Social conservatives have been pushing a moral agenda. But now so many of them have been caught in moral failures, they are getting an immoral reputation, to the point that other Republicans don’t want to be associated with them or their issues. That is the main point of an article in the conservative Washington Times with the headline Social conservatives fall from moral high ground: Republicans retreat from values claims:
Social conservatives, the once-powerful force that focused the Republican agenda on moral virtue and family values, have suffered a diminished brand on the national political landscape as a steady stream of their icons have fallen prey to the vices they once preached against.
Extramarital affairs, gambling, alcohol abuse, prostitution and sexual pursuit of minors have taken a toll on the GOP. . . .
Mr. Perkins said distancing itself from its family-values platform in order to insulate itself from charges of hypocrisy is a bigger threat to the Republican Party.
He said Republicans have been moving in that direction since former Rep. Mark Foley, Florida Republican, resigned from office in 2006 amid allegations he sent sexually explicit e-mails and instant messages to underage male congressional pages.
“I think they have tried to solve the issue by running from it,” Mr. Perkins said. “They don’t want to talk about moral values.”
Notice what is happening: The transgressions are not underscoring the importance of adhering to moral behavior; they are making politicians disassociate themselves from saying anything about morality, lest they someday transgress. And anyone raising moral issues is going to be associated with the malefactors. See how that works.
Now that social conservatives no longer have the moral high ground–a region currently occupied by gay marriage activists–what now?
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