Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Elections 2024 2024 Election Forum

I suspect I am somewhat of a loon when it comes to white christians or christian nationalists. I think they are all one thing, pull all strings in Republican party, etc. Whether I am right or wrong will be settled, I think, in the next few years. Given how old I am I doubt that I will see if I was right or wrong unless they pick up a bit of speed although they are more public now than they have been for a long time. They pull a lot of strings but, in the background, and are rarely noticed (I think).

I think jgw, that the evangelicals, the white born again Christians are the ones with power. That power resides in the Republican Party only. According to the 2020 exit polls, they made up 28% of the electorate or those who voted in 2020, they voted for Trump by a 76-24 margin. They’re a reliable republican vote, stands to reason they would be a most powerful block or faction within the GOP. 28% isn’t going to win any elections, you must add to that reliable core. I suspect their power, certainly a force within the GOP primaries to be reckon with, not so much in the general election.

Each party has certain groups that are reliable voters for their candidates and supporters of issues dear to each party. Each group votes for the party that serves their own self-interests. Republican candidates know that they must win over the white born again evangelicals in order to gain their party’s nomination

When the Republicans start on with so called thing Christian I consider that stuff to be the work of the Christian Nationalists. I have been watching them for a very long time and they have sticked to their beliefs for, literally, years. The current group of stuff, I think, is their doing, pure and simple. There is, currently, the Ten Commandments for Public Schools, then we have Abortions, I am sure there are more waiting for exposure and I suspect I have missed some as well. These people are careful and hard working and, again, really stick to their guns. I have heard a couple of them (female) talk about a single church for all Christian Nationalists which will be the ONLY religion in the land. I am sure there is more waiting. Every once in a while Trump mentions this kind of stuff (just trying it out before having at it). I also find it interesting that there seems to be a LOT of people who are not Christian Nationalists but come from different religious groups but pray with them regularly.

As far as I am concerned this is not a simple group, amongst many, within the Republican Party. The is a group that, pretty much, runs the Republican Party. I can be wrong. I have been involved with religions of one sort or another a few times in my life. I tend to get a little edgy when my politics get involved with religion. In this particular thing one of our two political parties is going after our Constitution and they seem to be starting with Public Schools. That makes me nervous.

I don’t know how old you are jgw. But when I first begin school back in the 1950’s, saying the pledge of allegiance was usually the first thing done. There was prayer in school, prayer prior to any ceremony. We got good Friday off school. Christmas decorations galore, having the manger scene on school property and other public buildings and much more. All that stuff has ceased. I never thought anything about it, it was just normal. The ten commandments were posted on the courthouse. That U.S. law was derived from the ten commandments.

This was what was where I grew up. Heck, every store in town closed on Sundays to include restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations. Nothing is closed today on Sunday. Times change. However, I agree with Goldwater when he told Reagan when he courted the religious right that those religious zealots would be the death to the Republican Party. Here’s one of his quotes, “Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.”

Religious folks are going to vote based on their religion just like folks will vote based on the political ideology. I firmly believe that no religion nor any political ideology ought to be forced on anyone. It’s like I said though, folks are going to vote their own self-interest.

Well, for about the last 18 months or so, as I've said here in several comments, my gut has been telling me that we are about to lose our democracy to a dictatorial candidate, Mr. Trump!

Last nights unmoderated debate has not changed that feeling. In fact, I might need to go get me some Tums or something to calm it.

I understand that Pres. Biden was sick, and he sounded it, but I am sorry, it was a terrible performance. Some of his answers were almost unintelligible. His messages sometimes seemed somewhat jumbled. Some, I am sure, will bash me for my comments, but I will not put lipstick on a pig! I type it as I saw it!

And on the other side of the stage, we have the liar in chief, Mr. Trump! He was able to get every lie out of his mouth without interruption. No fact checking by the moderators at all! Not even any fact-check comments scrolled across the bottom of the screen. Pres. Biden was able to rebut a few of those lies, but not nearly enough.

People that don't follow what is happening regularly, and get their news from the likes of FOX and Facebook, are able to believe every one of Trumps lies because there was no officials disputing them. Even those that just don't keep up with the political news at all, will easily believe Trumps undisputed lies!

Trump sounded factual! Biden sounded sick!

Sorry if I sound fatalistic, but that's how my gut feels!

Farewell America!

I think you summed it up fairly accurately.

For undecideds this debate was damning for Pres Biden and consequently vote losing.

If Democrats don't honestly consider another candidate, it will be on their head Democracy Died on their watch.

I thought the very notion Democracy was on the line would be enough to stem the tide of fascism but I think I was wrong. Divine intervention is required.

I like the current governor of California. He's smart, can talk, is popular in his state, has connected with a lot of the Democrats now running and has helped several, etc. I have always thought he was thinking about running as well.

I'm not sure just what happened with Biden. They say he was sick. He was NOT sick. They had him on TV just after the disaster and everything he did was the exact opposite of how he did during the debate. He talked out loud, he spoke well, he was exactly how he should have been during the debate. I think what happened is that the people who were getting him ready for the debate screwed him up so much he simply had no idea what was happening and was trying, very hard, to remember all the stuff they told him to remember and between the two he simply couldn't get off the dime and do what needed to be done. I think they worked him over to close to 3 weeks. Trump, on the other hand, didn't go through that and, instead, just stuck with Trump.

and it was a shame...........

Sounds like you were in a Catholic school. That's where I was through high school. I am 89 going on 90 and am lucky, these days, to remember my name! I, however, have faith. There are millions of folks working on trying to fix stuff like dementia. I'm hoping they fix it before I really can't remember my name. The VA has me on DONEPEZIL. I am told that's the first one they try and, apparently, there are more but they all come with stuff that one really doesn't want to experience.

The Republican Christians are a special breed. Some of the thing they support would have been, in my day, a bit sinful but, apparently, getting what they want is ok if it helps with their goals. I also find it interesting that they greet ALL Christians the same in church as they are all Christians! It also seems as many join up with them. Most of all they do not change. They have rules and they stick to them through thick and thin. They have been at the Republican party for over 60 years! (and they are either winning or have won). I have also read that they are the largest Christian group in the nation.

No, just a regular public school. Although it was a small school located out in the country, not in a town. There were plenty of small schools back then. I don’t remember there even being a catholic church in Madison, population around 1500 or there abouts when I grew up. They closed the small schools, now make the kids go to a much bigger school in town. I’d say it has doubled or tripled in size since then. Most folks were Southern Baptist although there were many other denominations, all of them protestant if I remember correctly. Religion or the religious has taken a big drop over the last 50 years. 87% of all Americans identified themselves according to Gallup as Christian back when I grew up. Just 68% today with 22% no religion, 7% other religion.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/358364/religious-americans.aspx

Most Christians leave their religion out of politics, except the evangelicals or born-again Christians. They wear their religion on their sleeve. I think these evangelicals would bring back the inquisition if they could.

I suspect you are very close to the truth on this one. I also have no idea how anybody is going to fix it. I do know that they are on a road where we are all going to be involved and I fear for what might happen. The Biden thing last night is not going to help either. I think it was the 3 weeks training that Biden was given by whoever. They REALLY screwed it all up!! After it was all over they had Biden on something and he was talking normally, and with no problems at all.

My wife used to do a lot of debate stuff in school. She said when they said he was being trained (or whatever) that she hoped they knew what they were doing as they can really screw somebody up. The whole thing is very strange to me.