Seeking the Moral Center in DC

I'm in Washington, D.C. this week for Pentecost 2006 sponsored by Call to Renewal. I hope to blog more about the experience later. But I ran across this outstanding analysis of the different trends going on in the world of religious progressives. It is from Slate and written by Martin Edlund, "Left Behind - Fault lines among the leaders of the religious left.

The Search for a Religous Left

The New York Times has a great article "Religious Left Struggles to Find Unifying Message" which shows some of the problems of creating a positive force on the left to counter the religious Right. The article notes:

Turnout at the Spiritual Activism Conference is high, but if the gathering is any indication, the biggest barrier for liberals may be their regard for pluralism: for letting people say what they want, how they want to, and for trying to include everyone's priorities, rather than choosing two or three issues that could inspire a movement.

This observation might be correct, however, the real question is who will do the choosing for the "religious Left?" The real leaders of the religious Right were not established leaders of denominations, but rather became powerful leaders through their organizational and fund-raising efforts. I would content that the Evangelical Church is much more open to these entrepreneurial leaders than the Mainline Church is. (It is probably telling that one of the most significant leaders of the progressive movement in the church, Jim Wallis--comes from an Evangelical perspective.)


I believe there is hope for the Religous Left (or Progressive Faith), but there will be moments of frustration like the article documents.

Missionary Zeal in Iraq vs. Old-Time Religion

Andrew Sullivan's Quote for the Day:

"[T]he Iraq War will stand for a long time as a monument to the potential excesses of evangelical thinking - and when it comes to our foreign policy, I hope the next GOP President partakes of a little less of Bush-style missionary zeal, and a little more of that old-time conservative religion," - Ross Douthat, on how evangelicalism has changed conservatism in the Bush era.

Nicely said.

Blunt Ethics?

The Kansas City Star's new political blog, KC Buzz Blog writes that the governor is trying to take the offensive on the question of ethics by prohibiting those on his staff from accepting gifts from lobbyists. It is a good step, but no one thinks that the FBI is asking questions about the governor's office because Press Secretary Spence Jackson accepted a slice at Arris' Pizza Palace from a lobbyist.

Over at KC Buzz Blog, I wrote on a comment:

I'm unclear if the governor is covered himself under this policy. Also--could one accept gifts from non-lobbyists (such as the corporations that lobbyist represent)? What gifts/meals from about political parties or PACs?

What seems strange is the type of gifts the governor is talking about are exactly the the things widely accepted by his father--Rep. Roy Blunt. Does Matt Blunt believe that any other elected official should adopt his rules? Why doesn't he introduce legislation that would require all elected officials in Missouri to uphold this standard?

It is strange that Blunt has focused on one of the ethical areas that he is not under attack for. The nasty thing about ethics reform is that it needs to be comprehensive--campaign contributions, patronage positions, etc. Also, it is appropriate for state lawmakers, then it should apply to the Federal lawmakers as well.

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Religious Conservative Bed Fellows

The blog STLtoday.com reports that Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia was in the state to give a lecture, but he also "attended a Law Day Mass celebrated by Archbishop Raymond Burke at the Basilica of St. Louis. Attendees included Gov. Matt Blunt and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay."

I guess I still find it amazing that a good Baptist like Matt Blunt is happy to seek favor with Catholic leaders. On issues like abortion, stem-cells and gay rights, Catholics (or at least the Catholic Church's leadership) is very much in step with the religious Right. I was listening to conservative Christian talk radio after the death of Pope John Paul II and listened to caller after caller sing the praises (ok not literally) of the Pope. Anti-Catholicism has been such a significant part of many American Protestants' belief systems that to see the negative attitudes diminished is very suprising. (I'm quite frankly torn between believing it is a step forward in tolerance or is it just politically astute for the Religious Right to try to broaden their base).

However, just to remind us that there are limits to the "Big Tent" of the Religious Right. Robert Novak recently wrote about Governor Mitt Romney that:

Prominent, respectable Evangelical Christians have told me, not for quotation, that millions of their co-religionists cannot and will not vote for Romney for president solely because he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If Romney is nominated and their abstention results in the election of Hillary Rodham Clinton, that's just too bad. The evangelicals are adamant, saying there is no way Romney can win them over.

