Christians To GOP: We Notice You Haven't Pandered To Us Enough Lately...

If only there was a dying woman's personal tragedy for the Republicans to exploit this year.

NY Times: Conservative Christians Criticize Republicans

Some of President Bush's most influential conservative Christian allies are becoming openly critical of the White House and Republicans in Congress, warning that they will withhold their support in the midterm elections unless Congress does more to oppose same-sex marriage, obscenity and abortion...

...In the last several weeks, Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family and one of the most influential Christian conservatives, has publicly accused Republican leaders of betraying the social conservatives who helped elect them in 2004. He has also warned in private meetings with about a dozen of the top Republicans in Washington that he may turn critic this fall unless the party delivers on conservative goals...

Republicans aren't doing enough for the religious right? Yikes! I'd hate to see what it would take to satisfy them in that case. I can see it now... 'Ok, so we banned gays, made teaching evolution illegal, put the Ten Commandments in courthouses, put Jesus on the flag, outlawed abortion, and made all TV channels redirect to the 700 Club. So what do you want us Republicans to do next, Mr. Dobson?'.

I expect the religious right may get their wishes, as an AP article from last month notes that "Between now and the November elections, Republicans are penciling in plans to take action on social issues important to religious conservatives, the foundation of the GOP base, as they defend their congressional majority".

Sadly, if you speak out against these religious extremists who have hijacked our national political dialogue, you are blown off as being 'intolerant' to religion. Because of this, the Dobsons of this country face little open opposition to their crusades. The media and the politicians are too afraid of their influence to call a spade a spade. It's frustrating for those who know this country has bigger problems than whether or not Focus On The Family gives our nation's direction the thumbs up. With two overseas war spiraling out of control, massive economic debt, healthcare a disaster, and many other problems which affect our lives, the last thing any politician should be worried about is whether some religious fundamentalist is upset that gay people aren't being maligned enough.

Curiously enough, Laura Bush may be going against the Republican grain on this...

Some election-year advice to Republicans from a high-ranking source who has the president's ear: Don't use a proposed constitutional amendment against gay marriage as a campaign tool.

Just who is that political strategist? Laura Bush.

The first lady told "Fox News Sunday" that she thinks the American people want a debate on the issue. But, she said, "I don't think it should be used as a campaign tool, obviously."...

Now this is a welcome change of pace. I'm not sure if she's sincere or if she's just playing at something (perhaps she just wants to distance the White House from the marriage ban movement), but I would like to believe it's sincere. Her husband supports using it as a campaign too, of course, as we all saw two years ago. If Mrs. Bush is as sincere I would like to believe she is, I hope this advice will be given to more than just Fox News anchors.

Unfortunately, it is not Laura Bush who will be controlling the campaigns this summer. It's this guy-

"I basically say, Mr. Vice President, right now marriage is under attack in this country," Frist said on CNN. "And we've seen activist judges overturning state by state law, where state legislatures have passed laws defining marriage between a man and a woman, and that's being overturned by a handful of activist judges around the country. And that is why we need an amendment to come to the floor of the United States Senate to define marriage as that union between one man and one woman."

Marriage is under attack! Man the alarms! Send the National Guard to secure the marriage certificates!

Sen. Frist fails to realize that, unlike 2004, it will not be the evangelicals who decide this election. A lot has happened since November 2004 (the bottom falling out on the war, Hurricane Katrina, and endless revelations of corruption and incompetence stemming from the Republican party); the majority voters right now are the people who are really angry with the way this country is being run (on the real issues, not the made up ones). Change is the theme this year. The people who will be going to the polls en masse this November are those who want to see that the Bill Frists are no longer in any position of power in our Congress. I am hopeful that when these voters see the Republicans once again ignoring the issues of concern to the average American in favor of pandering to special interest groups, it will further their resolve to- as the kids say- throw the bums out.