Evangelicals Question Conservative Agenda

Finally, Evangelical Christians—sometimes called “values voters”—are coming to realize that much of the conservative Republican agenda is at odds with Christian values.

In the Christian Science Monitor, Anna Clark writes:

A recent Pew study found that 57 percent of Evangelicals feel “Government should do more to help needy Americans, even if it means going deeper into debt.”

Rising sea levels and rising frustration with the GOP’s failure to protect the environment also mean that the evangelical vote is no longer necessarily a sure thing for Republicans. According to Pew, the majority of Evangelicals now believe that “stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.” (1)

Evangelical groups are also weighing in on the immigration issue. The Christian Science Monitor reports:

Although most Americans associate theologically conservative Christians with cultural issues such as abortion and gay marriage, the evangelical political agenda is broadening. Immigration reform is one issue that has steadily gained momentum.

What might account for this change?

For one, pastors and religious leaders are talking more about the issue as a religious concern. Many scriptural passages relate to immigration – including the famous 40-year wilderness journey of the children of Israel to the Promised Land. But most evangelical churches and organizations have only recently begun to underscore the biblical connection to immigration. (2)

During the civil rights movement, Christians were a force for positive political and social change. But in recent years, instead of following Christ’s example and caring for the sick, the oppressed, and the poor, some misguided Christian groups have focused more on opposing abortion, birth control, or gay rights. This creates the perception that Christians want to control people, not help them, and it turns people away from the church.

It’s time for us Christians to stop fighting culture wars and start loving our neighbors.

                                                                                                                                                       

1) http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2012/1024/The-rise-of-Evangelical-environmentalists-could-reshape-US-elections

2) http://news.yahoo.com/why-evangelicals-partners-immigration-reform-164718061--politics.html

Today’s GOP Makes Nixon Look Good

Today’s Congressional Republicans are successful politicians but terrible leaders. Through gerrymandered districts and well-funded campaigns, they maintain power despite holding radical views that appeal to only a minority of Americans.

The Republican party has moved so far to the right that the great Republicans of the past—Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, George Bush, Sr., and even Ronald Reagan—would be considered too moderate to satisfy the Tea Party faction who want to dismantle the government.

It wasn’t always like this. Republicans used to be for economic growth and a social safety net that helped people who truly needed it but did not encourage sloth or perpetuate dependence. Republicans used to be for government investment in science and infrastructure, for civil rights, and for protecting the environment.

Who was the last progressive Republican president? Richard Nixon. He created the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Cancer Institute, expanded Social Security and Medicare, and proposed universal health care. He was neither a liberal nor a conservative, but a pragmatist (1). He ran a crooked campaign, but as president he really tried to do what was best for the country.

The current GOP has all of Nixon’s sleazy politics, but none of his pragmatic statesmanship.

1) http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/01/what-would-nixon-say-to-todays-republican-party/267022/

Photo: http://www.zazzle.com

Will Wind Energy Be Killed by Dirty Money?

In the budget negotiations, conservative Republicans are fighting against letting the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire. These politicians claim this is a principled stand. They claim letting a tax cut expire on schedule would break their pledge never to raise taxes.

Why then are many Republicans in Congress willing to let the Wind Energy Production Tax Credit expire? This tax credit gives support to a growing industry and creates American jobs. Isn’t this how Reagan’s supply-side economics is supposed to work? Why is there no passionate fight by Reagan’s ideological heirs to save this tax cut?

The answer is money—dirty money. The coal industry donates more than $13 million to political candidates and PACs each year, and more than 70% goes to Republicans (1).

Wind energy is clean. Coal is dirty. Politicians who sell out their principles for money are filthy.

1. http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E1210

ACT NOW! Click here for a convenient form to urge your senators and congressional representative to renew the Production Tax Credit for wind energy.

Stop the GOP Obstructionism!

From 2009 to 2012, Republicans opposed every attempt by President Obama to stimulate the economy or create jobs—some analysts say the GOP may have deliberately sabotaged the economy in hopes of grabbing power (1). Senator Mitch McConnell clearly stated the GOP’s priorities: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”

The Republican strategy of obstruction worked in the 2010 elections because the Republicans were able to mobilize their conservative base, while liberals, frustrated by Obama’s moderate stances on some issues and his compromises on others, stayed home. But in 2012 Republicans made the election a referendum on Obama’s policies, and moderate voters spoke loud and clear: We’re sick of GOP obstructionism. Obama was re-elected, and Republicans lost seats in both houses of Congress.

