A Democratic "Southern Strategy"

[RainDog]

I know that the repukes have a lock on fundamentalist votes in the south (and elsewhere), so I don't think a rational, enlightenment-inspired (as were our founders) candidate will get their votes.

However, it is possible to discourage them from going to the voting booths by telling the truth about George and his family's "evil empire."

With that in mind, I think it would serve whoever gets the dem nomination to make sure that the fundamentalist block across the nation is aware of certain facts which they would not like.

So, can DU-ers help to compile a list of things which fundamentalist Christians should know about Bush (and things which can be cited from "mainstream" sources.)

My first one is the Bush connection with Reverend Moon. Moon calls himself the Messiah, and he is anathema to Christian fundamentalists.

For one thing, they should know who is behind the American Family Coalition (that would be Moon), and that a Moonie was appointed by Bush to head Americorps Vista (that would be David Caprara.

(Fundies don't even think that Catholics are "true believers" so they would pop a vessel to know that George is in league with the Moonie cult.)

The Iran-Contra issue is still important because of all the people Bush chose to fill positions in his govt. (Elliot Abrams, gone but not John Poindexter), etc.

But whenever anyone says "Iran-Contra" -- it should be noted that this is a euphemism for "drugs for guns," which involved selling those drugs in the U.S. (which was documented by The San Francisco Examiner Frogman case, for instance).

Included in this drugs for guns activity was...Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church.

As Robert Parry noted in Lost History, pp199-201 & 290-92, (and as I am sure can be found on his Consortium site), early on Moon got his biggest boost before Bush from then head of the Korean CIA Kim Jong-Pil, who brokered a deal for Moon with war criminal Ryoichi Sasakawa...involved in Japanese organized crime "the yakuza" and their drug smuggling, prostitution, and gambling profits.

Under the guise of "anti-communism," Moon allied with drug lords in Bolivia (the 1980 "Cocaine Coup" and Nazi Klaus Barbie's association with this same Bolvian putsch.

Make sure they know that the Rev. Moon owns The Washington Times, and used that newspaper to kill a DEA investigation of the Medellin drug cartel.

Moon financed Poppy's inauguaral Prayer luncheon on Jan. 19th, 2001.

quote Morris Chapman, then chief exec of the Southern Baptist Convention, who "was shocked to see that Sun Myung Moon was ..in essence the host." (and Chapman got Moonie propaganda handed to him on the way out.) --Kevin Phillips, American Dynasty, pp234-35.

Poppy made at least NINE PAID appearances for Moon in 1995 and 1996 around the world.

Reuters headline from Nov. 25, 1996: "Bush Praises Sun Myung Moon as 'Man of Vision.'"

Moon claims that Jesus was a failure and calls himself "the Lord of the Second Advent." Moon portrays himself as the incarnation of God.

(Lost History)

Moon, a big Bush supporter, has declared the U.S. "the Kingdom of Satan."

Now, doesn't this sound a lot like another Bush affiliation who turned out to be a religious fanatic...Osama bin Laden?

Point out that Bush Sr. and Jr. have extensive financial ties to Osama via Osama's bro-in-law Khalid bin Mahfouz...and info on Mahfouz's funding of terrorism is extensive.

So, those are my "talking points" on one issue which can "alienate the affections" of the religious right in America from George Dubya.

There is also the issue of Jeb and Poppy and prostitutes and drugs in a Florida motel, as Darlene Novinger, Barry Seal, and Joe Price tried to warn America's religious right about...

It is important to make the point that Bush Sr. is not divorced from his son, and is highly influential via Bush appointees, as well.

(and you can throw in the biblical hellfire about "the sins of the father being visited on the sons" --a favorite fundie way to bash the Kennedys, btw.

If you know the south, you know the dogma which would make them turn against Bush.

One of the biggest, biggest issues for the fundies is the Bush association with a man who blasphemes Jesus and who declares himself the son of god.

Bush's moral compass, in other words, is greately influenced by the Moon, and as such, Bush makes a mockery of the faith of fundamentalists.

[NewJeffCT]

1. I think you're on to something

The Bush-Moon connection would definitely cause some fundies to stay at home...

[RainDog]

2. repukes try to discourage democratic turnout every election

...in order to deny full representation to people across a spectrum in this nation.

we should learn from their example, yet respond with truth, not their tactics like the "whisper" campaign against John McCain in the South Carolina primary against Bush.

Moon is a big issue.

So is Jeb and George's drug smuggling and partying.

it is also important to note the "across the board" Bush behavior, because Jebbie is the heir apparent in the Bush dynasty.

Time for verbal regicide.

Neil's divorce proceedings, which, for any sane person, note the casual humdrum nature of prostitution as part and parcel of the Bush boys' way of life is also important to note...

It's not JUST Neil who has a background of the use of prostitutes as a payoff for political influence peddling.

Also of importance is the Republican guy from Nebraska, who is definitely not philosophically on our side, but who wrote about the use of child prostitutes and the affliations of George Bush Sr.

Lawrence King, an influential black bizman and republican, also apparently ran a prostitution ring out of Omaha, of all places.

Sleazy stuff, to be sure, and not something that a candidate himself (sic) should say.

But also something which should be looked into by any good christian when they are deciding who should get his or her vote.

You SHOULD be able to appeal to fundies on the basis of economics which do not hurt the poor and further enrich the rich, based upon Jesus' example and teachings.

Unfortunately, they selectively take the Bible as literal and would NEVER follow the example of the Apostles in the Book of Acts and give away their possessions to those in need and live communally...that's so...godless commie, you know?