I have argued that on balance, the influence of the religious right probably cost the Republican ticket more than it helped it.
But I have to say, religious conservatives are now being scapegoated in an almost grotesque way.
Kathleen Parker, a conservative who gained noteriety for criticizing Sarah Palin during the campaign, wrote this week that "the evangelical, right-wing, oogedy-boogedy branch of the GOP is what ails the erstwhile conservative party and will continue to afflict and marginalize its constituents if reckoning doesn't soon cometh."
Ooogedy-boogedy?
The rest of the column engages in gross stereotyping of religious conservatives. The party is "increasingly beholden to an element that used to be relegated to wooden crates on street corners" and has surrendered "high ground to its lowest brows."
So, religious conservatives are crazy, dumb and scary, says Parker.
Meanwhile, Christine Todd Whitman referred to the "social fundamentalists" as "hostage takers."
Remember when David Kuo wrote that inside the White House the non-evangelical conservatives mocked Christians as useful stooges? Maybe he should have said Useful Ooogedy-Boogedies.
Look, I think it was politically unwise for the Republican Party to lean so heavily in this direction (for reasons I lay out here) but it's not because these voters are crazy or dumb -- they're not. They're smart, committed people who happen to hold conservative views. It seems odd to mock them because they had the audacity to actually vote their values.
If Republican leaders listened too much to one group, it's not the fault of those voters, it's the fault of the leaders.
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They aren't dumb or crazy? Then why do they do such a marvelous imitation of being dumb or crazy?
Parker has been one of the most acute conservatives reviewing the GOP and its recent elections performance, or more accurately non performance.
Again Parker is dead on in her critique. She is incredibly articulate in contrast the recent GOP campaign messages. Most notable is her observation: "the Republican Party -- and conservatism with it -- eventually will die out unless religion is returned to the privacy of one's heart where it belongs." This shoots a arrow straight to the heart of a fundamental American notion, and once a conservative notion, that religious rights are aligned with privacy rights - Religion is a private affair and we have no right to infringe on others' privacy about their faith. What comes between you, your maker and your conscience should remain outside of debate in public forums of governance.
But they didnt vote their values. They voted for a party that pretends to support those values, then carries out policies that most people disagree with.
Steve
"oogedy-boogedy"__
That is the perfect description of Hagee, Bob Jones, and now, Dobson. oogedy-boogedy lets pray for a storm in Denver to wipe of the Democrat convention. oogedy-boogedy -Obama will ban Boy Scouts by 2012. oogedy-boogedy Obama is the anti christ. oogedy-boogedy -Obama is anti semite. Could go on and on with the oogedy-boogedy talk! Waldman, get your head out of the sand on how bad the typical Christian right is. It is the essence of oogedy-boogedy! Sometime, they might decide to follow Jesus. But right now-their idol is oogedy-boogedy power.
Hi,
Nice Post. I read a lot of posts in this blog and found them very useful & interesting .
Regards,
Thomas Adora
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