I have to admit that this all took me by surprise. Not that Bush won, but why he won. I knew that morality and elitism for the Democratic leadership was a problem and even wrote a post or two about it. But mostly I thought that Bush voters were motivated by the war, terrorism, and taxes.
I'm not sure why I was so dense. I should have looked at the Bush voters in my own family. They voted for him because they are bigtime Catholics, and they hated Kerry's record on late term abortions, stem cell research, gay marriage. On all others issues, they side with the Democrats. My dad is still a registered Democrat, but hasn't voted with his party since 1980. He once wrote that pro-lifers should be more at home with the Democratic party.
Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself for missing this one. Paul Begala was just saying that mainstream media (or the coastal media as they are calling themselves) missed out the moral angle of this campaign, because Bush was silent about this during the debate and on the stump. These issues were pushed on the local level by direct mail and other sources. I don't know, Paul. That sounds like a vast right wing conspiracy to me.
Should we fear the mandate that this election gave religious conservatives? I am hopeful that our Madisonian government can prevent any hasty action from taking place and that there will be much variation of law between the states. Also, maybe by making some inroads with the religious, like my folks, we can find some common ground, especially on economic issues.
Things to Read:
Nicholas Kristof writes that the Democratic Party needs to connect to religious Americans.
Kieran Healy writes that the exit poll data show that 22% of the electorate thought that “moral values” was the most important issue in the election, and these voters went for Bush nearly 80% to 20%.
Eszter at Crooked Timberjumps starts a good conversation about religion and politics. Russell Arben Fox, Harry Brighouse, and others debate whether or not to fear religious groups and the failure of liberals/Democrats to bring them into their tent.
Bill Bennett: Having restored decency to the White House, President Bush now has a mandate to affect policy that will promote a more decent society, through both politics and law. His supporters want that, and have given him a mandate in their popular and electoral votes to see to it. Now is the time to begin our long, national cultural renewal ("The Great Relearning," as novelist Tom Wolfe calls it) — no less in legislation than in federal court appointments. It is, after all, the main reason George W. Bush was reelected.
Morality is good. Vice is bad. Well, except for gambling. That's okay.
Tim Burke debates the benefit and wisdom of abandoning the fight with religious America and allowing for vast differences between the states on these issues.