Values Voters Move Into The Driver's Seat (Conservative Base Finally Gets Heard Alert)

Worldnetdaily.com ^ | 09/18/2007 | Janet Folger

[goldstategop]

Last night, Gov. Mike Huckabee, Rep. Tom Tancredo, businessman John Cox, Sen. Sam Brownback, Rep. Ron Paul, Rep. Duncan Hunter and Ambassador Alan Keyes (in the order of their random podium placement) faced 53 questions from pro-family leaders at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

I'm writing this on Monday before the event, but I want to be on record with five predictions.

1. I predict the Values Voter Straw Poll will unify the pro-family movement and determine the nominee. Unlike other straw polls that are flawed by design, where candidates have bussed in supporters or paid for their tickets, more than 600 delegates to the Values Voter Debate Straw Poll were submitted by 40 national leaders to accurately represent America's largest voting block.

2. I predict the "Values Voter Guide" DVD will saturate the nation and make the largest voting block even larger.

3. I predict that the candidates who chose not to attend will regret the decision to snub us because they will not win without us.

4. I predict that there will be a Values Voter Presidential Debate in every presidential election from this point forward.

5. For too long values voters have been pushed to the back of the bus; last night they moved into the driver's seat.

The questions asked of the candidates are below. Their answers can be seen at www.ValuesVoterDebate.com. Prediction No. 6: This election just took a turn in the right direction.

[goldstategop]

All of the front-runners ignored the conservative base. You know - the crazy aunt in the basement taken for granted. After last night, values voters are in the drivers' seat. There were a lot of good questions presented last night. We conservatives have to ask why the GOP front-runners were afraid to show up and answer them. No - we don't deserve to be shoved to the back of the bus. Not anymore.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[DaveyB]

I loved the question about abortion from the abortion survivor. Rudy really demonstrated what he is made of!

FYI - the question was addressed to Rudy who choose not to attend - there was of course silence! What else can you say to a person you would have killed.

[freekitty]

This is what I like to see; however, what will we do about the fence and deporting the illegals.

[freekitty]

Thank you to those that did attend.

[Prokopton]

All of the front-runners ignored the conservative base

No they didn't. The so called "value voters" do not represent me or the bulk of the conservative base. What a bunch of pretentious holier than thous. Value voters? I suppose no one but them has any values nor is concerned about values when voting. Some of the members of this group are questionable at best. The tone of this group, and of this post, is threatening. What a way to get people to agree with you.

People with "values" will definitely have an effect on the elections, but it won't be because of this narrow group or the constituency challenged candidates who showed up at their show.

[goldstategop]

Fred Thompson will regret it most. He had an opportunity to establish a connection with the party's activists and connect on the issues that concerns them - the state of our culture and our society. I call that a blunder. In the future, even front-runners are going to attend debates like this because conservative voters will no longer put up with being told to keep quiet. We won't vote for Hillary Clinton but neither will we vote for someone who takes us for granted and doesn't think our values are worthy of being given respect.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Bogtrotter52]

“I predict the Values Voter Straw Poll will unify the pro-family movement and determine the nominee.”

And I predict that to depend on this and not concentrate on the getting the center to vote GOP will insure a loss in ‘08.

[Jim Robinson]

B/S. Run, FRed, Run!!

[goldstategop]

We're a narrow group? Then explain why the Democrats pandered to the sodomite lobby. All their front runners showed up. When it comes to the conservative base, our top tier candidates felt their presence wasn't important. That speaks louder to values voters than their campaign rhetoric.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Rudder]

One trouble with values voters is the nature of the values changes from voter to voter and from group to group, i.e., one group's values may be anathema to another group's.

So, what are these values that unite all conservatives?

I asked this question on an earlier thread and was told by a values voter that, "we don't make lists of our values." I never received a meaningful answer.

Okay...

[Judges Gone Wild]

Whether you choose to accept it or not, values voters make up a large part of the conservative base. They voted overwhelmingly for W in the last two elections. When H.W. lost to Clinton in ‘92, the eastern establishment RINOs blamed the values voters and tried to marginalize them, saying the Republican Party stands for fiscal conservatism only. When Republicans controlled the Presidency and both Houses, they spent tax dollars profligately. Fiscal conservatism went out the window. Without the values voters, the Republican Party stands for nothing.

[DaveyB]

...not concentrate on the getting the center to vote GOP will insure a loss in ‘08.

It seems when GOP runs as moderates they lose - run with conviction as conservatives they do better. In either case when they run as moderates America always looses.

[SuziQ]

Fred won't regret it, because he's out there meeting voters one on one, not trying to step to the tune of a group of people who have set themselves up as the arbiters of the 'values vote'. The idea that they, as a group, would denigrate a candidate just because they didn't show up at the debate smacks of extortion to me. Why not just pay attention to the candidate when he makes his stump speeches, or educate yourself by reading the candidate's positions on his webpage ?

There will be plenty more debates. The candidates don't have to spend their time at all of them, or even most of them. Not that many people are watching them, anyway.

[SAJ]

The calculus is pretty simple this year, goldie...vote for the Pubbie, or don't, and accept Hitlery as President by default.

No, I don't much like it either, but you're perfectly well aware that the sentence above is entirely true.

[Old_Mil]

what will we do about the fence and deporting the illegals.

A very good question. We know the answer from the four who didn't come: one sort of amnesty or another.

[goldstategop]

I'd say pro-life, pro-family, pro-school choice, pro-traditional values and pro national sovereignty. I think those are values that concern people because abortion, the disintegration of the family unit, public schools as laboratories for socialist indoctrination, moral relativism and open borders for illegal alien criminals are the kinds of phenomena that is threatening the future of our country. And we want the candidates to state what they'll do to promote a culture of life, man-woman marriage, private and home schooling, morally absolute rules, and secure borders. I submit that conservatives are not asking for a lot. We want to change the direction of our country to one of freedom, respect for tradition and hope in its future. Those are the values we would like to see our leaders uphold.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Old_Mil]

The calculus is pretty simple this year, goldie...vote for the Pubbie, or don't, and accept Hitlery as President by default.

There are situations in which it is appropriate to suffer a tactical defeat in order to win a greater strategic victory. This old scare tactic no longer works.

[durasell]

This exactly right — and the reason why “value voters” don’t matter as much as some think. They have no place else to go.

The folks who will ultimately decide the election are the fence sitters who are decidedly not values voters.

[Prokopton]

We're a narrow group?

Yes. People who go around proclaiming that they are the ones with "values" are, thank God, a narrow group of pretentious intolerants. The major candidates know this and rightfully ignored the self serving show this little group put on. People with values are a large group, egotists who call themselves "value voters" are not.

[Rudder]

We want to change the direction of our country to one of freedom, respect for tradition and hope in its future

Alhough I excerpted only a portion of your post, it's the best answer I got so far, and I agree with your list.