Sep 30, 2009 by Bruce
Traditional values are making a comeback. Or did they ever leave?
Gallup reports a significant swing in Americans’ view of whether the “government should promote traditional values.” Last year’s numbers were 48% – 48%, the first time Gallup had reported anything but a majority in support of the question.. However, this year the numbers are 53% – 42%. Interestingly, the biggest shift in views come from Independents, who went from 37% – 55% favor/disfavor last year to a 54% – 40% favor/disfavor – an astounding turnaround.
Byron York, the political correspondent for the Washington Examiner, has a theory to explain the startling results:
“In the last few years, public opinion on the role of government was driven by the intense unpopularity of George W. Bush and the Republican Party as the party of traditional values – - even though they basically held to those traditional values in their own lives. Now, however, with a government completely controlled by Democrats, that is, by the anti-traditional values party – - in last year’s poll, Democrats were 60-37 against the government promoting traditional values – - the public has abruptly returned to its basic pro-traditional values position.” (emphasis added)
York points out that the Gallup survey shows that Americans are pretty much polling in favor of traditional values in the same numbers they did pre-2005, suggesting that Americans’ views overall have not changed. He says that Democrats have fundamentally missed the meaning of their 2008 election victories. The entire column is here.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the poll is complex enough to read a ton into it – the poll itself admits that it doesn’t define what “traditional values” really are – so the responder can leave that to their own view. I would answer yet simply on healthcare alone – I see the goal of insuring the poor as a traditional and fundamental value.
I do think, fundamentally, that most Americans want a certain level of value promoted by Government. We want to be proud of our government and want our government to stand for something. Unfortunately, both parties have shown us that putting faith in the government for solutions is a futile exercise, as both parties are more concerned with serving their parties and their friends than they are with serving the American people. Need evidence of that – just check where they all sit when it comes to State of the Unions – it isn’t about sitting with the folks from your own state, regardless of party – it is about the party first . That is what I find disappointing.