In voting booth, New Albany couple guided by faith and principles

June 26--NEW ALBANY -- Dave Scott used to listen to Rush Limbaugh, but not anymore.

Scott said he was a conservative, but 10 years ago his political views began to change. A champion for social causes and helping those in need, he said he is now more liberal, even though he considers himself a political independent.

ABOUT OUR VOTERS

Name: Dave Scott

Age: 63

Marital Status: Married for 40 years

Children: three daughters, one son

Residence: New Albany

Hometown: East Moline, Ill.

Education: Bachelors, General Science

Veteran: No

Religion: Catholic

Political Affiliation: Independent

Organizations: St. Mary's Catholic Church, St. Mary's choir

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Name: Mary Pettit

Age: 64

Marital Status: Married for 40 years

Children: three daughters, one son

Residence: New Albany

Hometown: Norwalk, Iowa

Education: Bachelors, Arts Education

Veteran: No

Religion: Catholic

Political Affiliation: Independent

Organizations: Organizations: St. Mary's Catholic Church, St. Mary's Social Justice Committee and St. Mary's choir

"I think the principles of conservatism are important. However, there doesn't seem to be any room for people in need, so I could not be a conservative," he said. "So I have changed."

Scott and his wife, Mary Pettit, take politics seriously. That is because they live by certain guidelines rooted in truth, honesty and their deep faith. The couple, married for 40 years, are practicing Catholics.

So when the two pick a candidate, whether local, state or national, and walk into the voting booth, they do so with a certain conviction.

For Pettit, she said her leaders have to be a step above others. They have to be able to motivate the masses and live by certain principles.

"I would say leaders that bring us above ourselves to our better selves. Those are very important to me when I go to vote," she said.

Scott said he looks for someone he can trust.

"They don't necessarily have to agree with me, but they have to have integrity," he added.

BEYOND A SINGLE ISSUE

That is why neither is a fan of the current political climate. Sometimes finding that candidate with the least amount of personal baggage is difficult. There seems to be political scandals at every level of government. Something new every day.

The two lean on their faith and values to help them make the right choice. Both are very concerned about the social injustice they see and the current political climate.

They, too, are pro-life, but they said elections are not single-issue events.

"Dignity of life encompasses every stage of life from conception to death," Pettit said. "I look for a candidate who recognizes that, and I strongly support someone who would fight for the rights of everyone for the dignity of a good job, living conditions and health care. Abortion is not something I support. Nor do I support assisted suicides. All those issues are important, but it's a full spectrum of issues."

Scott said he has struggled with the abortion issue his entire adult life.

"I am Catholic, I see the value of right to life...," he said. "I go back back and forth. I think it's important for women to have a safe choice if they are going to get an abortion. I struggle with it. A political candidate would have to have a full tool box [qualities] to represent me if they were pro-choice."

While they try to live by a certain code, they expect their elected leaders to be better than average in their personal lives. For them, it's a matter of trust.

"Being a politician is a difficult vocation. Everyone makes mistakes," Pettit said. "Everyone has pressures they may act out on. I am willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt, depending on their motivation in what they have done. if it's a systematic choice that the end justifies the means, then no, I would not be able to support that."

Said Scott: "When a politician makes the kinds of decisions that our president has made and other politicians, movie producers ... they are not raising the bar."

WHAT RESONATES AS IMPORTANT

Helping their community, and finding a politician that will work for the dignity of life for all people is important to both Pettit and Scott.

"There are so many other issues that are the spokes to that hub," Pettit said. "Those are the things that are core principles. Jobs, education depend on the quality of that person's life, their ability to raise their family and pay for the things their family needs to contribute to society."

Both are in favor of increasing the minimum wage, which in turn will improve the quality of life for people, they said.

"There are people making minimum wage and they cannot get out of that situation. They are stuck," Scott said. "It's just not right. The right number is what a conscious and responsible employer will pay. They cannot sit on the laurels of 'I cannot afford more.' There are ways to afford more -- cut costs, improve efficiencies."

Pettit said she grew up in a political family -- her father was a Republican and her mother a Democrat -- although her parents didn't discuss politics often. She said the political climate has definitely changed in the last 30 years.

"What I have seen from my life, in the '60s when I was coming of age, there was a lot of questioning the values and strict institutions of people," Pettit said. "They were all tossed up in the air to be re-examined. From that a lot more interest in doing more social action came about, to reach out and eliminate some of the walls that had been built between races and opportunities, and that became something that was esteemed in society, developing a larger viewpoint on how we fit into the United States. Then it started going toward the politicians seem to be more interested in the power that they have and making a lifetime career instead of representing the people. I think you have had a dropoff in the idea of citizenship because of that."

The couple, parents of four adult children, say they discuss politics and ideas as a group. They agree men and women look at issues differently when choosing a candidate.

"I do think women vote more on relationship sort of issues. I think men a lot of times vote because a candidate is loud. A man's man," Scott said.

Both were shaped and inspired by politicians. Pettit said growing up in the 1960s, she was inspired by President John F. Kennedy. For Scott, he admired the work of Adlai Stevenson, governor of Illinois who lost the presidential election to Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 and again in '56.

The pair agree the election of Donald Trump in 2016 has changed not only the political landscape, but also the country.

"I grew up in an era of a lot of peace, and we were not concerned with a lot going on in the outside world. Life here was pretty stable," Pettit said. "Now it seems like there is a lot of chaos."

About this series

This story is part of Pulse of the Voters, an ongoing project produced by the News and Tribune and its parent company, CNHI. Each quarter through the 2020 election, we'll publish a series of stories that tap into what's on the minds of voters across Southern Indiana, the state and the nation. Click here for more stories from this series.

-- Chris Morris is an assistant editor at the News and Tribune. Reach him at [email protected] and 812-206-2155.

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