The irony is that the LDS Church is much more aligned with the political agenda of the Republican party, than the Catholic Church is (I am always inspired by the Catholic Church's prophetic teaching on issues such as concern for the poor and the marginalized). Yet criticizing the LDS Church (including calling them non-Christian and working to convert them) has become a cottage industry for fundamentalists. Perhaps because both fundamentalists and Mormons are trying to convert the same groups of people, suspicion between the groups continues. I mean when was the last time you had Catholic missionaries knocking on your door!

It is an interesting dilemma for those that are trying to form a political coalition from religious groups with very different theological positions.

Does Redistricting Threaten Democracy?

Is it possible that the greatest threat to democracy in our country is our redistricting processes? Juliet Eilperin has a good article on Slate.com which explores ways to fix the system. One of the great quotes from the piece:

'As a mapmaker, I can have more of an impact on an election than a campaign, than a candidate,' says Republican consultant David Winston, who drew House seats for the GOP after the 1990 U.S. Census. 'When I, as a mapmaker, have more of an impact on an election than the voters, the system in out of whack.'

One can hope that there will be some courageous politicians that will put principle ahead of pure partisan gain before the redistricting cycle starts again.

Medicaid changes do harm

Ruth Ehresman gets it right with her op-ed piece in the Kansas City Star "Medicaid changes do harm."

Wait, We Need More Room on the Bumper Sticker!

Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons in a recent GOP E-mail outlines the main goals for the Missouri Senate regarding healthcare.

The first is that everyone should have available, affordable healthcare through a market-driven approach focused on the patient'’s right to know about the quality and cost of their care with individual responsibility.

Wow, I can't imagine a message that will sell better to the voters. Could they add more buzz-words? Is there any way to judge what will be a success? Perhaps everyone should have available, affordable healthcare--but do they? Hardly.

Back in January of 2005, then Governor-elect Matt Blunt said, after this first year in office "Missourians should notice a difference in their lives."” reports an AP Story published in the Jefferson City News-Tribune. Blunt is quoted as saying:

I think they'll notice an entrepreneurial climate that has improved, that makes it easier for people to get good family-supporting jobs in their state with health care benefits attached to them.

As we approach the end of the second legislative session under a Republican General Assembly with a Republican govenor, can we start to judge them on their efforts? The governor thinks it is enough time. What will the people of Missouri think?

What is a Family? Let them tell you . . .

Is it hard to define what a family consists of in the 21st century? Apparently not according to officials in Black Jack, Missouri. The St. Louis suburb is giving notice to an unmarried couple with three children they can't live in their community because they don't meet the definition of what a family is, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The mother, Olivia Shelltrack says:

I refuse to run down to the courthouse and get married just so I can live in my own home,' she said. 'I love my house. I love the area. I love the schools. We wouldn't have bought the house if we didn't think it was what we wanted.

It was silly of Ms. Shelltrack not to realize that she needed to get the rest of the city's blessing before she decided how to live her life!

The Long-Distance Journey of a Fast-Food Order - New York Times

Some McDonalds restaurants are trying out the idea of out-sourced call centers for their drive-through service, according to the New York Times. It is a strange concept, made possible by cheap communication technology. Right now, all the drive-through call centers are in the US, but why not place them in India eventually? Order local. Think global.

Massachusetts Plan for Universal Health Care Coverage

A reflection on the bill mandating individuals purchase universal health insurance in Massachusetts is nicely done by Andrew Sullivan. He praises Republican Gov. Mitt Romney for having the courage to back the plan. Sullivan asserts the plan will:

empowers individuals to take control of their own health insurance, rather than putting all the emphasis on employers.

I think it is a fascinating experiment. The plan provides help for low-income residents to purchase insurance. I'm not convinced that the market will drive down costs if everyone is covered, however the plan will lead to universal coverage. Some interesting coalitions between right and left have formed during the crafting of this bill. I hope this might be a good model for the rest of the nation (or least some significant learnings).

