If you’ve been brought up on a diet of the usual liberal media stereotype of America as a nation of woman and black-hating religious maniacs, you have a right to be puzzled when you hear that a devout God-fearing white man faces bigger hurdles than either a feminist or a liberal African-American
If H! is coronated, will she be the first black woman president?.......
Hear the one about the Mormon Senate Leader (Harry Reid-D)?
Hehe!
If every other branch of Christianity were to send all of their twenty-somethings out into the world for two years of missionary work, maybe they'd be growing as fast as the Mormons. As I understand it, the families of the missionaries pay their expenses, not the Church. We can all learn from such devotion and sacrifice. Heck, if conservatives would just work two or three nights a week for their favorite campaign or cause, we could take this country back!!
GOOD post.
It's not likely that I'll vote for Mr. Romney. I'm not persuaded that he's truly "converted" on social conservative issues.
However, I really couldn't care less that he's a member of the LDS.
If I genuinely believed that he was a conservative, I'd vote for him, at least in the general election.
The author gets it. Romney's political problems are political, not religious.
One of my concerns about the '08 election is that the GOP retake Congress, and yet the three candidates considered to be the top contenders all have weaknesses that are likely to discourage the Republican base from casting the votes that will let us regain Congress.
In the case of Rudy Giuliani, his stances on abortion and homosexuality could offend religious conservatives to the point that many will stay home. Furthermore, his stance on the Second Amendment will so offend many sportsmen and self-defense advocates that they may stay home or vote Democrat to avoid giving him a mandate.
John McCain has flip-flopped a bit on abortion such as when he flirted with the pro-abortion side in 2000. He also attacked religious conservatives who were leaning towards Mr. Bush at that time. Finally, his campaign finance reform has been an attack on the First Amendment rights of both religious conservatives and Second Amendment supporters. He won't generate enthusiastic support from the base, and lacking that support, we may not get the votes to retake Congress.
Mitt Romney has similar abortion and homosexuality problems with religious conservatives. While he never supported either as strongly as Mr. Giuliani did, he hasn't stood strongly against either abortion or homosexuality. A pre-election switch to more conservative positions on these issues is going to leave many religious conservatives skeptical at best. In addition, his being Mormon will bother many traditional religious conservatives.
Of the three of these candidates, I like Mr. Romney the best. I won't take sides on the theological issues around his religion, but I don't have any problems supporting a Mormon. Mormons have shown themselves to be typically solid, patriotic people, and practice of Mormon beliefs shouldn't disqualify anyone from office.
I'm not supporting anyone for the nomination at this point, but I'll continue to look at Mr. Romney as a possibility.
Bill
>>In fact, while the consensus seems to be that Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama can overcome sexism and racism, it is considered more or less axiomatic that Mr Romney is in for a very hard time on account of his religion. On the face of it, this seems odd.<<
It is not odd at all, any more than if he was a Muslim. Black or female is what you are. Religion is what you believe.
We elect a president (or should) based on his beliefs. That is very much encompassed in his religeous beliefs or lack thereof.
His limo was escorted by missionaries on bicycles?
btt
I always enjoy reading the London papers' take on our American elections.