The Republicans want to make the presidential race about values, which they define as returning the nation to Victorian morality, laissez faire economics and a heavy dose of conservative Christian theology.

As Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich compete for conservative Republican votes, they have subjected us to rehashing long-settled issues, such as contraception, abortion and in Santorum’s case, separation of church and state, stay-at-home moms and the worth of higher education.