The American Spectator : Values Apply to All Issues

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Values Apply to All Issues

By Paul Chesser on 8.1.06 @ 12:08AM

Unintentional caricaturing of the religious right by media and conservative advocacy groups alike leaves the wrong impression of what might be on the minds of evangelical voters.

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Republican pollster Frank Luntz said he has found an abundance of frustration and negative feelings. He said many Republicans are not aware of the values votes and are disappointed that Congress has not enacted tough measures on immigration or acted to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
"A higher percent of Americans care more about illegal immigration, high gas prices and wasteful Washington spending," he said. Values votes are good for the base, he said, but only if Republicans make voters aware of them.

br> There you have it. So what the "religious right" pundits and organizations should do is apply their worldview to everything that concerns mankind -- not just their limited "family values" list -- and then crank out papers and opinions that reflect those beliefs. It would be great to hear from them on immigration, gas prices (freedom and competition), and wasteful government spending. p>Perhaps then they will be viewed as more relevant, and "values" won't be limited to abortion and family in the eyes of the media and the overall public. And those churchgoing constituents may be romanced more frequently than just in election years. br> /p>

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topics:
Abortion, Iraq, Immigration, Oil

About the Author

Paul Chesser is executive director for the American Tradition Institute and a senior fellow for the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives. The views he expresses do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.