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Social Work Ethics, Values, and Advocacy Practice } 31

issues and their possible impact on clients before deciding on a course of ac tion” (Sec. 3.10[b]). The following are examples of situations for which there are no clear answers, and reasonable social workers may indeed disagree on how to proceed: • You are chair of a statewide NASW political action committee. A major newspaper writes a disturbing story on Maria Rodriguez, a candidate your committee has already endorsed for state senator in the primary race, which she won. The report states that she has falsified her academic credentials. Ms. Rodriguez first denies and then admits the deception. The committee did not endorse this candidate based on her academic record but, rather, on the 20 years of good work she has completed on behalf of low- income Mexican Americans in south Texas. Some of the members of your political action committee want to continue as if nothing has happened: “Her strong voice is needed in the state senate to protect vulnerable people against policy changes that put them at greater risk!” Others want to renounce the earlier endorsement and ask her to remove herself from the race altogether: “She lied to us!” A third group thinks it best to express disappointment in her but support her privately: “She let us down, but she is still the better of the two candidates.” Which way would you promote inside the NASW political action group? Would it matter to you if the political action group you were part of was associated with Unidos US, an organization whose purpose is “to build a stronger country by creating opportunities for Latinos”? (For more information on Unidos US, see https:// www. unidosus.org.) • You are asked by your state NASW chapter to help organize a get- out- the- vote drive in your city because you have done similar work with the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan group. You are willing to do this because you believe that “social workers should facilitate informed participation by the public” (NASW, 2017, Sec. 6.02). The main organizers are clear, however, that the vote they want to get out consists only of registered Democrats because Democratic voters are much more likely to vote for Democratic candidates than are members of other parties or nonaffiliated voters. When you object, the organizer explains that Laura Smith, the Democratic candidate, is a strong supporter of equal rights for sexual minorities, whereas the Republican candidate in the race is anti- gay. Ms. Smith has also been endorsed by the NASW political action committee. “The far right religious groups and other extremist Republican- affiliated groups are mobilizing their forces to get out only Republican voters,” says the organizer, “Why shouldn’t we do the same for our side?” Although you understand this logic, you are still not convinced that this is entirely ethical for NASW, which is officially a

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