Voters Pick Values
By Francisco Gonzalez

The Republican Party is now the majority party in America.

Why are Republicans winning so much? There are a number of issues but, for the most part, it generally comes down to the fact that more Americans relate to the whole Republican agenda: a strong foreign policy, tax relief, and upholding moral values. On the other hand, the exit polls prove that the number one concern was moral values.

From my own experience on the campaign trail, Iraq seemed to me the most divisive issue among voters who were undecided. It was not that Americans were divided over which candidate presented the best plan for Iraq – it was rather that Americans were divided in their own beliefs on whether they thought Iraq was necessary and when to bring our troops home, which most though should be soon. However, most voters had more confidence in President George Bush than they did in Senator John Kerry to carry through on the war on terrorism.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans waited in hours-long lines to 'rock the vote.' The media had us all believing it was the Democrats who had registered more voters and that it was the Democrats who were so upset with President Bush and the contested 2000 election that they were determined this time to make sure he would be out of office. What they forgot about was something that was at the top of Karl Rove's list: to bring out the conservative base.

Well, how do you bring out a conservative base that was not exactly happy with the large budget deficit or the huge government expenditures on Medicare and the Department of Education? Many other conservatives were not exactly thrilled with what they labeled as a neo-conservative-led war in Iraq. But, other issues united conservatives like never before – something that the war on terrorism seemed to overshadow. Conservatives care deeply about traditional moral values.

President Bush is clearly a man of strong faith and deep principles. Conservatives can see -– and so can many of Bush's opponents -– that he strongly believes that what he is doing is right. Not just politically right, but also morally right. The pro-life issue, the gay marriage bans, and his faith-based initiatives brought religious conservatives out to vote in large numbers – especially where it was most important, the key areas of Ohio and the Bible Belt of Florida. These voters not only saw the strong faith and commitment to values and steadfast principles in President Bush, but they also saw a deep contrast in these values when comparing Bush to his challenger, John Kerry.

For me, a commitment to moral values is the most important issue – it determines our view of the world and enables us to put principles above politics. If you practice morality in your daily life, and really do strive for the good, you are more clearly able to see evil when it appears. Perhaps this is why President Bush has a more resolute plan for handling the war on terrorism than his challengers. Perhaps this is why so many voters put their faith in him. Leadership is one of the most important qualities any president can have. Applying one’s faith to his daily life and upholding morality in law is a good quality in any leader – a quality people see not only in words but, more importantly, in actions too.

As President Bush put it, "Life is bigger than just politics." After a heated political campaign, the voters agreed.

Francisco Gonzalez is the Director of Membership and Campus Leadership at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.

Email the Editor