Republicans and God
Did the Christian right sink the GOP by driving away other conservatives?
Three letters explain the Republican defeat—G-O-D, said Kathleen Parker in The Washington Post. “To be more specific, the evangelical, right-wing, oogedy-boogedy branch of the GOP is what ails the erstwhile conservative party.” This “armband religion” is killing the party by alienating the rest of its “non-base constituents" and driving away secularists and conservative Democrats too.
With the possible exception of hardcore creationism, said Jonah Goldberg in National Review Online, it’s hard to figure out where Parker believes the GOP embraced “oogedy-boogedyism.” Does she mean “opposition to abortion? Opposition to gay marriage?” Support for school prayer? These are legitimate conservative positions that deserve respect, not the kind of insults conservatives are accustomed to finding at the Huffington Post and DailyKos.
Faith in God isn't what's hurting the GOP, said Carol Platt Liebau in Townhall.com, "although a certain clumsiness in invoking Him and discussing moral issues generally occasionally does." But going atheist like the liberal left will only guarantee failure. Sure, the party's in a jam, but "it's always a bad thing to throw the baby out with the bathwater. It's even worse to throw out the Almighty."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in Turkmenistan
The Explainer Two nations talk up their closer ties but some in Tehran believe Putin 'still owes' them
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Kmart shelves emptied'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
India and Canada expel diplomats amid murder row
Speed Read New Delhi denies allegations linking Indian intelligence services to assassination of Sikh separatist last year
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
1 of 6 'Trump Train' drivers liable in Biden bus blockade
Speed Read Only one of the accused was found liable in the case concerning the deliberate slowing of a 2020 Biden campaign bus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court rejects challenge to CFPB
Speed Read The court rejected a conservative-backed challenge to the way the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is funded
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published