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Democratic analyst: The Party has been hijacked by secularist elites
CNA ^ | 9/25/2008

Posted on 09/25/2008 4:33:16 PM PDT by markomalley

Denver, Sep 25, 2008 / 05:33 pm (CNA).- The Democratic Party has been hijacked by elites hostile to religion, said Mark Stricherz, author of the book "Why Democrats are Blue" and a Democrat himself, during the Casey Lecture delivered on Tuesday at the Archdiocese of Denver.

The Casey Series of Lectures was started by the Archdiocese of Denver in 2006 to promote Catholic thinking in political life, inspired by the life and political activism of the late Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey, a devout Catholic and a Democrat.

Stricherz, who has focused his investigation on the historical transition that turned the Democrats from a Catholic-friendly organization to the pro-abortion rights party it is today, explained the decisive role played in American politics by staunch Catholic Democrats like Gov. Casey, Robert Kennedy and David Lawrence.

"These politicians provided a political leadership and a push for human rights based on religious convictions and personal prayer life, thus becoming promoters of Christian Humanist values," he said.

Explaining an argument he makes in his book, Stricherz said that the Democratic Party created internal rules that favor Secular elites and limit the participation of common people. He mentioned caucuses in Iowa as an example: they are established to run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., "preventing the participation of common people like third-shifters, military men and women or young mothers.” As a consequence, "56% of those attending the caucuses are pro- choice folks," he said.

Thus, Secularism and hostility to religion have become the dividing line between the Democratic Party of the past and today's Democratic leaders.

Asked about how to change the Democratic Party back to its original connection with average Americans, Stricherz said that is was critical to democratize the internal process, but added that, "I just don't see the constituency, the drive to bring that change... those with college degrees, who tend to be more secular are in control of the party, whereas more religious, working folks are kept out of the loop."

"There have been some small victories from the pro-life people inside the Democratic Party, they are very small, but I encourage people to take up the fight... even if I am very skeptical about the results."

Stricherz highlighted the importance of bringing the common people back to power. "I think the average folks are more commonsensical and less inclined to corruption than the elites." "I would take the first hundred people from the phone book in Boston rather than the first 100 academics from Harvard to run the country."

Finally, he said that, despite current polls, Republican presidential candidate John McCain has a greater chance to win the election because "the Republican party has a more democratic process of candidate-selection, and therefore have chosen the strongest candidate; whereas the Democratic Party’s system promotes the desires of the political leadership and [they] have selected the weakest candidate."


TOPICS: Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; democrats; dnc; elitists; irreligiousleft; issues; obama; obamabiden; secularism

1 posted on 09/25/2008 4:33:17 PM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley

Just hijacked by Marxist and Socialist. To these people gubermint is god and as we are seeing nothing good comes of that.


2 posted on 09/25/2008 4:36:22 PM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: markomalley

3 posted on 09/25/2008 4:39:55 PM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: markomalley

I remember Henry “Scoop” Jackson, Hubert Humphrey, Harry Truman — I knew the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party was a friend of America. The Rat Party is no Democratic Party.


4 posted on 09/25/2008 4:41:06 PM PDT by WilliamofCarmichael (If modern America's Man on Horseback is out there, Get on the damn horse already!)
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To: GOP Poet
My SIL & BIL...say that Jesus was a Marxist.
5 posted on 09/25/2008 4:42:05 PM PDT by Osage Orange (MOLON LABE)
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To: Osage Orange
My SIL & BIL...say that Jesus was a Marxist.

Do your SIL and BIL a favor and buy them this book:

Marx and Satan

Written by the fine founder of the 'Voice of the Martyrs', Richard Wurmbrand.

It may help them to put a lid on their blasphemies in the future. Or if not, at least you tried...

6 posted on 09/25/2008 4:53:24 PM PDT by El Cid (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house...)
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To: WilliamofCarmichael
Hubert Humphrey,

When he was running for President someone printed up a bunch of sticky labels that said "For a recorded message from Hubert Humphrey, press the button."

They then went around putting them on electric hand dryers in rest rooms.

7 posted on 09/25/2008 4:54:57 PM PDT by Dan(9698)
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To: markomalley
"I would take the first hundred people from the phone book in Boston rather than the first 100 academics from Harvard to run the country."

