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November's presidential election has become a values tug of war. Democratic Sen. John Kerry hardly evokes the typical "I Vote Values" crowd, but in July he explained his campaign this way: "In the end, it's about values." He is using values to change his public image just as President Bush used compassion in 2000.

That both candidates are appealing to values should be encouraging to evangelicals. With up to 40 percent of the American population, evangelicals are in every region and both major parties. Granted, 80 percent of evangelicals voted for Bush in 2000, but up to 4 million didn't bother to vote at all.

Values matter deeply to all Christians, but not just any values. The National Association of Evangelicals' recent draft commentary on civic responsibility advises Christians "to vote to communicate biblical values to their government representatives." The modifier makes all the difference. With that in mind, here are six areas of urgent concern:

We must not sacrifice human rights—especially religious freedom—on the altar of security. Free expression of faith is not uniquely American, but is enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. It should have a hallowed place in the laws of every nation.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, the Muslim majority seeks to create an Islamic state. But as we've seen in Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Sudan, repressive interpretations of Shari'ah law deny religious freedom for minorities. America's leaders should fully affirm the central place of religious freedom in our foreign policy.

The Bush administration's roadmap to peace in the Middle East holds much promise for a durable settlement. The winner of the November election should walk alongside Israel as it follows through on its commitment to withdraw from Gaza. At the same time, the next President should assist the Palestinian Authority in eliminating terrorist cells, rampant internal corruption, and its own human-rights abuses.

Nothing will stifle militant Islam like a viable, independent Palestine living peacefully next to its Israeli neighbor.

The Bible makes clear a society's responsibility to care for its poor. As the NAE statement points out, "God measures societies by how they treat the people at the bottom." Access to affordable health care must become a higher priority in Washington.

Kerry makes the compelling case that all Americans deserve access to the health insurance that's available to members of Congress. The Bush administration's addition of a prescription drug benefit to Medicare is a step forward. But beyond President Bush's efforts to shield doctors from frivolous malpractice suits, his achievements and plans on the health-care front have been too slow and not ambitious enough.

Some 40 million Americans lack health insurance. Both parties must persist in finding a viable way to br /idge this gap, while safeguarding the market forces that stimulate innovation and economy.

In 2003, Bush pledged $15 billion for the HIV/AIDS fight during the following five years. But the President will need to ramp up spending sharply to meet that goal. More alarmingly, however, by next year we will have treated only 200,000 patients—far short of the goal of 2 million.

Treatment alone will not defeat HIV. Abstinence and behavior change will save countless lives. Kerry proposes doubling U.S. spending against HIV/AIDS to $30 billion. Half that money would be earmarked for the controversial Global Fund. Unfortunately, the Global Fund's advocacy for needle and condom distribution is ineffective against the global spread of HIV. It militates against public policies designed to save families.

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September 2004, Vol. 48, No. 9