The incredible shrinking base

Recently we have discussed how the Bush administration has driven the Eisenhower Republicans, the Bull Moose Republicans and the Goldwater Republicans from the Republican ranch. Andrew Sullivan has written exstensivly on the persecution of the gay and lesbian Log Cabin Republicans. Running Scared has a letter written to Ed Gillespie, chairman of the RNC, by the Log Cabin Republicans.

Much of the alienation is the result of pandering to the social conservative Christians. Now that base may be leaving the fold as well. In Sojourners Magazine Jim Wallis states:
The Religous Right Era Is Over

God is not a Republican. Or a Democrat.

God is not a Republican. Or a Democrat. Certain fundamentalists have forgotten this basic truth, and as a result their influence over Christians has begun to fade.

Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and other extreme fundamentalists are losing credibility among the faithful by putting loyalty to party before loyalty to scripture and ignoring the fact that Christians are growing more concerned about an expanding set of moral issues. These two leaders in particular have seriously overstated their case in claims that God has virtually ordained George W. Bush as a divinely selected candidate. And the Bush campaign has seriously overstepped the proper boundaries of church and state by suggesting that conservative churches give them their congregational directories. This political alliance favors partisanship over Christian ethics and turns congregations into the Republican Party at prayer.

A backlash has begun, even among evangelicals. A diverse coalition, including prominent evangelical leaders, just published a statement that some people of faith will vote for President Bush and some for Sen. Kerry for reasons deeply rooted in Christian values. Rev. Falwell now has only a 44 percent approval rating among evangelicals. By contrast, Pope John Paul II—who speaks with equal conviction about abortion, peace, and poverty, regardless of partisan impact—has a 60 percent approval rating among evangelicals, a group that was once the most anti-Catholic in the country. Indeed, in a poll earlier this year, Bush held only a 4-point advantage over Sen. Kerry among evangelicals.

Some Christians are beginning to see the light. As Marshall Wittmann said in his endorsement of John Kerry:

"But the leaders of the religious right have betrayed their constituents by failing to champion such economic issues as family leave or access to health insurance, which would relieve the stresses on many working families. The only things the religious conservatives get are largely symbolic votes on proposals guaranteed to fail, such as the gay marriage constitutional amendment. The religious right has consistently provided the ground troops, while the big-money men have gotten the goodies."

When the Bush Republicans lose even a small percentage of the religious right they are through. Let's be realistic, there are not enough millionaires and billionaires to get you elected to any office other than head of the homeowners association of a gated community.