Turning the moralists to malcontents

The moral values crowd is apparently upset at President Bush and ruling Congressional Republicans for failing to take up its policy torches and pitchforks by constitutionally banning gay marriage, further restricting abortion or increasing penalties for obscenity–they're even talking cutting them off at the ballot box come November as passive-aggressive punishment:

"There is a growing feeling among conservatives that the only way to cure the problem is for Republicans to lose the Congressional elections this fall," said Richard Viguerie, a conservative direct-mail pioneer.

I doubt that will cure their problem (as one hopes Democrats are still sane enough not to listen to them either), but it just might cure everyone else's by tossing these nutjobs out of the major-party policy debate and keep them preaching to their peanut galleries where they belong.

For if many had their way, the Federal Marriage Amendment would have gotten as much elite attention as the medicare drug plan or the president's stab at social security reform–because obviously, banning gay marriage is far, far more important to a greater number of people in this country than health care or, you know, being able to afford basic necessities.

I think these folks are due for a reminder (and what luck!) that this notion of them delivering Bush the 2004 election on the "values vote" is a myth–it was based on an after-the-fact, vote-rationalizing opinion poll, and if you look at simple facts, you'll find values issues didn't turn out new voters more than any other set of issues.

But still, staying home on election day is a fine strategy–at least then social conservatives will have no beholden avenue through which to project their delusions of power and wisdom beyond themselves.