Who is the Religous Left?

Over at Slate, Steven Waldman gives a basic primer on The Religious Left (hat tip to Andrew Sullivan). It is a nice article for those wanting to understand religous progressives. I don't agree with him that you can put the National Council of Churches, in the category of "Pious peaceniks;" the Council is a very diverse organization made up of many religous denominations, however, on balance it is a worth a read.

Will the Real Todd Elkins stand up?

According to the Corvallis Gazette-Times a number of people are helping to restore family photos damaged in Katrina "including Todd Elkins and Betty Coulman." Yes, I do have an extensive volunteer life, but this isn't one my projects. It is also strange to see your name in print, but it isn't you.
Of course the top-ranked "Todd Elkins" according to Google.com is the owner of toddelkins.com, a realtor in Dallas, who targets the gay and lesbian market. I think the Todd of Dallas bears a slight resemblance to me and wonder if any of my former classmates have wondered if that is me. I would find that idea to be highly offensive, I mean I would never go into real estate ;-).

Speakeasy - Speed Test

Speakeasy - Speed Test is one of the coolest sites I've seen in a long time. A very elegant solution to test the speed your broadband connections (For me, Download Speed: 9607 kbps and Upload Speed: 352 kbps using Comcast Cable Modem in Independence, Missouri).

Great GMail Tips

Great reading for how to use Gmail the most effectively: Hack Attack: Become a Gmail master - Lifehacker.

Is Religion a Wedge Issue for Republicans?

A great article at Bloomberg.com looks at the tensions in the Repubican Party. Says one GOP pollster:

The real schism of the party is not abortion or gay rights. It's religiosity. It's whether or not you believe God's Law should be used to set public policy.

This tension seems to be brewing here in Missouri. (Thanks to Bill Tammeus for blogging the article).

Rejected UCC Commercial--Worth Watching

The United Church of Christ has put out some great television ads again. Apparently they are too "controversial" for network TV, but they are great and are worth a view.

Mainline churches should be silent while Religious Right political leaders get to speak their mind?Do you care?

Teaching the Bible in Georgia Public Schools

Georgia prepares to establish the Bible in its public school curriculum. The proposal is to allow elective classes to be taught in the history and literature of the Bible. I think the proposal is interesting and does have merit. No book has influenced Western culture as much as the Bible. However, I'm not sure the religious conservatives who are pushing this effort are ready for all the implications. There is a great amount of contemporary, mainline Biblical Scholarship that would directly contradict the message of most Fundamentalists, such as:

• None of the Gospels were written by the names of those they are attributed to (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John), nor were any authors of the Gospels eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus. The gospels would have been written 40 - 70 years after the death of Christ.
• The first five books of the Old Testament were not written by Moses, but instead is the editing together of a variety of different written traditions (some which descended from Oral traditions). Each of these different sources had different perspectives and agendas.

It would seem a nonsectarian, "objective" teaching of the Bible would need to take items like this seriously. I don't think this is what most religious conservatives mean when they call for a critical analysis of creation!

The Great Liberal Hijacking of America

Several weeks ago, Kansas City Star's Kit Wagar had a great story on social conversatives in the Missouri Legisalture. One of my favorite quotes came from Rep. Cynthia Davis (O’Fallon -R) who said:

It’s time to get back to the basics . . . Our country has been hijacked by liberals. We’ve had people with left-wing ideas pushing us away from what made America strong.

What is so telling about her quote is this attitude among so many in the Religous Right that they are the persecuted minority, inspite of the fact they are perhaps the most powerful political force in our nation.

Lets see, control of the Missouri House, Missouri Senate, Governor's Mansion as well as US House, Senate, Presidency and the Supreme Court. Yet Davis believes that liberals have "hijacked" our country.

Tom DeLay's CCW License Revoked

Apparently, Rep. Tom DeLay license to carry concealed a handgun has been revoked since he has been indicted. Not sure what to say, except with rights come responsibilities! ;-)