US Christian right may bolt Republicans -- or just not vote

[Kadie]

US Christian right may bolt Republicans -- or just not vote
by Virginie Montet
17 minutes ago


WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US religious right that President George W. Bush calls "my base" of support is leery of scandals and unkept Republican promises and could be crucial in next week's legislative voting.

A recent poll showed that just 42 percent of evangelical Protestants agreed with the statement: "The Republican Party governs in an honest and ethical way."

Scott Keeter, of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, said the October Pew poll showed an erosion of support, from 55 percent in January.

"It hurts the party but it doesn't look like a meltdown until now," he said.

snip...
"The most important unknown in the final weeks of the 2006 election campaign is how motivated evangelicals will be to turn out to vote," said the Pew report of the poll numbers.

While 57 percent of evangelicals polled said they would vote for Republican candidates on Tuesday, prior to the 2002 legislative elections, 68 percent had favored the party, Pew said.

more....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061104/ts_alt_afp/usvotereligion_061104165650;_ylt=AvmBIFQLPZK1F72pPCqk.lYFO7gF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGVna3NhBHNlYwNzc3JlbA--

[Old and In the Way]

1. Haggard's expose ain't gonna help.

They'll be a lot of political pep rallies in evangelical churches this weekend, telling the flock to forget the Haggard affair, but I think there will be many who won't be doing any GOTV and a good % won't even bother showing up.

[Nite Owl]

2. Not pandering to their 'base'

is part of the reason that they blamed daddy * for losing, they didn't show up for him in '92. But this is different and it doesn't seem likely that they can return this time. The Foley and Haggart thing has taken the mask off their leaders. It's going to be really hard if not impossible to get these people to vote for them again without them trying to pass things that are way out of the mainstream.

[kenny blankenship]

3. Don't they need their OWN party, one they won't have to share w/ anyone else?

I've been thinking this for a long time now. How can they get anywhere hitched to a bunch of unbelievers, secularist Mammon-worshippers, and "International Jew Bankers"?

Time for Christian right to form a party they can control outright, which as their creation and exclusive property will never use them for elections and then spurn their priorities while in office. Jesus would want them to leave the Republicans and do their own thing, I feel certain. After all there's no J-E-S-U-S in "Republican". What they need is a National Party of Jesus Christ; or for brevity's sake they could just call it the Party of God.

[Rosemary2205]

4. I believe the exact opposite

I think the preachers are going to say, and the followers are going to believe that Satan is persecuting Haggard/Foley/Crist etc to test the faith of the evangelical community and it's more important than ever to teach the "godless satanic homo loving democrats" who's boss.

There's nothing like a little "persecution" to stir up the fundies.

War on Christmas
Legalized abortion
court decision siding with gays
taking mandated prayer out of public schools


Trust me, this Haggard thing is like smacking a fire ant nest.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. I agree, but for a different reason:

I think it's Karl Rove again. Telling the media to tell us that "the base" has surrendered, and we have pre-emptively won. But in fact, they have their phonebanks and carpools ready to go while we sit at home, resting on our laurels, and they have get the vote out.

It's a trick. Don't forget they really, really want and need the Congress and Senate to finish converting this country into fascist plutocracy-oligarchy.

[razors edge]

5. They could mix up a huge vat of

Jim Jones finest vintage cool aid, but I wouldn't count on it. That would require admission of error, and they are never wrong, just ask them. They will never beg a wronged living human for forgiveness, just not their style.

[napi21]

6. I doubt they'll ever turn to the Dems, at least not in my lifetime.

I do think they could become so disenchanted with the Pubs they will simply stay home!