In a new
Gallup Poll, Americans were asked about what they thought of morals and values in the united states today. Ostensibly, this is what the numbers say:
Americans' perceptions about moral values in the United States are more negative today than at any other time in the last five years. Over three-quarters of Americans (77%) hold negative views about the nation's moral climate, up from 70% last year and 65% in 2002. That leaves only 7% of Americans holding positive views, and another 12% holding mixed views.
More below the fold...
Cross Posted at
Deny My Freedom
Why is this important?
Remember the infamous exit polls from the 2004 election, mildly lending themselves to the idea of voter fraud? Those where the ones that also stated that the most important issue motivating voters of that year was moral values.
Assuming that a majority of voters do think that "values" are important (and there was some debate regarding that conclusion after the last election, particularly regarding the wording of the questions)--one could draw the conclusion that GOP voters are always the first ones to jump at the chance to say they want "values" to be more prominent. On this presumption, and this presumption alone, the conclusion becomes simply: George W. Bush and the Republican congress have let GOP voters down when it comes to values voting.
This quote and following neat graph express this sentiment:
While Republicans and Democrats express highly similar views about morality, slight differences are seen according to self-described political ideology. Seventy percent of "liberals," compared with 75% of "moderates" and 82% of "conservatives" are negative about moral values in the country.
This could mean any number of things, from the disenchantment of GOP voters leading to low voter turnout, to higher issue awareness and support for progressive candidates.
But let us not forget what "values" are. They could be not duping an American public into an unjust war based on lies. They could be taking care of the less fortunate. They could be provided the best education possible for all Americans. Or health care. Doing what we can for others. You know, stuff jesus said and then some.
And that, my friends, is precisely what the Democrats need to stress. The idea of "true American valuse," as FDR liked to promote. A brighter future for all Americans does not come directly from banning gay marriage.
People are going to be looking for someone to give them back their sense of honor and decency. And the Republican party is going to be trying to convince them that, once again, it is the GOP who has the values. They'll treat Bush like an isolated incident, and tie the ballast of the entire culture of curruption to his sinking ship.
The Democrats must make it clear what they stand for and quick. Waiting for this election to fall into their lap is not nearly all that can be accomplished. This is our best chance in several years to get the public to re-align their perceptions of liberals as pro-humanity, rather than godless atheists bent on the destruction of sports arenas.
Let us go forth, and show a disenfranchised American heartland what True American values are.