I have watched for years as “values voters” have criticized public figures for being “not Christian enough”, unmarried, divorced, openly sexual, or gay. The same people have assailed candidates who do not support our military, our intelligence agencies, and our allies.

There seemed to be a logical disconnect between these “values” and conservative policies. How can the party of pro-life care so little about what happens to a child once born, about AIDS babies in Africa, about gun violence at home, or about killing people in the name of the state? But I understand that beliefs are a clannish thing, and people tend to adopt views of those they see as similar people, often without thinking about them. I could justify to myself that “values voters” truly were acting based upon a combination of Christian and what they say as “traditional American” values.

Then Trump came along.

A man affiliated with the white-supremacist alt-right rises to the nomination and then Presidency by selling hate and xenophobia. Many “values voters” were cheering him on, making excuses for him, and shouting hate-filled slogans at his rallies. When the election came, generally, they voted for Trump.

Trump is a man that has been married three times, committed adultery multiple times, has been divorced twice, treats his wife like property, gropes women, talks about women as sex objects, says he would like to have sex with his own daughter, has a stack of sexual harassment charges. Until nominated, he did not attend church regularly, and the church he claimed to attend said he was “not an active member”.

I don’t care about the divorce or the church attendance, and I don’t think those things should matter for public figures, but “values voters” do! They have skewered politicians for not being Christian enough. Apparently, being divorced is only against “values” if the person is liberal. Apparently church attendance only matters for liberal candidates.

We should all care about the objectification, harassment, and sexual assault of women; but religious voters who slut-shame women for their sexuality and are so against open or casual sex that they try to take access to birth control away from women, they should care. Is it somehow immoral for a woman to be sexual, but completely okay for a man to not just treat woman as sex objects but give them unwanted sexual attention?

The hypocrisy is beyond disturbing. It is disgusting. It is not the behavior of a “moral” group of people.

Then Trump started his Presidency by lying to the public and calling journalists who presented the truth “fake news”. In the month since his inauguration, he has made an all-out attack on the legitimacy or the press and the courts. A free press and checks-and-balances are requirements for a democracy, and undermining the press is the first action of dictators and tyrants.

And then there is Russia. After seventy years of conservatives using Russia as a bogey-man, in a time when Russia is invading sovereign nations and becoming more imperialistic, very real suspicions surface that Trump and his administration may have ties to, may have colluded with, or may be being blackmailed by the Russians. Concerns should be amplified by the fact that Trump seems to be a fan of Putin, has implied he will not support our European allies, and has publicly insulted the US in defense of Putin.

If a liberal did these things, conservatives including “values voters” would be up in arms for investigation and impeachment. But nothing! The Republican legislature refuses to investigate him, and conservatives – “values voters” included – make excuses rather than act. This could be treason. This could be treason that puts America and its allies at risk. If you think Trump is innocent, there is no reason not to investigate. If you think he is guilty, then be the patriots you claim to be and stand up for the good of the country. You will still have a conservative President. If Trump is impeached and Pence is also implicated, Paul Ryan will be next in line for the Presidency.

Through all of this, “values voters” have stood up for none of the moral or national values they have traditionally stood for.

The truth is, supposed “values voters” care more about having someone that appears to stand for policies they like than someone who is a decent person, moral, Christian, or even good for America. They will stand by someone who is attacking fundamental institutions of democracy, so long as they think he will put prayer in public schools or outlaw abortion.

“Values voters” have lost all claim to moral superiority. If you are a Christian conservative, you should be outraged, not playing apologetics. Stand up and take back conservatism. We can disagree on abortion or gay marriage and still put the well-being of our country above our squabbles. Trump’s now ironic phrase, “America First” is a good standard. Put the good of our country (and indeed the West as a whole) before your party or your religion. You can stand up for your morals, without sacrificing everything else that has made America great.