Cross-posted to
Blog and Tan.
It has been argued before, but bears repeating, that in order to compete in the values arena for American voters in the 21st century, the Democratic Party needs to make friends with the spiritual Left. Modern American voters are concerned with values for many reasons, predominantly because American culture is materialistic and because the media saturates the airwaves with images of sex, violence and other bad influences. They want to influence public policy in a way that will improve the moral fiber of America, and thus far the Republican party has done a much better job of convincing voters it can do so by aligning with conservative Christians.
Sadly, it has not done so. It has mobilized voters using a combination of divisive issues which are not necessarily Christian in nature. The agenda includes limiting gay rights, limiting abortion rights, ensuring gun rights, and support for the death penalty. By implicitly associating terrorism with Islam, the Republicans have garnered very strong support from this group for the war on terror. They have also linked a sense of Christian morality to
free market capitalism, ensuring opposition to excessive regulation. Their twisted logic has garnered widespread support for the concept that government should not attempt to provide a safety net for the poor, that such needs should be handled by "faith based" institutions. Naturally those faith based institutions could be expected to attempt to convert those it helps, whether or not the people needing help are interested in such conversion.
A piece in
Common Dreams had this to say about the 2004 election:
Imagine if John Kerry had been able to counter George Bush by insisting that a serious religious person would never turn his back on the suffering of the poor, that the bible's injunction to love one's neighbor required us to provide health care for all, and that the New Testament's command to "turn the other cheek" should give us a predisposition against responding to violence with violence.
There is significant support for themes of social justice in Christianity, but those themes are not the ones emphasized today. Some groups have emerged to energize a movement to "reclaim" Christianity; among those are the
Christian Alliance for Progress and the
Center for Progressive Christianity. The Catholic Church has a long tradition of emphasizing the social justice aspects of Jesus' teaching, and has taken a consistent stand both against abortion and against the death penalty.
Making astute political use of these themes will require compromise. This article from the
National Catholic Reporter shows that some Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, are beginning to get on board; Clinton argues that "faith based" institutions aren't necessarily opposed to the Constitution (implying the separation of church and state).
- Agnostics and Atheists might have to compromise here, accepting that as a small minority they must be willing to join the religious majority in considering religion an acceptable method of addressing needs, while perhaps not allowing it to be the ONLY method of addressing needs.
- Anti-war Democrats might have to concede that *some* military action may be necessary to protect American security, especially with the destabilization we've already done in Iraq; but in exchange, gain influence for their position against multiple pre-emptive wars as a means for securing America.
- Abortion rights activists might have to consider allowing Roe vs. Wade to be reversed or weakened; even a full reversal of the landmark decision would not immediately criminalize abortion, but would allow *some states* to do so on their own. Further, if the decision were overturned, Republicans might finally push a number of its pro-choice members past their limit and force them to rethink their party affiliation.
With compromise among its factions, a debate on values with the Republicans is possible. The Democrats cannot win if they insist upon defending Roe completely, being entirely anti-War, and alienating persons of faith at the same time.
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