AMERICAN LIFE AND POLITICS

By Mel Ingram 

Why Did Values Voters Stay Home?

 Volume 8

FEATURE PAGE OF THE HERRICKREPORT.COM

Previous Features    Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3, Vol 4, Vol 5,  Vol 6,  Vol 7

I have attempted to summarize the recent Dem's success at the polls across America by listing the reasons I perceive to be the root causes:

• Values Voters whose nucleus have been 'Biblically Correct Christians', primarily of the Evangelical and Fundamental 'Right Wing', have miserably failed to "EDUCATE those of BOTH the Conservative (Republican) & Progressive (Democrat) elements about true moral values!" (Quoted from Mel Ingram in Vol 1)  
• Too many Repubs agreed with Dick Armey, who complained that the "religious right" was "too involved" with the party.
• The Repubs failed to act on Values Issues and ignored the Values Voters.
• Values Voters failed to demand more from their legislators and of the White House.
• The House leadership failed to take adequate measures when they had knowledge that staff had been having to warn incoming pages about Foley.
• Too many Repubs had dealings with people like Jack Abramoff and too many politicians from both parties took questionable campaign donations.
• The legislators, especially the Senate, failed to face-off with the White House on Illegal Immigration and their belated action was a compromise that had no real funding clause.
• The President failed to listen to the people about their desire that our country take decisive action to WIN the Iraq war.
• The White House failed to convince the majority of people, the Dems and even some of the Repubs that Iraq is really just one battle that must be won, not in a 'Police Action', but rather in a world-wide war the Islamofacists declared on 9-11.  
• So the Values Voters, having failed to "EDUCATE those of BOTH the Conservative (Republican) & Progressive (Democrat) elements about true moral values!" (Quote by Mel Ingram in Vol 1) simply complicated their own problem by staying home; and
• Many of  those who did go vote obviously voted against the Repub incumbents.

The following are excerpts taken from a series of articles I wrote: Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3, Vol 4 Vol 5 Vol 6, Vol 7 concerning previous warnings about Values Voters, which were posted in the Herrickreport.com: 

• September 8, 2006: Major values issues have not been satisfactorily addressed by the Congress or the President.  Neither party seems to be overtly courting conservative Christian voters.  The major over-riding values issue is failure to protect the institution of marriage.  

                                                                                                    Given the GOP'S record of procrastination, will Values Voters turn out to vote for GOP candidates?  Is the GOP in danger of losing control of the House because of  Iraq or because they are losing Values Voter support?  Has the GOP already lost it's most important segment of support?  Will the GOP's failure to pass a one-man, one-woman marriage amendment on top of their failure to secure our borders be enough to give the DNP control of the House in the coming election?

• August 19, 2006: Unfortunately, the middle-east crisis and war on terror will probably upstage the questions about 'traditional values' in coming elections.  I say, "unfortunate" because the drift in America away from its traditional values may well be the more decisive factor in our battle to save America from those who would cause our demise, whether from inside decay or from the throws of terror.

·         May 20, 2005: In other words, to my way of thinking, there is NO middle ground --one must understand that God's revelation of morality, as given to us in the Holy Bible, is the essential foundation for all moral principles and, indeed, to "morality" itself.  Therefore, unless one believes in the God manifested in the Bible, one has no other standard or basis to establish true moral values.  Attempts by mankind to promulgate and define true moral values is the ultimate presumption of egotistical hearts.                     Those of us who put God first in our lives have a big job ahead of us to EDUCATE those of BOTH the Conservative (Republican) & Progressive (Democrat) elements about true moral values!  How can they learn if we don't teach?  And why should they listen if we don't come to them with Agape (God-like love) in our hearts and attitudes and daily walk-the-walk?

Conclusions: It appears that the preceding paragraph is still germane and apropos in the aftermath of the November Democrat success, and that the previously written warnings, shown in excerpts, above, were a forecast of that outcome.

What do you think?

Mel Ingram, mel-ing@sbcglobal.net