VALUE VOTERS: Are they a Reality?

There’s a fundamental problem with labeling voters as “Values Voters.” What exactly does that mean? It implies (and there will be more on this later) that people or voters who do not agree with that particular philosophy do not have values. When you point that out to those who claim the “values voters” feel such-and-such a way, they respond with, “Well, we are not saying they don’t have values.” But they never complete the thought. They just deny.

I grew up in an area that had values. Those values also assumed everyone else also had the SAME values, whether they did or not. It was the way things were done and the way life was viewed. It was peer pressure, a statement that said, “If you are going to live here and have the people of this area as your friend, you MUST believe the same way we do!” THAT was the “values” they had.

One line statements that imply a particular assumption of fact are very illusive. Without even realizing it, a person reading or listening to a conversation can get caught up in the feeling and the assumptions rather that a factual look at the facts. Here are some examples:

“…Support our troops…” If you don’t agree with us, you don’t support our troops!

“Pro-Life …” If you don’t agree with us, you don’t value life!

“Flip flopper…” is a way to twist what you say to make you look foolish.

…and the more recent, “slow bleed”

…being bandied about in the right wing blogosphere. If you are a right-winger and normally read the right wing blogs, you have probably read that phrase. It originated from a right wing blogger and immediately got applied to the Liberal Democrats as though that was their strategy about the troop support. Do some home work! Look it up!

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS! If you don’t support the president’s “surge” idea, you don’t “support the troops.” This administration has sent troops into battle without proper armament, support and benefits. They have further cut the veterans benefits for wounded vets at the very time the war in Iraq was starting. This administration cut the combat pay and the isolation from the family pay for soldiers. At that same time they were spending billions, including billions of dollars that could not be accounted for, on private contractors. That’s the Republican way.

Pro-Life! Republicans and right wingers support the fetus but not the child! THEY will do whatever they can to ensure a woman has her baby. But when children need help, they cut the budget. THEY support the fetus but not the child.

Flip flopper! Take ANY politician and you can show how what they say can be used against them. George Bush is the biggest flip flopper. Here are some examples. “There’s an old saying in the old west, ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive’” George’s comment on what he was going to do about Osama Bin Laden. Later he said, “…I don’t know where he is. I just don’t give it a lot of thought.” Is that flip flopping?

John Kennedy said, “We must never negotiate out of fear. And we must never fear to negotiate.” George Bush is doing both with Iran and North Korea.

Another example of flip-flopping is John McCain. He says things that seem appropriate for the audience he addresses and then, with a different audience, he says the opposite. All the time condemning politicians that do such things. That’s some “values”!

Be aware, valued voter. When you hear phrases that make assumptions, question what those assumptions are! I am actually hopeful about the voting population. In the last election they showed they weren’t being fooled by the Republican administration. Not a single incumbent Democrat lost their office. Enough Republicans were voted out to swing both the House and the Senate for the Democrats. It gives the people a better choice in government. It also gives the Democrats the committee chairs. Republicans hate it.

Just when a voter might think that the Republicans got the message, Goergie Boy proposes a “Surge.” And the staunch right wing Republicans, blind to their duty as Americans and the obligation of listening to the American people, blindly support their “Leader” and his disastrous ways. Their ideology requires them to further their cause and ignore the common people, the masses. That is the Republican way.

My confidence is high that in the next election, We the People will take back our government. We will put into place a caring; serving administration that will heed the People. We will eliminate this present chaos and serving the desires of the wealthy.

What we have to fear is that Georgie is still in charge until January 2009. What will he do until then? The possibilities are all too real. George wants a war with Iran! Is that what you want? BEWARE the Republican in charge! BEWARE the one line phrases that assume values not explained. Keep thinking!

Value voters are a reality. It's just not the reality THEY want to have!

That’s As I see it. . .