Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report Summarizes Editorials on International AIDS Legislation
Several newspapers across the country today published editorials discussing the international AIDS legislation (HR 1298) that is scheduled to be debated today in the House. The following are summaries of some of those editorials:
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Baltimore Sun: "[A] few lawmakers who consider themselves moral, even religious, are threatening to oppose [global AIDS] legislation" over ideology, a Baltimore Sun editorial says. Bush has eschewed such ideological disputes and has "taken on some of the most powerful leaders of his conservative base" to insist on the inclusion of condom distribution as part of a "combination approach to AIDS prevention," the Sun says. If the measure passes, it will be a credit to both the president and bill sponsor Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), "who has skillfully maneuvered to keep ideologues on both the left and right at bay," the editorial concludes (Baltimore Sun, 5/1).
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Chicago Tribune: "It will be a tragedy if abortion politics is allowed to derail" global AIDS legislation, and the House should resist any amendments proposing to "deemphasize condom use and prohibit funding to health and family groups that promote abortions," a Chicago Tribune editorial says. Hyde showed "true moral backbone" in developing the bipartisan measure, taking on the "moral imperative" of creating legislation that will use "all tools at our disposal" to fight the epidemic, the editorial concludes (Chicago Tribune, 5/1).
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New York Times: Bush's speech in support of swift passage of international AIDS legislation was a "rare and encouraging" step in which he "push[ed] beyond conservative moralizers," a New York Times editorial says. Despite efforts by Hyde to "defuse" the abortion debate, the bipartisan support of the measure "will be tested by antiabortion forces" in the House, according to the editorial. Congress should accept Bush's pledge of support for funding all "practical" AIDS strategies, the Times concludes (New York Times, 5/1).
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St. Petersburg Times: Bush "deserves praise for standing up to" the "obstructionism from his own party's most extreme social conservatives," a St. Petersburg Times editorial says. "We hope pro-life obstructionists in Congress got the message" when Bush called AIDS prevention a "right-to-life issue," the editorials says. The Times concludes, "There should be no more excuses for delaying the life-giving legislation," because Bush "has left no moral ground" for conservative opponents to stand on (St. Petersburg Times, 5/1).
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Salt Lake Tribune: The AIDS policy promoted by the president is "highly moral, compassionate and ... deals squarely with a serious issue of national security that many others would rather ignore," a Salt Lake Tribune editorial says. "[T]he delay the bill has already seen is unconscionable," the Tribune says. The editorial concludes, "We will never know how many lives could have been saved if Congress had taken the president's advice on AIDS as quickly and as unquestioningly as it supported his war and homeland security measures" (Salt Lake Tribune, 5/1).
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San Francisco Chronicle: Bush "should be commended" for his support of AIDS legislation without the hindrance of a "global gag rule," which would prevent funding from going to groups that also promote birth control or counsel on abortion, a San Francisco Chronicle editorial says. Congress "should endorse the measure" without the addition of antiabortion amendments, which have "no place in AIDS funding," the editorial concludes (San Francisco Chronicle, 5/1).
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San Jose Mercury News: "It must be nice" for "far-right politicians trying to bend the [AIDS] issue to suit their agendas ... to be so certain of the correctness of [their] beliefs that it's acceptable to sign millions of death warrants -- mostly for babies and women" -- by delaying passage of international AIDS legislation, a San Jose Mercury News editorial says. Bush is "dead right" in trying to inject a "sense of urgency" into the passage of AIDS legislation, the editorial concludes (San Jose Mercury News, 5/1).
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Springfield Republican: Congress must work to meet the "ambitious goal" set out by Bush of passing AIDS legislation by Memorial Day, a Springfield Republican editorial says. "It would be tragic if [partisan] bickering slows the passage of this momentous initiative," so Congress must take "historic action" to fight his "massive and complicated" epidemic, the editorial concludes (Springfield Republican, 4/30).
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USA Today: "Progress [on international AIDS legislation] is being thwarted by some social conservatives" who are "pushing burdensome conditions that would hamstring the effectiveness" of the AIDS program, "if not kill it altogether," a USA Today editorial says. While Bush's support of the House legislation "has not gone over well with conservatives," his choice to "stan[d] firm" combines "sound policy and smart politics." The editorial concludes that by leading the battle against AIDS abroad, Bush can win the United States "needed goodwill" and will "stea[l] part of the 'caring' issue from potential Democratic rivals in 2004" (USA Today, 5/1).
- Washington Times: Congress should "follow [Bush's] lead" in committing money to the fight against AIDS, but it should "do so in a way that maximizes each dollar spent," a Washington Times editorial says. Since "[f]ar too many U.S. funds have been wasted on faulty disease prevention programs," the AIDS initiative should have U.S. oversight, and the funding allocated to the Global Fund to Fights AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria should therefore be reduced, the editorial concludes (Washington Times, 5/1).