I learned a long time ago not to discuss politics when visiting my mother and step-father. For the past eight years their house has been littered with George W. Bush paraphernalia, including the annual Christmas card from the White House. Their opinions could not be clearer.
Imagine my surprise during a visit this past weekend when my step-dad, an 84-year-old retired tire salesman, asserted—completely out of the blue—that he could not support John McCain this year.
“I’ve been reading a lot about him and he can’t do anything right,” my step-dad complained.
“So, are you going to vote for Obama?” I asked quietly.
He sighed. “I suppose I’ll have to.” Then he brightened. “Obama’s a very smart man—he knows a little bit about everything. That’s the kind of president we need.”
I was flabbergasted at what I was hearing—a staunch Republican switching tickets. It wasn’t long before my shock increased when my mother later that same morning said of McCain, “I can’t vote for him. He acts like he’s supposed to just be elected without doing anything.”
When I asked if she would vote for Obama, she hedged. “I don’t have to vote for anybody.”
True, she doesn’t, but I hate to think she might not vote for Obama simply because he’s black. But, as devout Christians, I didn’t hear either of them talk about the faith of either McCain or Obama. Instead, I heard them talk about their shrinking monthly income thanks to smaller dividends from their investments and the rising cost of their healthcare and prescription costs. No mention of abortion or same-sex marriage or other “culture war” topics.
It’s anecdotal evidence of a trend that seems to be taking hold among so-called “values voters” [also see yesterday’s feature on Catholic voters bucking the single-issue trend]:
”I think the big change from 2004 until now is these voters’ priorities have shifted considerably,” said John Green, of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. “Even among the most conservative religious groups, the economy is playing a much larger role than in 2004. And while they are still thinking in moral terms and they have not deserted their values, it is just about different issues.”
It’s certainly true that some “values voters” will remain one-issue voters—especially if that issue happens to be abortion—but trends are showing there’s flexibility even on that issue.
Meanwhile, among voters who say their position against abortion rights substantially determined their past votes for president, some are strongly considering voting for Obama. “I think everything he says comes from his heart, and I believe him,” said Victoria Kovari, 88, of Madison Heights, who voted twice for Bush, based in large part on her opposition to abortion. “I don’t like McCain. I think he is not very truthful.”
While it’s sad that it’s taken a serious blow to our economy to move “values voters” off the one or two issues that they will vote for even if a candidates overall platform goes against other self-interests, it’s heartening to see much more thought being put into who to select this year instead of simply pulling the same levers voters have always pulled, regardless of the broader issues. It just goes to show, you’re never too old to be schooled by your ’rents.
