My husband, Bob U., wrote a series of articles, which I think are really insightful. This is Part 9. I invite your comments. You can visit Bob at http://bobuhlar.gather.com/
Conservative Christians emerged from the November 2004 national elections full of hope. George W. Bush had narrowly defeated John F. Kerry. And conservative Christian pundits were now demanding that their agenda be fulfilled.
Bush had campaigned on promises that he would ban abortions and seek a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
They had been disappointed by Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, who both made the same promises in 1980, 1984 and 1988.
Back in those days, conservative Christians ignored Ronald Reagan as he gutted the civil rights commission. He also instructed his Justice Department to ignore any legal action that would irritate conservative Christians.
But during his eight-year presidency, he did not deliver on some important promises to conservative Christians. Where was the ban on abortion? Where was legalized prayer in the public schools?
Reagan focused on cutting taxes, raising federal spending, deregulating business, allowing businesses to borrow from pension funds, thwarting organized labor, and rescinding the fairness doctrine restrictions on radio and TV stations.
But now they had a GENUINE conservative Christian in the White House. They could rationalize that he couldn't deliver in 2001, 2002, or 2003 (they could forgive him for getting distracted by that September 11th thing).
And Bush did not get a Republican majority in both houses of Congress until the 2002 elections.[i] So, conservative Christians expected that 2005 would be a fruitful for the agenda. After all, it is the odd numbered years that things get done in Congress. If you wait until the even numbered years, politicians are posturing for primaries and the November election.
Tomorrow - Part 10: What the GOP Congress Accomplished in 2005
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[i] The 2000 election created a 50-50 tie in the Senate starting in January 2001. However, a Republican Senator from Vermont, James Jeffords, left his party to become an independent. This gave Democrats a 50-49 majority of the Senate. But the political atmosphere often found a few conservative Democrats siding with Republicans negating their majority.
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Comments: 7
We have become so divided, as a country, that many people, I believe, are no longer sure just what they stand for. They want to be Christians and then are reminded of the division between church and state. They want one party or the other, but neither fits quite right. They try to do what their parents did, but that doesn't fit either. So they are floudering, wanting what's right for themselves and their families, but being told that if they want to be Republicans they must follow the Christian right but it they want social responsibility, then they have no business being in the Republican Party because they favor Socialism, and that's a bad word.
The very vocal folks buy into the Limbaugh way of thinking and they attack with their hero-type viciousness. We don't seem to hear much from the others. Perhaps they are fearful of being intimidated by the boistrous few. I always find it comfortable reading your comments and the comments of those who support you, as you, and they, use kind words and do not try to demean others, even though they insult you.
Thank you for all you do.
I can't believe all the idiotic statements on your post regarding Obama's plan. I couldn't help but add a couple to the end today. Once they get started, it's like diarrhea of the mouth (or fingers). If they believe all they write, they must be pretty angry, unhappy, unhealthy people.