God is back in the party platform, but religion remains an issue for Democrats

[cbayer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/god-is-back-in-the-party-platform-but-religion-remains-an-issue-for-democrats/2012/09/06/313ea7be-f871-11e1-a93b-7185e3f88849_story.html

By Lauren Markoe| Religion News Service,

God was out and now God is in. And Jerusalem wasn’t the capital of Israel and now it is.

The accusations Wednesday morning (Sept. 5) that God had been “purged” from the Democrats’ national platform seemed too much for the party to bear. That afternoon, its national convention restored the divine to the document, as well as a statement affirming Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

It was a crisis the party didn’t seem to see coming, and provided one of the few unscripted scenes this convention season, a chaotic day that highlighted the debate among the Democrats about religion and politics.

President Obama himself on Wednesday pushed for the “God” and “Jerusalem” references, according to an anonymous Democratic official. One platform amendment added a sentence about Americans’ ”God-given” potential and the other affirmed Jerusalem’s “capital” status.

more at link

[HereSince1628]

1. Well, we couldn't have the delegates' choices...that'd be real democracy

What we need is the pragmatism that political advisors would apply.

[cbayer]

4. I agree. I think Rahm's call on this vote was pretty blatant.

[rrneck]

2. Every culture war landmine

blows up in favor of Republicans.

[cbayer]

5. How do you think this favors republicans?

[rrneck]

6. Talk is cheap.

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2012, 05:50 PM - Edit history (1)

It doesn't cost much to validate people's opinion of their on pre concieved notions. For example; censor offensive language and imagery and you make both the fundies and a lot of feminists happy. Or enact draconian laws for regulating stuff that can be manufactured in a garage or imported by the ton, like guns and drugs, and you make anti gun liberals and anti drug fundies happy. And all the while they make money on surveillance and incarceration.

Create a relationship with religion because its a lot easier to manipulate populations through a few, preferably one, strong charismatic leader than through the Democratic process. Market forces, which typically favor the rich, will determine the most influential religious leader.

That's how they peel support away from progressives. They turn us into cultural consumers who only need to have their opinion of themselves validated.

When we fight the culture wars we're demanding something our political opponents, the 1%, don't need. They will always be decadent, corrupt, racist, mysogynistic, perverse assholes. When we enact laws to control culture, we only restrict our own freedom to live and make the rich richer doing it.

There is no culture, faith, love, compassion, hope, or respect in politics. Politics is the art of who gets what. It determines who has the power to distribute resources through government. Demanding anything other than money is demanding, and fighting for, nothing at all.

[cbayer]

7. Pretty cynical, but much of what you say rings true.

I think, though, that Obama won due in part of hope and compassion. Although there continues to be a lot of catering to the religious, the overwhelming religiosity of the republicans turns a lot of people off.

[rrneck]

8. Hope and compassion are indispensable.

But they cannot be legislated.

You know the difference between Obama and Romney? With Obama we have a chance. That's where my hope lies.

[cbayer]

9. Agree. I felt very hopeful last night and remain hopeful today.

I hope to be blaring my air horn on November 6 just like I did 4 years ago.

[MineralMan]

3. That like other minor things, is insignificant.

It won't alter the outcome of the election, so I ignore it completely. Party platforms are uninteresting to most voters, and are never thought of outside of the actual convention, and not thought of much during the convention.

It is not party platforms that get votes or lose them. It is the big picture messages from the candidates that make the difference, along with the personal characteristics and history of the candidates.

Whether or not the word "God" appears in the party platform, or whether the party knows the correct capital of Israel is irrelevant to this election. Neither will have any influence whatsoever. They just give people something to chatter about, in my opinion.