote/support
parental involvement laws (with judicial override) for
minors when seeking an abortion?
Yes.
MEDICAL CONSCIENCE CLAUSES
7. "The trend toward accepting the termination of some human
lives as a normal part of medicine is accelerating ...
Courts, policymakers, media leaders - even the elites of
organized medicine - increasingly assert that patient rights
and respect for patients’ choices should trump the
consciences of medical professionals. Indeed, the time
may soon arrive when doctors, nurses, and pharmacists will
be compelled to take, or be complicit in the taking of,
human life, regardless of their strong religious or moral
objections thereto." (Westlie J. Smith, 2009). Should
doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals
be granted the right to refuse participation in the
provision of medical services that violate the person's
moral, ethical or religious beliefs?
Yes – when it has to do with preserving and taking human
life.
PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE
8. Washington State Initiative 1000 which was passed in
2008, legalized Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) by allowing
doctors to prescribe lethal doses of barbiturates to certain
patients. An objection to this sanctioning of suicide
is that some vulnerable persons, such as those who are
feeble, depressed, mentally ill, or handicapped, will likely
experience coercion to end their lives. For them a
right to die, already protected in the Natural Death Act,
(RCW 70.122), may become a duty to die. The American
Medical Association (policy H-140.952) as well as the
Washington State Medical Association (2007 Resolution A-7)
oppose PAS. The AMA stated that "physician assisted
suicide is fundamentally inconsistent with the physician's
professional role." The initiative uses vague language
that enable doctors "acting in good faith" to assist
mentally ill or depressed patients to commit suicide, while
protecting doctors from civil and criminal lawsuits.
Health care insurers can cut costs by providing
prescriptions for suicide. Will society's sanction of
suicide have unintended consequences? Sponsor and
former governor Booth Gardner says that this is only a
“first step” in legalizing assisted suicide for anyone who
wants it. When society fails to protect vulnerable
people in their troubles, but instead offers them the
violence of suicide, has not society abandoned them?
Do you oppose physician assisted suicide?
I have MS. Most of the people that I have heard use
PAS have MS (almost all of Kavorkian’s for example).
The Natural Death Act allows you to not receive
life-sustaining treatment, but it won’t stop the pain and
suffering that can be associated with neurological pain that
can’t be stopped with traditional pain killers. These
people are suffering constantly. Are we to tell them
they must continue to suffer, even if there is no
hope? How are these people supposed to get the tools
to finally end their suffering? I am afraid that for
the people who choose PAS, it is their only hope for the
future.
MARRIAGE PRESERVATION
9. Children develop best within the context of a
biologically related family. This is a scientifically
proven fact which the Washington State Supreme Court
referenced when in 2006, it ruled on the state's 1998
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The court determined
that the state's limitation of marriage to heterosexual
couples "is constitutional because the legislature was
entitled to believe that limiting marriage to opposite-sex
couples furthers ... the well-being of children by
encouraging families where children are reared in homes
headed by the children’s biological parents." In
concurrence, Justice James Johnson wrote "The unique and
binary biological nature of marriage and its exclusive link
with procreation and responsible child rearing has defined
the institution [of marriage in law]." In order to
affirm and protect children’s rights and the primacy of
those rights over adults’ aspirations for novel family
forms, do you oppose laws that change the definition of
marriage to include homosexual and polygamous relationships?
I support civil unions that allow the rights of a married
couple to gay “couples,” but the word marriage has one
meaning and should not be changed.
PUBLIC SCHOOL SEX EDUCATION
10. The Washington State Legislature in 2007 passed ESSB
5297 requiring school districts to teach "scientifically
accurate" (aka comprehensive) sex education, if they teach
sex ed at all. The typical comprehensive sex education
program spends as little as 5% of the time teaching
abstinence principles (Zogby 3/27/07), instead spending
significantly more time teaching students how to put condoms
on models of male genitalia and promoting alternative forms
of sexual activity called outercourse, which may include
showering together and mutual masturbation as effective ways
to avoid pregnancy and disease. In contrast, an emphasis on
abstinence means teaching students about building healthy
relationships and bolstering self worth and self-control.
Given that ESSB 5297 allows school districts a wide range in
how the law is applied, will you work to maximize sex
education that is wholesome, not dehumanizing and truly
safe?
Yes. Children should not be exposed to some of this at
such and early age, and the approach should be that sex is
special, not that it is just a physical act.
DEATH PENALTY
11. The death penalty in the United States should:
_____ not be used
_____ be used about the same
_____ be used less
___x__ be used more
GAMING
12. A proposed casino off I-5 near Ridgefield is projected
to be one of the largest in the nation. What is your
position on the building of this casino? The latest
news can be found here on the Citizens Against Reservation
Shopping blog.
I support jobs. Casinos mean jobs, and development
around them that makes jobs.
QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMENTS
13. Please state your qualifications for office such as
professional, educational, family and community
accomplishments. You may also add any any further
comments regarding the relationship of your candidacy to
respect life issues.
Elected experience: 2014 PCO, 2013 candidate for
Vancouver School Board, 2012 County, State, and National
Delegate to the Republican National Convention
Other Professional Experience: CPA, worked in the
retail grocery, publishing, transportation, non-profit,
mental health, vehicle sales and leasing, and government
industries. Previous voting, vested member of UFCW
Local #1657.
Education: MBA Management and Strategy from
WGU-Washington, BS in Accounting from Western Governors
University, BA in Philosophy from The University of Alabama,
minor in accounting, concentrations in English, Biology, and
Mathematics
Community Service: Treasurer, Boots to Boots; Brownie/
Daisy Troop leader; Volunteer, Arts Adventures, Vancouver
Public Schools; Arthritis and MS Walk Fundraiser;
Columbia River Mental Health Services
14. Do you have a campaign website? What is the
address?
www.SelectLisaRoss.com
Facebook Lisa Ross for
49th
WEBSITE POSTING PERMISSION
15. May Life Pac post your survey response on its website?
yes
|
