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As long as a religion rests upon those sentiments which are the consolation of all affliction, it may attract the affections of mankind. But if it be mixed up with the bitter passions of the world, it may be constrained to defend allies whom its interests, and not the principle of love, have given to it. - Alexis De Tocqueville

November 11, 2004

Frank Rich quells social conservative agenda hype

Frank Rich makes a great point - America is no stranger to Republican-spearheaded symbolic wedge issues in election years, only to see those issues die cold lonely deaths in election-year winters. While it's true that their most useful function for Republicans is as Democratic tar-pits, Rich may be giving Bush too much credit. Even as Kevin Drum points out that Bush's first verbally stated initiatives have nothing to do with a social-conservative agenda, it seems clear that the line has moved somewhat. I mean, Tom Coburn is closer to a moderate Fred Phelps than a moderate Republican and would never have ascended to a Senate seat in a less divisive environment. And no, Newt is Chomskyesque next to Coburn. Even scarier than the headline grabbing Coburn is South Carolina's Jim DeMint, who is a member of the "The Fellowship" DC insider jebus-cult, best known for their sponsorship of the "National Prayer Breakfast". So while I appreciate Rich's tempering of the current hypewave, I'm less quick to shove my fear of a nationally supported evangelical agenda away in a corner for four years, for the simple reason that for the first time, we have a president who listens to these lunatics with an unjaundiced and uncynical ear.