I Cogitate
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It's the Morals, Stupid
It's the morals, stupid.
No, no such variation of political consultant James Carville's 1992 mantra "it's the economy stupid" was ever uttered by any Democratic pols prior to November 2.
But it's a fascinating angle and one being bandied about by many pundits as a key component of the November 2 Republican presidential triumph.
However, no individual, group or affiliation has a stranglehold on morality, despite it having been awarded by so many to the GOP. In 2004, the Democrats rightly received a vast number of votes based on morality.
So, what's the answer to this conundrum?
It's all in the definition--value judgments and prioritization.
Republicans typically take the field presenting a lineup of God (pro), gay (anti) and abortion (anti) in the top third of their batting order---each a highly visceral subject seen through a black-white, right-wrong, absolutist prism.
The Democrats also field a set moral lineup but one, to their recent electoral detriment, often sees shades of
gray. But it's not due to the embrace of relativism, as so many hautily accuse. No, it's because Democrats see and accept nuance, gradations and differences as a living reality in a complex world.
Democrats support religious worship but not as something in which government should be an active theocratic proponent. No, Democrats see the role of government as the enforcer of the freedom to worship, to worship differently, or not to worship at all, with each viewed as a similarly valuable component of a pluralistic society.
Democrats support a live-as-let-live philosophy, with an embrace of differences. Bigotry is not acceptable, nor should it be used as a society-destroying, appeal-to-the-worst, devisive vote-getting tactic as Republicans have done since Nixon's "Southern strategy." As citizens of this country, gays and lesbians should have equal access to marriage or civil unions, no ifs, ands or buts. Anything short is prejudice. Remember how long scripture was used as justification for slavery and subjugation of women?
Democrats support a woman's decision to choose regarding abortion. Yes, in a perfect world there would be no abortions or need for abortions but, in such a world, we also wouldn't be faced with the reality of the countless ethical decisions we confront daily.
Democrats grieve at the loss of the 3,000+ lives from the 9/11 acts of terrorism. But they also grieve at the loss of life elsewhere throughout the world, placing equal value on the lost lives of those individuals who don't look like us, talk like us, worship like us or believe like us.
Democrats believe that torture is wrong. And that it is further shameful when the highest government officials who promote and condone such immorality blame underlings and let only those at the lowest levels be punished. Why aren't these high government officials who value the use of torture willing to stand up for their beliefs? That is, if they are people with the actual morality they profess?
Democrats believe economic justice is a morality issue as Jesus spoke so plainly and strongly about. When government policy continually favors, benefits and protects the economic elite, that is wrong.
So are the Democrats perfect? Hardly. Have the Democrats ever been on the wrong side of an issue? Without a doubt.
But the 'moral' of the story is the Democrats see value in difference, believe in supporting and protecting pluralism and chose not to appeal to the basest of human instincts.
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