Values Voter Debate 2007

{{uspolitics}}
On September 17th, 2007, at the Values Voter Debate, a bunch of far-right [[conservative]]s who have no shot at the nomination (
except maybe [[Mike Huckabee|Huckabee]]
) got together to congratulate each other on being intolerant, and to praise [[Phyllis Schlafly]].

We learn two things, here:
#First, what happens when you cordon a group of politicians off from the mainstream American public?  Well, they become more and more extreme, to the point that they conflate "Christian love" with supporting discrimination against [[Homosexuality|homosexuals]]... in the name of freedom.
#And second?  What is a Values Voter candidate, specifically?  Apparently, whatever they are, they are all indistinguishable from each other.  All answer the same to the same questions (with the exception of [[Ron Paul]]), and almost unanimously in the farther-right direction.  So, to support "Family Values," you must be a [[fundamentalist Christian]].

And we ask one question: [[debate]], or [[propaganda]]?

==Gems from the Debate==
#One no-name candidate admits that [[Iraq War|Iraq]] was all about [[oil]]... but ends with, "So we've got to get that oil pumping!"  Missing the point, much?  
#[[Sam Brownback|Brownback]] wants to take down [[Iran]].
#Stopping regulation of the airlines would've prevented [[9/11|9/11/01]] (8:21 PM EST).
#[[Alan Keyes|Ambassador Keyes]] says that the fight against [[terrorism]] is just as important, and based on the same principle, as the fight against [[abortion]] (since both result in the deaths of innocent lives) (8:23 PM EST).
#Keyes also says that not [[Prayer|praying]] enough will cause our downfall.  Submission is key (8:24 PM EST).
#Ron Paul submits that [[Christianity]] compels the concept of ''just war (ius belli)''.  What's he doing on this stage?  He sounds normal (8:27 PM EST)!
#The great "I'm from a smaller town/farm/congregation than you are" contest begins with Sam Brownback talking about his conversion and [[salvation]].  [[Augustine of Hippo]] found [[religion]] in a garden, after hours of exegetical study and spiritual wrestling.  Brownback... while he was tending to the cows (8:27 PM EST).
#[[Phyllis Schlafly]], aka "the Elder [[Vampire]]," comes on at 8:35 PM EST to denounce any concept of playing politely with other countries.
#John Cox says that Phyllis gives him "comfort at night," and slips in an insult against [[Barack Obama|Obama]] and [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Hillary]].  Because that's what [[family values]] are, to [[Republican]]s (8:37 PM EST).
#Ron Paul (a.k.a. "America for Americans") hates the [[United Nations]], and, perhaps, everything but America (8:40 PM EST).
#If America is losing its sovereignty, it's only because we've turned our backs on "Almighty God."  Thank you, Ambassador Keyes (8:42 PM EST).
#The Emperor of the Free Congress Foundation (some jerk) hates [[gay rights|gays]] (8:43 PM EST).  So does Alan Keyes, [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/17/opinion/17savage.html?ex=1266382800&en=cef96f6f0e465d66&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland who has a gay daughter].  [[Same-sex marriage|Gay families]] are unnatural, apparently.  Why?  Because they're not procreative.  So, unless you're having babies, you better get a [[divorce]].
#Why is the [[United States Army|American Army]] the best around?  Well, because we don't have gays.  They also will pollute the [[Boy Scouts]] (two [[user:AmesG|RationalWiki]] [[User:Javascap|editors]] feel like handing in their Eagle Scout badge right about now) (8:46 PM EST).  Also, as Ron Paul notes, gays are "forcing themselves on us," as is anyone who partakes of [[affirmative action]] (8:47 PM EST).
#Also, Brownback thinks that [[hate crime]] laws will prevent him from "speaking his mind" about how evil homosexuals are.  Apparently, "speaking his mind" means criminal activity...? (8:48 PM EST).
#[[Homosexuality]] = [[Bestiality]].  So Sayeth John Cox (8:49 PM EST).
#Huckabee thinks that the concept of the [[Heterosexuality|heterosexual]] family unit is zero-sum with the same-sex family unit.  So every time a man kisses a man, or a [[woman]] a woman, a husband and wife divorce (?) (8:51 PM EST).
#Between 8:51 and 8:59 PM EST: [[multiculturalism]] is destroying America.  Judges who outlaw [[school prayer]] should be impeached.  No federal funding should go to anyone who grants an abortion or encourages it.
#Most of 9:00 through 9:16 PM EST consisted of softballs, "would you have saved [[Terri Schiavo]]," etc. ...which you'll be surprised to know is still an issue.
#Embryos are [[human]], and if you disagree that embryos deserve the same protection, well, then you hate 2-year old adorable babies (9:19 PM EST).
#EVERY SINGLE "Values Voter" candidate believes that [[intelligent design]] advocates who are denied tenure face this result because of discrimination; not bad [[science]].  See our full article [[Intelligent design and academic freedom|here]] (9:20 PM EST).
#A "formerly" gay man talks about his dedication to his lovely wife Irene (who probably ain't gettin' any).  ALL Values Voter candidates would close schools that teach that being gay is okay... thus supporting [[bigotry]], hatred, and misunderstanding.  We dissect reparative therapy - or at least [[Conservapedia]]'s treatment of it - [[Reparative therapy|here]].  All values voters also support abstinence-only programs, which are dissected [[abstinence programs|here]] (9:20-23 PM EST).
#All Values Voter candidates would also give the green light to discriminating against homosexuals.  Too bad this would run afoul of [[Romer v. Evans]] (9:25 PM EST).

...and the beat goes on.

==See also==
*[[Mike Huckabee]]
*[[W. Mitt Romney|Mitt Romney]]
*[[Sam Brownback]]
*[[Values Voter Summit]]
[[Category:2008 US Presidential Election]]

Categories: 2008 US Presidential Election