Once upon a time liberals were always talking about values (remember those "bleeding hearts"?) and conservatives claimed to be the practical ones. Somewhere along the line conservatives started talking more and more about values and liberals have just conceded the debate. Now Republicans claim the high moral ground and Democrats are left claiming "me too". That's a problem. We need to reclaim the high ground.
Many claim Democrats need to learn religion, become more Christian. Others say we need to reclaim patriotism or a candidate with a southern accent. Personally, I don't think the details matter, each individual needs to be true to himself (or herself), but we must understand our fundamental values and articulate them loudly and often.
So what are the base Democratic values? I've seen many lists lately, most far too long and detailed. This lists quickly devolve into policy statements and tend to be materialistic in nature. But what are our values? For myself, I see three base values, two moral and one philosophical:
1. We are morally obligated to pass on to our grandchildren a better world than the one we inherited.
This is why we fight for the environment, education and don't believe we should pass huge debts on to our children. This is why we invest in the infrastructure of our country.
2. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
We must treat all people with respect, fight for their rights, stand up for those without a voice. The Golden Rule is easy and meaningless when dealing with friends, family and those like yourself, its power in application comes when dealing with those you disagree or don't understand.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..."
"I may not agree with what you say, but I'll fight for your right to say it."
3. Understanding is reached through reason, openness, discourse and criticism: The Enlightenment.
We believe in the philosophy of enlightened reason, the philosophy on which this country was founded, the philosophy that powers democracy, science and capitalism. No person holds a monopoly on truth.