The Battle for the Evangelical Vote
http://religiondispatches.org/the-battle-for-the-evangelical-vote/BY SARAH POSNER MARCH 16, 2015
In a new profile of evangelical kingmaker (or is he?) David Lane, the New York Times’ Jason Horowitz describes Lane as “emblematic of a new generation of evangelical leaders who draw local support or exert influence through niche issues or their own networks.”
“New” generation is a bit misleading; Lane, after all, has been around working the room since the 1990s. The “new” moniker is meant to distinguish him from the Pat Robertson/Jerry Falwell generation, although it’s really less of a generational difference than an organizational one. Lane, Horowitz reminds us, thrives on networks of local support, built on the dedication of individual pastors. Robertson and Falwell (and Ralph Reed, still, through his Faith and Freedom Coalition) presided over national organizations built to mobilize activists and voters at a moment’s notice. Lane seems to be more focused on involving pastors in the political process, and on provoking candidates to pander to them.
But the key distinction between Lane’s efforts and the Moral Majority or Christian Coalition models is not local versus national: it’s a function of evangelical base splintering in different directions. Lane represents the pander-by-praying and extolling-the-Christian-nation wing. The other wing, as I reported last week, has tired of that routine. They’d rather hear the candidates talk about religious freedom, not offer overwrought displays of piety blended with patriotism.
That’s not to understate, of course, Lane’s likely visible role in the early primary states (and, significantly, in also helping to shape Republican opinion about Israel, which is also sure to be a big campaign issue in 2016). He’s certainly a player, and perhaps even more so because of the support he has received from the American Family Association, which was behind Lane-inspired efforts like The Response (hosted by then-Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2011, and this year by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal). Horowitz reports that the AFA “pays him a retainer and provides him with legal and accounting assistance;” in return, AFA “gets its name on all of Mr. Lane’s events and adds to its database the contact information of all the pastors he organizes.”
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My inclination is to take the GOP's word at face value. They really are as screwy as they seem to be. Furthermore, the entire party is effectively nothing but a extremist religious cabal. When they speak to their own they cannot help but bear witness to the origin of their policies. Religion plays a huge part of that.
I am fine, my friend. Spring has sprung here in Michigan. We may have some more snow, but temps have been in the 50's, a mere three weeks after sub-zero nights. However, it's been a very tough winter.
As always.
to regain some control from that extremist religious cabal, but it seems we never hear of or from them.
They definitely continue to use religion as a very effective tool. This bill passed by the OK legislature is alarming, to say the least.
It is perfectly perfect here right now. We have moved from the mainland to the baja, and both places are wonderful. I am so glad you are emerging from winter and hope you see flowers and birds soon.
