Author Kevin Phillips is out with a new book--In God's Country. He warns--in the direst of terms--about a "takeover" of the GOP by religious conservatives.
Phillips has made a career of being an "ex" Republican adviser, emphasizing the ex. And the label "theocon" is being thrown around, mostly as a term of abuse for conservatives who believe in God.
What is so alarming about Americans who happen to be believers getting involved in the political process? What is so radical about opposing the heinous partial-birth abortion procedure? Or seeking legal protections for parents who don't want their minor daughters taken across state lines for secret abortions? We have tried to protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. What's far out about that? We win in liberal as well as conservative states whenever the people are trusted to answer on that one. And we've opposed taking "Under God" out of the Pledge. How many Americans want this to be an officially atheist country?
Phillips may be upset that his previously Mainline Protestant GOP has had to get used to millions of Evangelicals and Catholics, but it became a majority party by doing so. As Ross Douthat points out in a piece that was highlighted in the Washington Times today, with the Republican White House and Republican Congress disappointing so many fiscal conservatives, the only possible hope they have for retaining their majorities rests upon the social conservatives.
The bad news is, polling data shows increasing disappointment with the GOP's failure to advance the "values" issues. The good news is Congress still has time to act on proven popular agenda items. Americans need to see that it makes a difference who runs Washington.
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