You know, I think that advice such as that offered today by in the WaPo sucks the big wazoo. First of all, Democrats do not need a class in remedial religion. Every prominent Democrat in America is a member of one of the two main Abrahamic cults. Democrats, by and large, understand, as Michael Gerson, Republicans, Xianists, and (and, sadly, perhaps Obama) do not, that religion has no place in politics nor our government. So fuck off with your insinuation that Democrats need a remedial class in religion. The assholes who are destroying America need a remedial class in our Constitution.
Second, the true pity is that an aethist, or a Wiccan, or a Moslem could not give her version of Hilaire Belloc's speech in America today and have any hope of being elected.
But the bullshit goes beyond that.
Survey research shows that evangelicals under 30 tend to be more concerned about the environment than are their elders, more engaged in international issues such as HIV-AIDS, a little more open on homosexual rights and less attached to the religious right. This should provide an opening for Democrats. But there is evidence, according to Green, that young evangelicals are as conservative on abortion as their parents and grandparents, if not more so. . . . Democrats should emphasize common-ground issues that credit the moral concerns of religious conservatives while calming the waves of the culture wars -- such as confronting the toxic excesses of popular culture, encouraging character and discipline in public schools, and promoting religious liberty abroad. Obama's speech showed little creativity on such matters.
No, Michael Gerson, government should not be involved in deciding what constitutes nor in "confronting" (aka passing laws against, which is all tht government can do) "toxic excesses of popular culture." I dislike most of what's on tv, for example. So I don't watch it. No government intervention is needed. It's too easy for government to decide that, for example, criticizing the government or rejecting patriarchial views about sex constitute "toxic excesses of popular culture."
Further, here's a clue. Fundie whackjobs who "are as conservative on abortion as their parents and grandparents, if not more so" are not going to vote for Republican-lite. Not. Going. To. Happen. Know why? For the same reason that I'm not going to vote for a Republican who makes a few encouragin noises about the environment. Because I really care about the envirnoment and i want an Al Gore in office, not a Christie Todd Whitman. And, you can see what happens when Democrats follow this kind of putrid advice. Obama's speech showed little creativity on such matters. Obama gave his speech at a liberal church, not at a whackjob church. Obama didn't go far enough, blah, blah, blah.
I like Obama and I'd love to see an African American president. But he's listening to idiots on this issue of strategy. Obama, I'm glad you've got a religion that feeds your soul. So do I. Neither of us need to be dragging it into government.
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