"An aggressively annoying new phrase in America’s political lexicon is "values voters." It is used proudly by social conservatives, and carelessly by the media to denote such conservatives. This phrase diminishes our understanding of politics. It also is arrogant on the part of social conservatives and insulting to everyone else because it implies that only social conservatives vote to advance their values and everyone else votes to … well, it is unclear what they supposedly think they are doing with their ballots," – George F. Will, today.
Will has one of the best records in punditry in recent years – his tenacious Toryism managing to resist some of the powerful Republican currents of our time. His rebuke of the "values voter" appropriation is overdue – and not far off my own revulsion at having the word "Christian" purloined for political purposes. Next up: the attempt by the Christianists to coopt the term "family." Something is growing out there in the culture, and it’s gaining strength.
The Dish 