Wouldn't there be many overlaps there? Especially those with last name such as Abdullah, Ahmed, Alzeera, and so on.

8 posted on 09/25/2008 5:03:04 PM PDT by paudio (Nobody cried 'racism' when Swann, Blackwell, and Steele lost to white guys in 2006)
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To: GOP Poet
The American people are shielded from all the info about congress, how each one has a staff of 100 or so, they should limit them to 10, and this is just the tip of the iceberg of what they get.

I am so much for term limits, but I get flamed each time I bring it up, no one should be elected to congress as a pauper and when they leave be a multi millionaire. Power corrupts and a life long job of being corrupt on the tax payers payroll is unacceptable.

They will never revert the Democratic Party back to its original connection with average Americans until there is reform of the election system.

9 posted on 09/25/2008 5:04:15 PM PDT by boomop1
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To: El Cid
I live near VOM HQ's.....

Great ministry...

Naw, my BIL and SIL are avowed brain-washed Marxists...

They are 'round the bend...there ain't any use in speaking to them. We've tried.

10 posted on 09/25/2008 5:07:49 PM PDT by Osage Orange (MOLON LABE)
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To: Osage Orange
My SIL & BIL...say that Jesus was a Marxist.

Poor souls. Someone should tell them Jesus was the son of God. :-)

Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him. Mark 12:16-18 (NIV)

11 posted on 09/25/2008 5:21:15 PM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: Osage Orange

Your SIL and BIL are ingnorant asses, but you know that already!


12 posted on 09/25/2008 5:27:04 PM PDT by marlon
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To: GOP Poet
Poor souls. Someone should tell them Jesus was the son of God. :-)

They've been told many times...........and they will tell you they know He is....

13 posted on 09/25/2008 5:30:03 PM PDT by Osage Orange (MOLON LABE)
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To: marlon
College educated ignorant morons...

Yes, that's them....

14 posted on 09/25/2008 5:31:20 PM PDT by Osage Orange (MOLON LABE)
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To: Osage Orange
Well my in-laws are college educated, as a matter of fact my father in-law as a professor at Yale and RIT and there ingnorant asses too.

My mother in-law once was sitting in my living room bitching about the high price of home heating oil (and this was about 5 years ago) when she declared that she thought it was an abomination that people had to pay for oil. After I choked a little I asked her what she meant and she said taht oil was a necessity and that people shouldn't have to pay for it.

So, I asked, who should pay for it? And she answered the governement. I then explained to her that the government was us, whereupon she said well they should take it from those that have and give it to those that don't.

After I pulled myself down from the ceiling I told asked her if she realized she was quoting Marx? She didn't but it was enough to get her to huff and puff in frustration and storm upstair declaring she was going to bed and didn't want to discuss politics.

Ahhh, mission accomplished.

15 posted on 09/25/2008 5:47:18 PM PDT by marlon
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To: marlon
Well my in-laws are college educated, as a matter of fact my father in-law was a professor at Yale and RIT and they're ingnorant asses too.

Sorry, I was typing and watching the Mets.

16 posted on 09/25/2008 5:49:06 PM PDT by marlon
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To: marlon
I've had basically the same thing happen to me....

Different players, and topics...but the script was the same.

Anymore...I just try to ignore them.

17 posted on 09/25/2008 5:57:35 PM PDT by Osage Orange (MOLON LABE)
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To: Osage Orange
Oh I try and ignore most of the moonbats now, it's just not worth my time trying to reason with people who feel differently!

But you have to admit anytime you can get your mother in-law to stamp her feet and huff off to bed it's worthwhile.

18 posted on 09/25/2008 6:07:08 PM PDT by marlon
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To: markomalley

I don’t think it can be called a hijacking when the engagement was mutual.


19 posted on 09/25/2008 7:09:16 PM PDT by Kevmo (Obama Birth Certificate is a Forgery. http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/certifigate/index?tab=articles)
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To: Osage Orange
Re: 10

That's too bad about your B-I-L and S-I-L. I know what your talking about though. You can bring a horse to water, but you can't force it to drink...

20 posted on 09/25/2008 9:58:43 PM PDT by El Cid (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house...)
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