Recently, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor framed the election this way:

“This election is going to determine whether or not the very moral fabric of our nation will be upheld, or whether it will be torn apart”.

In a year when evangelicals have been muted from the lack of a prominent republican with strong religious ties, morality has not been used as a bludgeon across the heads of Dems. Perception is often merely an uncorrected truth as is with the morality argument implies democrats are less religious than republicans.

The last decade brought evangelicals out in droves with the departure of the Clintons from The White House following the years of presidential scandal in the Oval. The rise of Christian Conservatism was used to twist every domestic policy against liberals during The Bush II presidency.

The absence this election cycle is the one demographic missing in action (MIA) that typically carries the water for conservatives. What’s different this year? The GOP Primary served as a shot in the foot of each potential candidate who would have enjoyed the army of Christian foot soldiers ready to mobilize against Obama and his late stance on same sex marriage.

The Primary pitted one evangelical against another pushing them all further and further right of their own party platform causing even middle class conservative voters to worry were they too extreme leaving an opening for Romney, a Mormon, to find a niche for his moderate religious tone to rise and float.

The likes of former Pennsylvania Senator, Rick Santorum, a Catholic, even framed his candidacy as a Christian Conservative positioning himself to the right of everyone, hung around longer than most before conceding to Romney. To bow out to Romney was more a religious challenge and defeat considering most had not believed the Mormon faith was not legitimate. Yet, they all fell at the foot of Romney’s Mormonism.

With that said, where are the “Focus On The Family” conservatives, where are the Pat Robertsons’ of the right this year? Where are the PACs financed by the former Bush supporters who were known as his Rangers, responsible for individually bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars? In fact, where are all the Bush clan loyalist who could direct fortunes and profiles to the GOP nominee?

Morality has not registered on any ticker of any poll conducted this election cycle. In fact, any mention of a morality argument has been met with a muted response by both flanks of the political spectrum. History has a short memory. Who would have thought, Former President Bill Clinton would be the savior of the Obama mantle and single handedly carry the Democratic Convention on his back this year? “…moral fabric…” Mr. Cantor? Morality is not on the radar.

Republicans have bet the election on the economy, and on Sunday, the Boston Headquarters admitted that course is a dead end. Democrats have focused protecting social entitlements in the face of a weakened economy as a way to keep from talking about the unemployed, not to mention the unemployable.

The jury is still out on whether the republican’s bet on the economy as the sole line of attack initially was the best approach to their path of victory. The costs however are already mounting considering the party ceded defense and foreign policy to President Obama and the democrats, areas long dominated by conservatives.

First Lady, Michelle Obama has carved out a military following with her focus on military families during a time when Americans are war weary and exhausted with the costs each service member’s family pays for the absence of their loved ones. These concessions may serve as a nail in the republicans’ messaging coffin.

Because there is no religious standard bearer at the top of either ticket, evangelicals have had to hold their nose and speak with gritted teeth as they profess their selection of Romney. Republicans have poorly replaced their weapons of morality with an irrelevant view about “religious freedoms” as if democrats have spoke against freedom of religion.

The polls that track American’s enthusiasm are finding that republicans are simply against Obama as opposed to being for Romney which is why when polls show the gap widening in favor of Obama, republicans become more concerned.

The rationale is this, Obama’s base is waking up following the conventions and Labor Day as expected which has caused a significant, solid bounce out of the gate for the President while Romney has seen nothing greater than a 2% adjustment, yet not found in enthusiasm. The polls are consistently showing Romney’s support is more about being the Un-Cola (anti-Obama and less Classic Coke (pro-Romney).

Recently, VP candidate Ryan appeared at the Values Voters Summit Conference in the nation’s capital this past weekend, but it served as one the few events trumpeted as a morality based event by conservatives still looking to convince evangelicals into Romney’s corner of the ring. House Leader Cantor is looking to help anyway possible, even by attempting to reintroduce morality into this election as often as Romney has been reintroduced to voters. That’s my story and um sticking to it.

PoliticianNextDoor.com
Antron Johnson