But did Republicans get the message? More importantly, do they care? The GOP could decide to let the economy crash if they think it will give them an advantage in the 2014 and 2016 elections.

The current batch of Republicans have shown that they care more about winning elections than the public good. If your representative or senators are Republicans, please take the time to call or e-mail them and tell them it’s time to stop the obstructionism and start compromising. Click here for their contact information.

Source:

(1) http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/09/did-republicans-deliberately-crash-us-economy

America Needs Wind Energy

America needs an energy policy that encourages domestic oil and gas production for the present and supports clean energy technology for our future.

The Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credit currently gives tax breaks to producers of clean energy, such as wind farms. Developing our wind potential will create hundreds of thousands of jobs for American workers (1,2).

But unless the Production Tax Credit for the wind industry will expire at the end of this year unless Congress takes action. I hope you will write or call your congressional representative today and urge him or her to extend the wind tax credit.

ACT NOW! Click here for a convenient form to urge your senators and congressional representative to renew the Production Tax Credit for wind energy.

If your congressional representatives are Republicans, urge them to join ConservAmerica, an organization that works toward conservative solutions to environmental challenges (3).  

Wind energy provides jobs and energy for the present and a cleaner planet for the future. Let’s urge Democrats and Republicans to work together on this issue.

1. http://usgreentechnology.com/energy-jobs/how-many-wind-jobs-are-in-the-u-s-how-many-are-possible/

2. http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/saveamericanjobs

3. http://conservamerica.org/

We Don’t Have Mitt Romney to Kick Around Anymore

In the spirit of bipartisanship, I’ve removed the pre-election posts from this blog that pointed out Mitt Romney’s character flaws and lack of qualifications. It is the Republican Party’s policies, not Mitt Romney, that are to blame for the 2012 election results.

David Frum, former speechwriter for George W. Bush, summed up the party’s dysfunction on The Morning Joe:

“… the real locus of the problem is the Republican activist base and the Republican donor base …The people who put the cement shoes on him (Mitt Romney) are now blaming him for sinking.”

GOP Should Listen to Lincoln

The Republican Party likes to remind us that it is the party of Lincoln. Unfortunately, they have strayed from Lincoln’s ideas in many ways. This is why moderates like Colin Powel and me find ourselves disagreeing with the current GOP leadership on many issues.

I hope that the 2012 election results—in which Republicans lost the White House and seats in both houses of Congress—will give Republicans (the party  leaders and the rank and file) incentive to move back to the center and back to Lincoln’s ideas.

Democracy

In recent years, Republicans in several states passed laws (11 of which were ruled unconstitutional by courts) aimed at suppressing voting rights of minorities. Lincoln had faith in the democratic process, and he trusted the wisdom of American voters:

“The people will save their government, if the government itself will allow them.”

Government of the people (not the corporations)

Mitt Romney alienated many voters when he said, “Corporations are people, my friend.” As long as Republican policies favor large corporations over individuals, policies which during the George W. Bush administration led to a widening gap between rich and poor, the GOP will continue to lose popular support.

Lincoln said, “Republicans are for both the man and the dollar, but in case of conflict the man before the dollar.”

Labor

Our economy needs both entrepreneurs and workers. Democrats have long been the party of the labor movement, while Republicans are the party of capitalists. Our economy needs both entrepreneurs and workers, but which is more important? Lincoln said:

“Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.”

Social programs

Republicans are right to oppose welfare programs that discourage work and self-reliance. And here they are in keeping with Lincoln, who said, “You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.” But Republicans often go too far and oppose programs that provide a social safety net. This every-man-for-himself mentality is un-American and unworthy of the party of Lincoln, who said:

 “The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do at all, or cannot so well do, for themselves – in their separate, and individual capacities.”

War

Lincoln was a wartime president, but he did not start the war, and he craved a lasting peace. In Iraq, the US fought a war it didn’t have to fight—failing to learn the painful lesson of Vietnam and failing to heed Lincoln’s warning:

“Such will be a great lesson of peace: teaching men that what they cannot take by and election, neither can they take by war; teaching all the folly of being the beginners of a war.”

Malice toward none

Finally, Republicans and Democrats need to work together and seek common ground to solve our nation’s problems, because, as Lincoln said (quoting scripture):

“A house divided against itself cannot stand."