Dobson On The Elections: The GOP "Ignored" Our Values
From the AP [thanks JDR]
Conservative Christian leader James Dobson accused the Republican Party of abandoning values voters in the midterm elections — and paying the price by losing control of Congress. "What did they do with their power?" Dobson said in a statement. "Very little that values voters care about."Finger-pointing abounded in the days after Democrats seized control of Congress after 12 years in the minority. Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, issued a statement railing against the Republicans for letting their majorities slip away.
"They consistently ignored the constituency that put them in power until it was late in the game, and then frantically tried to catch up at the last minute," said Dobson, who argued that religious conservatives ensured GOP wins in 2004.
Dobson also criticized other conservatives, including former Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas — an architect of the 1994 GOP House takeover — for complaining recently that the religious right was "too involved" with the party.
"Without the support of that specific constituency, John Kerry would be president and the Republicans would have fallen into a black hole in '04," Dobson said. "In fact, that is where they are headed if they continue to abandon their pro-moral, pro-family and pro-life base. The big tent will turn into a three-ring circus."
Dobson said he had predicted in 2004 that Republicans might squander their opportunity and pay the price in future elections.
"Sadly for conservatives, that in large measure explains what happened on Tuesday night," he said. "Many of the values voters of '04 simply stayed at home this year."
Bill McCartney
