The Democrats MUST capitalize on this election cycle -- if they don't, the party may as well fold up its tent and disband, as it will have become completely, not just mostly, irrelevant and ineffectual.
And I think that tackling/dismantling the "values voter" strategy so skillfully employed by the Right needs to be an integral part of whatever plan gets the Democratic Party some part of the government in 2006.
So why not water down the whole "values voter" concept so that it is essentially worthless as a marketing tool for the Right? That could be done by pointing out that we're ALL "values voters". And the Dems should focus on four key values that unite us:
Liberty: The central tenet of the US Constitution, the backbone of what this country stands for, and that which is at greatest risk by the illegal/unethical/sordid/covert actions of the Republican leadership. The freedoms we enjoy are threatened by our current leadership, and this trend must be reversed and corrections made to prevent such future abuse.
Honesty: The promise that elected national officials will put the well-being of the American people first, their particular constituency second, and their own well-being last, all the while adhering to both the letter and spirit of the law. Americans deserve, and should settle for, nothing less.
Responsibility: As the world's most powerful country (for now), the US has the responsibility to engage all nations in diplomatic efforts to end egregious conditions and foster peace. The US also has the responsibility to work collaboratively with the international community -- be a team player, in other words -- as unilateral action is the last vestige of the unwise. Our government must also be responsible to those here in America and develop clear plans to address our shortfalls in our education and healthcare systems, immigration and monetary policies, and other key concerns.
Security: Sustaining Americans' quality of life requires us to be vigilant as well as innovative. Watching out and addressing direct threats is essential, but creatively solving global problems -- environment, power, health, education, civil liberty -- is an essential and integral component of any long-term security solution for the US. Just as head-in-the-sand isolationism has proven ineffective at dealing with globalization's challenges, international policies founded on military might alone cannot make progress towards the greater good.
These are MY values...and I plan to vote them in 2006 and beyond.