The Evangelical Monkey on the Republican’s Back

There is one thing the Democrats don’t have to worry about. They didn’t adopt the Christian Right. They don’t have that Evangelical monkey on their back.

The Republicans took in the Christian Right when it was to their advantage to have them and use their votes. There was a time when the they provided an advantage to the Republicans. Over time the Republicans became so addicted and relied so heavily on the votes of the Christian Right that today they feel they cannot live without them. They still have to cater to them in order to have a shot at the November vote and the 08 vote. The Republicans still must look for the Evangelical’s blessings even as they hold their nose and fall to their knees to do it.

We already see things like Giuliani going to campaign for Santorum and McCain pandering to the Right’s causes. It looks pathetic and painful. These guys are fooling no one, and they probably know it. But it’s what they have to do, because for the last few years they have pandered to their ideology and embarrassingly must continue to do.

Thank goodness the Democrats did not saddle themselves with religious extremists. Many of the hard line Right will never vote for a Democrat no matter the situation, so the Democrats are free to state their own case without worrying about catering and belittling themselves and looking like hypocrites.

An analogy might be a couple who adopt a child for no other reason than to benefit from the tax breaks they will receive as the result of their new dependant. The child turns out to be unruly and overly demanding. This child and its demands prevent the couple from carrying on their desired life style. While the couple may have achieved their desired financial goal, they must still care for this difficult child for many years to come. Another couple who did not adopt a child would not receive the financial benefits but they would be free to establish a lifestyle based on their own needs and desires with no lasting requirements and responsibilities attached.

Hopefully the Democratic candidates will use this freedom to articulate the difference they can make in our country for all citizens. While the Republicans have, for all means and purposes, allowed the Christian Right to take over their party, the Democrats are free to concentrate on the whole country. That is an asset I think we all hope the Democrats will use wisely. They must show they are open to all people, all ideas and all faiths.

The Republicans are bogged down by the Evangelical sanctimonious monkey on their back and now it may be more of a burden than they can bear, but it’s a habit they can’t afford to break.