RIGHT OF CENTER: CHRISTIAN CONTRACT BACKS FAMILIES

Using the successful House GOP's Contract With America, the Christian Coalition this week unveiled its own Contract With the American Family.

The new contract includes 10 legislative proposals, some of which mirror measures already touted in the Republicans' contract. But some of the Christian Coalition proposals are more controversial and undoubtedly will test the mettle of the GOP's and its commitment to grass-roots conservative principles.

Namely, the family contract calls for restrictions on late-term abortions and includes a ban on taxpayer-funded abortions. These are reasonable proposals that fall far short of an abortion ban favored by most Christian Coalition members. But even modest attempts to regulate abortion are met with trepidation by the spineless moderates in the Republican party.

Other moderates likely will complain that the religious right is attempting to impose family values on Americans through legislation. Certainly the Christian Coalition, founded by Pat Robertson during his 1988 presidential campaign, will be fodder for liberal media smears.

But coalition director Ralph Reed says the contract only sets out to "ensure that Washington values families." To be sure, all 10 contract items address areas of American law and culture in which Christian values are under relentless assault.

Christianity has been removed from public schools in lieu of moral relativism and the cult of secular humanism. Legislation allowing voluntary prayer in public places is a small step toward removing the irrational and perverted dread of public religion. Restoring local control of education and giving parents a choice in the type of curriculum their children will be exposed to is crucial if educators are to be held accountable to those paying the tab.

The convoluted tax code penalizes marriage and couples who choose to keep a parent home to rear children. Taxes must be amended to encourage marriage and to reward sacrifices couples make on behalf of their children.

Pornography and the perverted anti-culture of so-called art and entertainment, financed by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Humanities, deluges our culture with an unremitting barrage of blasphemy. It's time the American people stand against this debauchery and refuse to subsidize it.

One of the most encouraging items in the contract is a proposal to give funds to states for corrections programs that require criminals, once released from prison, to make restitution to their victims. Public opinion polls repeatedly show that crime control is paramount to a citizenry weary of a criminal justice system that goes overboard to protect the rights of accused criminals, goes easy on those convicted of crimes and ignores the victims of lawlessness.

The Christian Coalition's Contract With the American Family is a reasonable proposal that ought to garner bi-partisan political support. Unfortunately, liberals in Washington and in the media will condemn the document as the rantings of intolerant religious bigots.

Observers should know, however, it's not Christianity liberals fear, nor is it family-values morality. It's the Christian right's conservatism -- their attempt to get the goliath government out of people's lives and to restore a culture that values truth, beauty and righteousness -- that is the true source of the left's predictable teeth-gnashing.

~Jay Eastlick is the news editor of the Southeast Missourian.

CHRISTIAN CONTRACT

Points included in the Christian Coalition legislative wish list, Contract With the American Family, as compiled by the Associated Press:"

Religious equality. Measures allowing voluntary prayer in public places such as schools.

Local control of education. Abolishing U.S. Education Department.

School choice. Enactment of legislation that will enhance parents' choice of schools for their children.

Changes in tax policy, which includes a $500-per-child tax credit and Individual Retirement Accounts for homemakers, with the same tax benefits as IRAs for those who work outside the home.

Restrictions on abortion, including a ban on Medicaid funding of abortions, cutting off federal funds to Planned Parenthood and other groups that provide abortion counseling and restricting late-term abortions.

Restricting pornography.

Ending government funding for the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Legal Services Corp.

Support private charities.

Protecting parental rights.

Victim assistance. Funds given to states for corrections programs should be tied to a requirements that criminals make restitution to their victims after they are released.