Fresh ideas: President, Senate races offer clear choices

This election is about choice. Some people say there's not much difference between the Democrat and the Republican running for President. It may look that way because both candidates seem to be aiming for the midpoint in the political spectrum.

In reality, I think George W. is as conservative as Ronald Reagan, but without the depth of vision. I think he's positioning himself to appeal to moderates, while really being the stealth conservative.

I appreciated the comment that Al Gore's wife Tipper made a few days ago. She said we don't have to fall in love with Al - she already did that - but he does have the depth of knowledge and the intellect to be president. I agree, and find that to be an obvious difference between Dubya and Al.

A friend of mine lamented early on in the campaign season that she is tired of having to decide who to vote for based on the choice issue. I agree, but as long as that basic right to reproductive freedom is in jeopardy, it remains a major part of my decision-making process.

A woman's right to choose is a defining area of difference between Al Gore and George W. Bush. It is likely that the next president will appoint two or three justices to the Supreme Court during the next four years, subject to Senate confirmation, and that the Supreme Court will continue to rule on challenges to its 1970 Roe V. Wade decision.

The Nevada U.S. Senate race also has clear choices. When Ed Bernstein announced that he would take on former southern Nevada Congressman John Ensign, I was skeptical. But I've since studied Ensign's voting record, and concluded that there are significant differences. Bernstein is pro choice. Ensign is not, and received a 0 percent rating from Planned Parenthood based on his congressional voting record. With Senate confirmation of Supreme Court nominees looming, I believe that Bernstein will want to preserve the right of reproductive freedom.

I've also been impressed with Bernstein's accessibility. Nevada is still small enough so that we can know our politicians personally. While I've never met Ensign, I've run into Bernstein at various non-partisan events throughout northern Nevada since the campaign season started.

But I first met Bernstein at the Nevada Rural Water Association annual conference in Reno in April. The meeting brings together water operators, managers and directors from throughout the state. It's a great place to reach out to community minded folks from rural and urban Nevada who provide safe drinking water to Nevada's residents and visitors. Ensign, campaigning in Elko, sent a stand-in.

I admire Bernstein as an entrepreneur who has built and successfully managed a business. He knows very well the perils and pitfalls of being without medical insurance, and how to take on the big (and still unregulated) insurance companies to seek justice for the common man and woman.

In 1990, Nevada voters approved a referendum which codified into law Nevada's statutes regarding abortion. The measure passed by nearly 66 percent of the vote statewide. Ed Bernstein is pro-choice, as are a majority of Nevadans, and I believe that he is the better choice to fairly represent all Nevadans.

Abby Johnson consults on rural community development, grant management and nuclear waste issues. She is married and has one middle school-aged child.