The public is looking for clarity from Republicans

With one year since the Dobbs decision, in which the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, how should we be thinking, as a nation, about this crucial issue?

Commentary in the press is conveying that Dobbs was an unpopular decision and that it has strengthened sentiment in the country for legal abortion.

Per Gallup, 61% say overturning Roe v. Wade was a “bad thing,” and 38% say it was a “good thing.”

In the latest abortion polling from Gallup, percentages saying abortion should be legal has climbed to high points for each trimester — 69% in the first three months, 37% in the second three months and 22% in the last three months.

Conventional wisdom reported after the last congressional elections is that the anticipated strong gains for Republicans did not materialize because of Dobbs.

And that Democrats certainly plan to build on this sentiment and focus on abortion in the 2024 elections.

Republican candidates are jockeying to define themselves regarding protection of life.

Greatest clarity has come from Mike Pence, who has challenged Republicans to support a federal ban on abortion at 15 weeks.

Former President Donald Trump, speaking to the Faith and Freedom Coalition, finally noted that the federal government has a role in protecting life, but did not spell out details regarding how.

My advice to Republican candidates is to look to the wisdom of the very first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln.

“In this age, in this country,” observed Lincoln, “public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever moulds public sentiment, goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces judicial decisions.”

Certainly, there is no issue more relevant for applying Lincoln’s wisdom than abortion.

Well known, for instance, is how responses in polls can vary depending on how questions are asked.

Despite what appears to be polling showing strong sentiment for legal abortion, there is plenty other polling showing that Americans are not at all happy with the moral and social state of a airs in the country.

According to recent Gallup polling, 54% say the state of “moral values” in the country is “poor.” This is 20 points higher than where this stood 20 years ago. Only 11% say the state of moral values is “excellent/good.” This is half where this stood 20 years ago. We expect businesses to have great expertise regarding public sentiment in markets where they sell. But we just saw the marketing disasters of Bud Light and Target in assessing incorrectly openness of the public to accept LGBTQ values as mainstream.

In Gallup’s recent annual poll asking about “moral acceptability” regarding a list of morally sensitive issues, 11 of the 19 show a lower percentage now saying they are morally acceptable compared to last year. The biggest drop was in “gay and lesbian relations,” with a seven-point drop in 2023 saying this is morally acceptable compared to 2022.

The percentage of Americans now self-identifying as socially conservative, per Gallup, is at 38%, up from 30% two years ago, and highest in 10 years. This compared to 29% who self-identify as socially liberal.

Let’s also note the new report from the Census Bureau about the aging of the country. The median age now, the oldest ever, is 38.9. In 2000 it was 35. In 1980 it was 30.

The breakdown in values in which marriage, family and children flourish does not bode well for our future.

Republican candidates need to provide clarity to primary voters on where they stand on the full range of social issues — not just specifics on

Walters Continued from A4

However, the pending budget bill essentially revives the suspended bill by appropriating $3 million to re-establish the state Industrial Welfare Commission and empower it to create “industryspecific wage boards” to regulate wages and working conditions — not only for fast food but any other sector it wishes to regulate.

In a statement, Matt Haller, president of the International Franchise Association, labeled it — accurately — as an “undemocratic and a shameful attempt to silence California voters.”

Another budget-related bill would remove a current requirement that when the so-called Peace O cers Standard and Training Commission decertifies a bad police o cer, its must make a public disclosure. Instead, the information would be given to the o cer’s employer, which could then, if it wished, make a disclosure.

The change is being touted as a money-saving gesture, but is an obvious gift to law enforcement unions and has drawn sharp criticism from newspapers and open government advocates. Meanwhile, another bill would extend the $330 million annual tax credit given to TV and film shows for in-state production and make it easier to claim by making it refundable.

The Capitol’s message is that fattening the wallets of Hollywood filmmakers is more important than letting the public know about bad cops.

Still another measure would give the state Department of Water Resources vast new power to buy energy for the state’s electrical utilities — authority needed, the administration says, to streamline the state’s shift to renewable resources.

Such major change in energy procurement should get a full airing in the Legislature, rather than being hustled into law via the state budget. That’s particularly true because DWR would be granted an exemption from the transparency laws governing state contracts.

Last year a budget trailer bill, via a tangle of obtuse verbiage, authorized utilities to start charging for electrical service based on customers’ incomes. That only recently became known to the ratepaying public.

Now a state agency will be executing secret power contracts that will also a ect the utility bills of millions of California families. What could possibly go wrong?

Dan Walters is a journalist and author who writes for CALmatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Parker Continued from A4 abortion. All these issues together comprise the culture of life.

The upcoming Republican debates, to be hosted by Fox, should be used as a platform to get clarity from candidates on all these issues and all candidates, including Trump, should participate.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.”

Facility Continued from A1

There are 80,000-100,000 tons of biomass located near existing burn piles at the proposed processing site. It is estimated up to 130 tons of biomass will be processed daily, which equates to 5,000 gallons of B100 pure biodiesel fuel.

Gold Seal’s equipment will thermally decompose the biomass through electromagnetic induction. Heat and steam are recovered from the process to be used in microturbines and heat exchangers to produce the power needed to maintain processing temperatures of 1,2002,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thermal decomposition in an oxygen-free environment will reduce particle matter emissions by 3,129 tons per acre compared to emissions created from wildfire, while also significantly reducing emission of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and others.

Testing will confirm if the portable biomass facility will report zero emissions. When asked if the portable biomass facility could pave the way for a permanent facility, a prospect the county has been looking into, Johnson touted the benefits of having a portable process.

“This facility employs a process where (Gold Seal) does not have to be connected to the grid and will have electricity generation on-site to run the equipment making the liquid biofuel, all while being portable, which are huge advantages,” Johnson explained.

“It comes down to economic viability,” he added. “It costs more to produce electricity with biomass than it does to produce electricity with natural gas, primary reasons why there are not more in California.”

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CELEBRATE RECOVERY meets Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm at Bayside Church of Placerville, 4602 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. We are a Christ centered recovery program to find healing and recovery from our hurts, habits, and hangups. Email elebratercovery@ baysideplacerville. com. Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/ CRBaysidePlacerville.

Struggling with life? CELEBRATE RECOVERY is for any Hurt, Habit or Hang-up. We are a faith-based recovery program for life’s issues and struggles. Join us Thursday nights at 6:30pm at Green Valley Church, 3500 Green Valley Rd, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15pm. Children’s programs are available for ages 3 months to 18 years old. Email: celebrate@ greenvalley.church. Find us on Facebook: https://m.facebook. com/crgvcc/

Hangtown Women’s TENNIS Club. Join fun-loving women Wednesdays 8am-10am at El Dorado High School. Lessons, social events, only $50/year. Call Cindy 805-540-8654. MARSHALL HOSPITAL AUXILIARY is looking for volunteers. It is a rewarding opportunity to do something for the community. We will be holding interviews on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Please contact Linda Grimoldi at 530-6202240 or call the Auxiliary Office at 530-626-2643.

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Our mission is to educate the public on tax issues that affect them. Our meetings are held every Monday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 at Denny’s Restaurant, Fair Lane Drive, Placerville. Meetings are open to the public except the first Monday of each month. For more information call Louis (530) 622-6763. We are a nonpartisan organization.