538 good read "More And More Americans Aren't Religious. Why Are Democrats Ignoring These Voters?"

[NRaleighLiberal]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/more-and-more-americans-arent-religious-why-are-democrats-ignoring-these-voters/

Democrats are once again doubling down on religion this year. Faith was on full display during the Democratic National Convention, where Joe Biden closed out the week with several pointed references to his Catholic faith. And the Biden campaign is also making an ambitious play for white evangelical Protestants and Mormons, two loyal Republican groups where Democrats hope to make some inroads.

Often lost in this, though, is the fact that Democrats are mostly ignoring a massive group of voters who are becoming an increasingly crucial part of their base: people who don’t have any religion at all.

Right now, voters with no religious affiliation look like they might back Biden in record numbers. According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in early August, 72 percent of nonreligious voters — a group that includes people who identify as atheists, agnostics and nothing in particular — are planning to support Biden. That’s 4 percentage points higher than the 68 percent who supported Hillary Clinton in 2016. And that’s a big deal, because despite being frequently overlooked, nonreligious people make up a sizable part of the electorate. An analysis of validated voters by Pew found that religiously unaffiliated voters accounted for one-quarter of the electorate in 2016, and 30 percent in 2018.

The unaffiliated are a key demographic for Democratic candidates in particular. More than one-third of the people who voted for Clinton in 2016 were religiously unaffiliated, making them just as electorally important for Democrats as white evangelical Protestants are for Republicans. Yet despite constantly hearing about the importance of white evangelical voters in an election cycle, Democratic politicians have been slow to embrace the growing number of nonreligious people who vote for them. Why?

snip

[stopbush]

1. Nones are already backing Biden without the need for special pleading.

This gives Biden the room to go after constituencies who do require special pleading and the stroking of their fragile, make-believe-induced egos, like the Christians.

[Mariana]

12. Yes. The overwhelming majority of "nones" voted for Clinton in 2016.

Also, the overwhelming majority of non-Christian religious people voted for Clinton in 2016. The majority of Christians voted for Trump.

[Claire Oh Nette]

2. Non Religious folks don't require specific religious pandering?

Voters with no religious affiliation don't really focus on the religious nonsense that gets badied about in election years. I'd argue that the 1/3 religiously unaffiliated Clinton voters are not paying a whole lot of attention to the noise.

Yet despite constantly hearing about the importance of white evangelical voters in an election cycle, Democratic politicians have been slow to embrace the growing number of nonreligious people who vote for them. Why?

Democratic politicians embraced the things I value a long time ago, so they already had me at "separation of Church and State." So there's that.

What a crock of shit designed to sow discord.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. all media wants the horse race, yes?

[JI7]

11. Exactly, It seems part of the Lazy clickbait articles that come out these days

[Sympthsical]

4. What, exactly, are they supposed to do to cater to us?

I'm an agnostic, and I'm not sure what a Democratic candidate is supposed to do about that. I mean, the line between the parties regarding who has a boner for theocracy and who does not is pretty crystal clear. I don't think anyone is unaware of it.

I'm all for listening to answers to this question, but it's never crossed my mind that a candidate needs to say anything to me about it.

[Claire Oh Nette]

19. Kennedy...

I don't think candidates' religious preferences became much of an issue until Kennedy, and the nonsense that he'd be beholden to the Pope. Recycled Papist fear of a century prior.


Nixon? Carter? Reagan? Not overtly religious, although Carter is my kind of Christian--walks the walk, doesn't run his mouth. If you have to tell me you're the MVP, you're probably not.

Not until GWB.

How do you pander to an absence of religious faith?

I wonder if we wouldn't be better served with three parties (oh, please, ph please, oh please let this election break the GOP) who must form coalitions, a la a parliamentary system.

[Sympthsical]

22. Our system just isn't designed for it, unfortunately

I don't think anyone worries about Biden's Catholicism because he's pro-choice and has threaded that needle for a long time. He's religious, but he doesn't impose it in policy. I always forget he does that Catholic thing. Just doesn't register.

But I'm with you on your question. How should the irreligious be pandered to? Biden's already made clear his religion wouldn't dictate his governance. I mean, what else is needed to be said there?

[myccrider]

29. +1000 re "what else is needed to be said there"

I’m an atheist. I’m also a voter who asseses policy and history and morals and ethics when it comes to my vote. I don’t need to be wooed by someone catering to my atheism, whatever that would even look like. Uphold the separation of church and state and my atheism is "pandered" to enough.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

25. Actually, it was always understood that a Catholic could not possibly become President.

When Al Smith ran for President in 1928, his Catholicism was an issue. And when he lost, it was assumed no Catholic could ever become President. I'm not sure any Catholic even ran between then and 1960.

[JI7]

5. I'm not religious and don't need to be reached out in some special way. I know Biden supports

separation of church and state and that is what matters to me. But many religious people support this also.

In fact one of the good things about not being religious is that it doesn't take up my time and it's not something I really have to think about .

[Buckeye_Democrat]

6. I just rolled my eyes and tolerated it during the convention.

I'm used to it in this country... with previous polling that indicated atheism would be the most unfavored trait for a Presidential candidate. Worse than any skin color, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

(Sigh.)

