Moral issues are economic issues

Well, the convention has come and gone. I think there is enough commentary about it on this site and others, so I don’t have to tell you what happened. Really though, it was like watching a live soap opera. The drama!

However, I will talk about what really is the crux of the problem between social conservatives and the moderates/economic conservatives. You see, social conservatives realize that without a strong moral foundation this country will always be enslaved to spending on big government social programs. Governor Huckabee detailed this in length in his speech to the GOP convention on Saturday. Steve Deace talks about this on his radio show.  They both make this connection more eloquently than I ever could. I’ll describe as succinctly as possible below.

In social science research papers the last section is called a “discussion” where essentially the author puts forth policy recommendations to “cure” whatever social problem was researched in the paper. Similarly, policy analysts within the government and within private research organizations make similar recommendations to social problems. Elected officials often follow these recommendations when forming public policy. You know what? These policy recommendations are just band-aids to these problems.  High rates of teen pregnancy and unprotected sex? Just put more money in sex education, start sex education earlier, and of course expand access to contraceptives. High poverty rates? Increase welfare spending. High child poverty rates? Increase federal funding for child care. High dropout rates? Increase education funding. And the list goes on and on.

The problem is that these “cures” really do not go to the heart of the problem. And no, tax cuts and returning power to the states are not going to solve these problems either (ahem, I’m speaking to you “economic conservatives”).  What does cure these problems? Families which form the bedrock of a strong society. Families that value life, marriage, and faith. Families that contribute to their schools and communities. Families that teach their children between right and wrong. Families that live independently without government interference. And by families, I mean a mom, dad, and kids.

You cannot separate moral issues and economic issues. Until the moderates in the GOP realize this, there will never be cohesion among that much revered “three leg stool of the GOP”. As a final note, the other two legs of the stool forget the leg that actually uses their legs to organize themselves and get things done on the ground. Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush would never have been elected without social conservatives. PERIOD. The Republican Party would cease to exist without social conservatives. John McCain and the GOP are going to learn the hard way in November about what happens when you throw the social conservatives under the bus and folks it ain’t going to be pretty.