Danforth urges Republicans to end Christian right's influence

[Bluebear]

WASHINGTON - Is the Christian right the Republican Party's real political base or have conservative Christians taken over the GOP, forcing the party to meet their demands?

For former Missouri Sen. John Danforth, the answer became clear when the Republican-controlled Congress intervened in the case of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman who died after her husband won the right to remove her feeding tube. "The effort to keep Terri Schiavo alive artificially became a religious crusade and Republicans in Washington responded to a core constituency, even though it meant abandoning traditional Republican philosophy," Danforth writes in his new book, "Faith and Politics: How the 'Moral Values' Debate Divides America and How to Move Forward Together."

Danforth, an ordained Episcopal priest and a lifelong Republican who represented Missouri for 18 years in the Senate, argues that the religious right has focused its agenda on divisive issues that polarize Americans and create a stalemate in government.

These issues, such as abortion, gay marriage and the use of religious displays on government property, are "of little intrinsic importance except as wedges" to energize the base by pitting "people of faith" against their perceived enemies, Danforth says in the book due in stores Tuesday....

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/politics/15529052.htm

[Solly Mack]

1. So, what's he getting out of saying this?

I'm not very trusting... :)

[Kagemusha]

2. He's retired. He gets absolutely nothing, and has no power at all.

His words will fall on deaf ears.

[AspenRose]

4. Cal Thomas' "Blinded by Might" certainly did....

eom

[Solly Mack]

5. Shame..that it will fall on deaf ears

Thanks!!

[liberal N proud]

6. I remember when Danforth was a Senator for Missouri

We lived in MO at the time and I don't recall anything that he did that would make you think he had any religious agenda in Congress.
Unlike the zealots today, it appeared that he knew where the separation of church and state was. For a republican, he was not a terrible Senator as I recall.

I would imagine he is trying to save his party from destruction at the hands of the fundamentalist.

[Solly Mack]

7. Thank you for the info!!!!

[AspenRose]

3. This isn't the first time he's spoken out about this

He needs to join forces with Jim Wallis at Sojourners. Or Barry Lynn.

[KharmaTrain]

8. He Was Vocal During The Schaivo Circus

Surprised the hell out of me...this was the guy who had a bathroom service with Clarence Thomas during his Confirmation hearings. Actually I've respected Danforth as an "old Guard"...almost Goldwater type Repugnican. He was not happy with the tactics the fanatic religious groups were trying to exert on the Schaivo mess as well as the political pandering by Frist and Dobson.

IRC, he has done some work with Barry Lynn.

[Bluebear]

9. I believe he was on the short list to be idiot's VP, too! nt

[Kagemusha]

10. Cheney couldn't have that now could he.

No surprise there.