Religious Right Power In Washington Greatly Diminished?
18 November 2008 by Stardust
Americans United for Separation of Church and State says it is. However, liberals are going to need to pay more attention to politics at the state and local levels where the Religious Right may still hold much influence:
Watchdog Group’s Election Analysis Suggests Religious Right May Target State And Local Government For Next Advances
The Religious Right’s access to power in Washington, D.C., has been seriously diminished, but its divisive influence at the state and local level remains deeply problematic, according to an election analysis by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
“Religious Right forces did everything in their power to demonize Barack Obama and maintain their influence in the White House,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “but it didn’t work. The majority of white evangelicals voted predictably Republican, but most other Americans ignored the Religious Right’s shrill and partisan message.”
*snip*
Lynn, however, said he deplores the Religious Right’s continuing baleful influence at the state and local level. The movement engineered anti-gay measures and restrictions on reproductive rights onto many state ballots.
*snip*
Lynn said the Religious Right is likely to increase its activity at the state and local level, now that advances in Washington will be harder to obtain.
“The Religious Right is not dead,” concluded Lynn, “but I’m happy that most Americans seem very wary of the movement’s reckless merger of religion and politics. Those of us who value church-state separation must remain on the alert to counter the Religious Right’s next gambit.”
I am guilty of not paying as much attention as I should to politics at our local and state levels. Most of the time the flyers and things we get hanging on the door knob or in the mail don’t even say what party the candidate is affiliated with. I think it’s important that we pay as much attention to the local level candidates beliefs and where they stand on issues as we do for the presidential candidates, maybe even moreso.
18 November 2008, on 3:14 pm
But their legacy lives on. Remember, 5 of the 9 members of the Supreme Court are Roman Catholic. It is very possible they will all serve for the next 12 to 16 years.
18 November 2008, on 4:27 pm
They definitely seem to be putting all of their eggs in the gay marriage basket right now.
18 November 2008, on 4:44 pm
Local politics are VERY important…not only is your individual vote given a much greater weight (as a percentage of the total), but it’s at the local level that power is most abusable, such as in the school system, law enforcement, etc.
18 November 2008, on 8:26 pm
Agreed; we can’t let Pennsylvania Avenue distract us from Main Street.
18 November 2008, on 8:36 pm
The religious left’s power has been greatly enhanced. Gaia, heal thyself!
19 November 2008, on 1:04 am
Religious left? Sure, plenty of people on the left have some kind of religious beliefs, but they have nowhere near the same level of unity or influence on the Democratic party that the religious right has exercised over the Republican party.
19 November 2008, on 11:57 am
The “religious left” are sort of like country clubbers. They use their church for meeting others for business contacts, or to appear to be doing the right thing…Mr All-American. When have we ever seen a liberal speaking in tongues, speaking about the end of times, telling others they better jump on the Jesus Wagon and all that other baloney?
Ohama goes to the gym every Sunday. He rarely went to church before he ran for president, but if he is not deeply religious, he did a bang up job sounding religious enough to get the vote of those to whom that crap matters.
I am hoping he does not give in to the religious vultures and never gives them an answer except that he prefers not to answer that personal question. That would be so refreshing.
20 November 2008, on 3:14 am
“Evangelist” does not necessarily equal “Right Wing”. Both Clinton and Carter called themselves ‘evangelical’. And prior to LBJ, the Bible Belt was pretty reliably Democratic. But because Republicans have taken up the banner of Anti-abortion and Anti-gay marriage, they are able to get Evangelicals to turn to them in droves. Take away the wedge issues, and you’ll see Evangelicals have little to no reason to vote with the Right.
20 November 2008, on 10:39 am
There are actually a lot of genuinely religious people on the left, but the difference is that BECAUSE they’re on the left, they also value things like personal liberty, social justice, equality, etc. Think UU vs. Southern Baptist.
I’ll take a religious leftist over a religious rightist any day. Superstitions I can handle; heck, I knock on wood. Having someone shove their superstitions down my throat or tell my kids they’re going to hell? No thanks.