For years now we've been told the evangelical community is the Republican right wing base. In lock step and responding to their ministers who have been fed talking points from the central Repiblican machine. A long list of their leadership-Robertson, Falwell, Dotson Lamb and many more all supported the Republican party.
The images of the super churches full of uptight sheeple is repelling to many progressives. These are the people we railed against for being tricked by Bushco, for walking blindly off the cliff and delivering their sons and daughters to the armed services. Well, guess what's being overlooked?
Just as the progressive movement has many different 'wings' and the Democratic party really is the inclusive, big tent party, the evangelical community is not of one mind.
However, the pollsters, the exit polls are missing something.
The exit polls have asked Republican voters more religion questions than Democratic voters in every single primary state. In Michigan and Iowa they didn't ask Democratic voters any religion questions at all. In every state, they have exhaustively analyzed Republican evangelicals and completely ignored evangelical Democrats, even though our own research says one-third of evangelical voters are voting in Democratic primaries.
The pollsters say that there is "limited real estate" on their questionnaires, and that they "do not talk publicly about what questions are on our surveys."
That's ridiculous. They've made plenty of room on their Republican surveys for religion questions. They can do the same for their Democratic surveys. All people of faith should have the same chance to be represented.
So why should we care about the evangelical community? Don't they still vote primarily on issues like gay marriage, abortion and prayer in schools? Actually, the war, poverty and environment rank high. Maybe it's time to offer a little respect and consideration. Maybe it's time to reach across the aisle and find that common ground. Too often I think we dismiss people out of hand without giving a chance for communication to develop.
Want more reasons to pay attention to this community?
Faith in Public Life and the Center for American Progress Action Fund commissioned a poll in two Super Tuesday states, Missouri and Tennessee, to demonstrate what the pollsters are missing. Their poll, released last week, showed:
One-third of all white evangelical voters in both states participated in the Democratic primaries.
There were 160,000 evangelical Democratic voters in Missouri and 180,000 evangelical Democratic voters in Tennessee. In both states, that's as many or more than all African-American voters, all voters over 65, or all voters who said the Iraq war is the most important issue facing the country.
emphasis mine.
Now tell me, wouldn't we normally jump for a community that represented those numbers? We simply have to expand our horizons and not be quite so scared of words like faith, belief, prayer. Aren't we people of conviction and certitude? Can't we relate?
I know Barack Obama can. I've noticed a few times when he has mentioned joining in prayer with ministers before speaking. Does anyone have a problem with that? I hope not. It's a big country remember?
Now, what could we do to help as the good Pastor says our Bwothers and Sisters? Well they have a petition to sign asking the pollsters to pay them a little attention. So far they have around 6,000 signatures. Seems Kossacks could kick that up. Let's reach out and build some bridges, why the heck not?