[JI7]

7. Tolerated what during the convention ? I'm not religious but don't have a problem with others being

religious as long as I'm not forced to participate .

Although I do like some things associated with religion like holiday celebrations and music .

[Buckeye_Democrat]

8. Tolerated the prayers to an invisible, magic entity.

As I already wrote, I tolerated it despite how I think it's crazy. A schizophrenic makes about as much sense to me.

[JI7]

10. I'm not into it and don't participate in prayer but it doesn't bother me if others want to do it

[Buckeye_Democrat]

13. Sure, they can do what they want.

I'd personally be more comfortable to not even see it, the way some Scandinavian countries treat public displays of it.

I don't go out in public (besides here) and promote non-religion either.

[JI7]

14. I actually enjoy listening to some of the music. There is a Jewish one that happens

every year near where I work and they invite everyone (it's held outside at the beach) . I like hearing the music .

I also found it interesting to hear the Islamic call to prayer when I travelled some years ago .

And there are many good religious people like Jimmy Carter .

The problem with religion to me comes when it's used as justification for public policy or people are forced to practice it.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

15. Sure, there's some pleasant cultural stuff with it.

I'm well-aware that religious ideas have been around since at least the dawn of civilization, so I don't even bother to fight that type of thinking. Unless, like for you, those people try to impose their mystical thinking on others.

[The Magistrate]

9. A Good Portion Of The Irreligious, Sir

Are so in reaction to vivious excesses of fundamentalist and evangelist and Catholic Christianity. Allegiance to a political party that actually empowers such excesses is unthinkable, opposition to such a party is essential, and in our polity such opposition requires supporting the Democratic Party and voting its nominees into office.

[beachbumbob]

16. being religious or not will not be a motivting force to vote for Biden, nor a need to "reach out" as

the issues are so glaring that we face on so many levels are way more critical

[FormerDittoHead]

17. Can't address the "non-religious" without deeply offending the very religious...

The best thing is to guarantee the right to practice religion in the way of your choosing, without the gov't putting its thumb on the scale to favor any one religion / creed.

I believe many people who count themselves as "religious" and even those who go to church do so as more a part of a social experience rather than a deep belief that the universe started 7,000 years ago and that the crackers they're eating are literally the body of Christ.

Many "religious" people look upon atheists / agnostics as threatening their *rights* to believe as they wish. (of course, many don't "understand" how atheists can be "moral" people)

In any case, as a deist, I manage to get along with many religious people and I respect their polite observance of their myths and totems.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

20. I suppose that I could be considered a deist.

I'd just need to rename the laws of nature as God, to be appreciated by trying to better understand them and also being thankful for their HONESTY.

Well, probabilistic in the quantum world... but still with honest predictability.

[FakeNoose]

18. Honestly, I don't see this as an issue

The Democratic Party is using their energies to hold up the tent flaps for those who will enter. There's no need to create divisions where none exist, and this would be one of them.

The non-religious voters, as well as the anti-religious voters, who choose to vote blue surely understand that our Party's wooing of Christian voters does not in any way exclude THEM. We all have our eyes on the prize, which is getting Chump out of the White House, turning the Senate blue, getting the good guys in control, and getting this country back on the right track.

[Earthshine2]

21. Atheists for Biden!

People's religiousness doesn't bother me as long as they are sincere.

Some people use their religion to be better people.

Biden is the real deal.

Other types use religion to judge, control, or deceive others.

[Klaralven]

23. "Paris vaut bien une messe" - "Paris is well worth a mass" - Henry IV of France

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_IV_of_France

[no_hypocrisy]

24. Trump has already shot his load regarding anyone

not an Evangelical (like him).

Joe Biden hates God. Joe Biden will close churches. Jesus has blocked Joe Biden on Facebook.

I don’t believe Joe has to do more than to support the Establishment Clause.

[betsuni]

26. Oh, everybody moans about Democrats ignoring them.

Media/pundits/some politicians tell them so. If Democrats aren't ignoring, they're pandering. Whatever.

[treestar]

28. +1

Trying to create a horse race.

Last night Brian Williams had this guy on moaning that Biden/Democrats are not making enough of their advantage from Dotard's horrendous handling of the coronavirus! What exactly are they not doing that they should? Had no answer to that, of course.

[Leith]

27. I agree with most of the opinions already posted here

The reasons that I won't look askance at Biden for his religious faith and his talking about it are:

1. I'm used to expressions of religion every time I go out. I'm not going to get sensitive about it now.
2. VP Biden has to discuss it or get politically punched.
3. The Democratic Party is not going to violate the Constitution and force me to attend church or list a religion on paperwork. I don't have that same confidence with rethugs.
4. VP Biden has publicly declared that he will use science and listen to scientific advice.

I probably have dozens more reasons, but the main reason is Reason.

[lindysalsagal]

30. "Nones" are already thinking, reading, and understanding that dems are more civil. Period.

The GOP used to own much of the "common sense" and "conventional thinking" real estate in this country. That's all shot to hell.