Politically Speaking, Everything is a Value for a Values Voter… Like the Economy

How is it that many, from left to right, who believe and argue that

“values” and religion play a primary role in driving voting choices
don’t equate “economic” issues and concerns as values-driven?  How is it that those who are hostile toward
religious and values voters point to polls showcasing voters focus mostly on
“economic” issues when they vote thus negating “values” as
driving ballot box choices?
 

Isn’t it a value to want security and
opportunity for your family? Isn’t it a value to pray for and work for strong
and safe communities where we can raise healthy children? Do good jobs and a
growing economy provide for security and opportunity for our families? Does a
strong economy provide for the resources that create and sustain sound
communities?

When a person cast a vote based first on
economic issues, and is part of America’s faith majority, is that person a
values voter?

Yes.

Those on the religious right have attempted,
with much success, to define a “values voter” as someone focused on
just a few issues including lifestyle choices and reproductive rights. The
media often buys into this definition and subsequently misinterprets and
misrepresents people of faith and their driving influences. Even those who are
religious progressives often get caught up in the religious right’s definition
and unwittingly set up the false framing by joining the debate on the right’s
terms, or they create their own definition of a “values voter” with
their own set of issues including such challenges as climate change and poverty
because this is where they find their passion and activism.

The problem with the religious right’s
contribution to the political debate using their narrow world of issues is that
they have formed a cemented posture on these issues over the past few decades
that permanently polarize the electorate instead of seeking to drive any real
solutions. Americans want solutions. They want to move beyond the hot buttons.
Americans aren’t as interested in partisan politics as they are solving
problems and moving forward.

For the religious progressives the problem isn’t
in the importance of their core issues especially in the context of clergy and
religious institutions calling us to act out and embrace social justice and
seek a better world. We must. The shortcoming, for some, is in attempting to
box the whole electorate into prioritizing the issues in their lives as
religious progressives prioritize them.

Lost in all of this is the fact the people of
faith, like all Americans, put in hard work weeks, rush between soccer games,
dentists appointments and Wednesday night prayer meeting. They help grandparents
get to their doctor’s appointments, pledge to sale a certain number of
poinsettias for the PTA’s playground improvement project and keep putting off
fixing that slipping transmission in the Ford because they can’t afford it
right now. The dad takes the kids to school because mom leaves for work too
early and the mom picks the kids up from school, takes them to their music
lessons, prepares their supper and puts them to bed because dad has to work
late most evenings. They have a vacation fund they put a little in each month
because they hope to take the whole family to Branson, MO next summer. One day
they just might have the money to finish the basement, but trying to figure out
how to pay for college, weddings, braces and something really special for the
25the wedding anniversary all have to come first.

So, let’s remember where the values of
Americans, people of faith in America, are placed before we allow the religious
right to claim only two or three issues as values. And, let’s not push a set of
social justice issues into a family (that already embraces those issues, by the
way) telling them we know what issues should come first without fully
understanding, respecting and caring for what’s going on everyday in their
lives.

People who go to church, pray, seek guidance
from their clergy and desire to know the calling and direction of God apply
their values to everything in their lives. They should, shouldn’t they?

Yes.

Politically speaking, everything is a value for
a values voter. It should be, shouldn’t it?

Yes.

Then, in politics, we should approach values
voters ready to discuss and share our views concerning all the issues,
shouldn’t we?

Yes.

When we reach out with this awareness then we
can share an economic message steeped in the faith and values people hold dear
and, you know what, they will be open to and likely embrace our economic
message and things will go well at the ballot box and ALL our issues win.

This piece was originally posted on Beliefnet at  http://blog.beliefnet.com/progressiverevival/