The Great Divorce: Fundamentalists and Republicans, 1998

reddie

i didn't know until recently that the so-called "Protestant Pope" Dr. James Dobson of Colordo Springs, CO had threatened to use his considerable clout to move American fundamentalists away from the Republican Party in 1998. Since they weren't doing anything to curl back abortion rights or gay rights, Dobson was thoroughly upset, but the Republicans managed to convince him to stay on at the last minute. But what if they hadn't?

I've never really got the impression that Newt Gingrich--hate him or love him--is anything more than an areligious conservative ideologue who gives the "Christianists" lip service. Suppose that Newt is feeling a little cocky and simply tells Dobson off. Dobson heads back to Colorado Springs and does exactly what he said he was going to do--form a Religious Right party.

Call them the "Reconstructionists," or something equally appropriate. What happens?
 

Hendryk

Banned
reddie said:
What happens?
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Unemcumbered by the ideological dead weight of the Christian Right, the Republican Party can go back to being a pro-business, socially pragmatic and internationally realist party. Its front runner in 2000 is Steve Forbes.
 
Jasen777

Jasen777

Donor
Gore wins in 2000, after which the those who formed the new party (garnering perhaps 5% of the vote) are reabsorbed back into the Republicans in time for the 2004 election.
 

MerryPrankster

I doubt the Christian Right party would call itself "Reconstructionist."

The Recs are a fringe of Calvinism, and I don't think Calvinism in general is that strong throughout the Religious Right, particularly this early.

I can't think of a better name--they obviously aren't going to call themselves the Christian Democrats, and Christian Republicans would just confuse people. "Holy Party" sounds like a joke.
 
Dan1988

Dan1988

How about something like "Family First" (actual name of a like-minded party in Australia), "Family Coalition Party" (name of a provincial socially-conservative party in Ontario whose core constituency is conservative Catholics; also one of the former names of the BC Unity Party), "Christian Heritage Party" (name of a dominionist party, albeit a minor one, at the federal level in Canada), or "Party of Bible-abiding Christians" (name of a like-minded party in Germany) for a party name?
 

reddie

Dan1988 said:
How about something like "Family First" (actual name of a like-minded party in Australia), "Family Coalition Party" (name of a provincial socially-conservative party in Ontario whose core constituency is conservative Catholics; also one of the former names of the BC Unity Party), "Christian Heritage Party" (name of a dominionist party, albeit a minor one, at the federal level in Canada), or "Party of Bible-abiding Christians" (name of a like-minded party in Germany) for a party name?
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I think I got it: the American Heritage Party.
 

HueyLong

Banned
They probably wouldn't form a third party, but would simply strengthen their political web- all the activist groups, the lobbyists, the churches and charities etc.....
 

Dave Howery

the RR party might be ballyhooed for a while, but without the backing of the GOP, they're not going to go far. This third party will find, like all the others, that it is damn near impossible to overturn the two party system. People who belong to this party who actually want to win an office will return to the GOP in droves....
 

Wendell

The Christian Democratic Party, officially indicated by the letter C as the Democrats are indicated with a D and Republicans with an A.

Meanwhile, the Libertarian Party finds incresing difficulty due to greater overlap with the GOP.
 

Susano

Banned
Wendell said:
The Christian Democratic Party, officially indicated by the letter C as the Democrats are indicated with a D and Republicans with an A.

Meanwhile, the Libertarian Party finds incresing difficulty due to greater overlap with the GOP.
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Ah.,.. no. In european sense, chistian democats favour a welfare state. I geuss the RR wouldnz.
 

MerryPrankster

Dave Howery said:
the RR party might be ballyhooed for a while, but without the backing of the GOP, they're not going to go far. This third party will find, like all the others, that it is damn near impossible to overturn the two party system. People who belong to this party who actually want to win an office will return to the GOP in droves....
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They might pick up Congressional seats, in some districts (where the Dems are disliked and there aren't enough country-club types for the GOP to survive without them). That'll preserve them for awhile.
 

MerryPrankster

Susano said:
Ah.,.. no. In european sense, chistian democats favour a welfare state. I geuss the RR wouldnz.
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The RRs were part of the Democratic coalition once upon a time, and Pat Robertson was a protectionist (essentially welfare for domestic producers).

A full-blown Euro-welfare state isn't going to happen, but I don't think RRs will be 100% free-market.
 

Susano

Banned
MerryPrankster said:
The RRs were part of the Democratic coalition once upon a time, and Pat Robertson was a protectionist (essentially welfare for domestic producers).

A full-blown Euro-welfare state isn't going to happen, but I don't think RRs will be 100% free-market.
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Hm, then in thsiu case itzs likely. though I think the merican "Chritian Democrats" will be WAY more right then the EUropeam chrietian Democrats
 

MerryPrankster

Susano said:
Hm, then in thsiu case itzs likely. though I think the merican "Chritian Democrats" will be WAY more right then the EUropeam chrietian Democrats
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True. I can hardly imagine Robertson, Dobson, and Falwell supporting universal health care or the dole (although they might work in some kind of free neonatal care for poor women as part of an anti-abortion compromise).
 

Wendell

Susano said:
Hm, then in thsiu case itzs likely. though I think the merican "Chritian Democrats" will be WAY more right then the EUropeam chrietian Democrats
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On that we can agree, particularly their take on social issues such as Gay rights and abortion.
 

Wendell

MerryPrankster said:
True. I can hardly imagine Robertson, Dobson, and Falwell supporting universal health care or the dole (although they might work in some kind of free neonatal care for poor women as part of an anti-abortion compromise).
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I think they could be sold on some sort of universal healthcare system.
 
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