How the Religious Right is Infiltrating the Democratic Party: Part 1

On March 23, 2009, an odd column popped up in California's Orange County Register written by a friend of Howard Ahmansonn -- a reclusive millionaire closely tied to Christian Reconstructionism and who was key funder of the effort to pass the anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 referendum in California last fall. Steven Greenhut's OC Register column printed in its entirety a "rant" by Ahmanson explaining why he had decided to register as a Democrat, but that was hardly necessary -- the Democratic Party is currently in power, and so it is likely Ahmanson wants to work to transform it from within or, to coin a term, to "theocratize" Democrats.

That would be pragmatic but also visionary. Once upon a time, though it may seem strange to think of it in the year 2009, the Republican Party was moderately progressive. So there's no reason Democrats can't become populist theocrats, especially if they are willing to jettison core principles such as support for secular government and minority rights.

Howard Ahmanson was at Christian Reconstructionism mastermind R.J. Rushdoony's dying bedside, and Rushdoony's movement is well known for its proposals that alleged sinners, including homosexuals and rebellious teenagers, be put to death by stoning. So the prospect of Howard Ahmanson making inroads among Democrats might sound absurd. But it is not. Along a wide range of fronts, the American religious right has been infiltrating, influencing, befuddling, and neutralizing the Democratic Party and the American left... for decades.

Here is my first installment of a series explaining how that is being done.

Here is an excerpt:

As Rachel Laser, Culture Program Director for the Third Way announced during a press conference on October 10th, 2007, "[t]wo years ago, we launched an initiative that few thought could be successful: finding common ground between centrist evangelicals and progressives on the most divisive cultural issues of our times... The Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda represents the fruit of these labors and maps a joint path forward to heal a nation torn apart by the culture wars."

In early 2009, days before the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the 'Come Let Us Reason Together' effort re-launched its 'Governing Agenda' with a flourish, by announcing a press teleconference and sending a letter to the new President-Elect and Congressional leaders from both major US political parties which began, "For the last few decades, through both Democratic and Republican administrations, America has been polarized by an angry culture war, fought over such divisive issues as abortion and gay rights."

But Samuel Rodriguez, one of the co-authors of the Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda, is not an "evangelical moderate". Indeed, he's actively promoting the "culture wars" and has earned the nickname "The Hispanic Karl Rove".

In a November 19, 2006 sermon, Rodriguez declared,

"We have radical Muslims. Radical homosexuals. Radical abortionists. We need radical, born again, spirit filled Christians to arise ! Do you follow me ? We don't need any sissy Christians, Oprah Winfrey Christians. We need prophetic, devil stomping, demon rebuking, blood washed, Bible believing, free-from-sin Christians !" - Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, prominent Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda co-author.

[read
" 'Hispanic Karl Rove' Helps Shape 'Third Way' Democratic Party Platform"]

Comments

[mingjia]

Christians are crazy and relentless. It's hard to say why they are so, but it's true. Secularlists, democrats, athiests--we have to understand how amiably ruthless and bizarre many of these christian groups are. The basic problem is, most everybody wants to give them a pass because they're just god-fearing men who like to go to church in starched white shirts on sundays. So harmless! In reality, they are the real nazis in this country--and we've seen that with their many efforts to fight the teaching of evolution in schools and to promote creationism. Religious groups long ago left the church and began pushing their silly notions all over the world, in the halls of congress, in statehouses and schools---and it's all pretty dangerous.

[expired]

Time to break camp and leave this farce of a country.

[Hope Lives]

Not only is this a brilliant man and one of my favorite writers but he is right one the money. i began to think some democrats were really republicans infiltrating the Dem party so we couldn't get anything done. I looked up the most likely candidates and sure enough, they voted against anything to do with women's rights or gay rights.

Then a weird thing happened to me. I went to talk to my new minister who had been named one of my cities "treasures". I asked him if he thought we were in for a theocratic takeover. He sort of nodded and me and i left with nothing from him. Then today a get a flyer that a man is coming to talk to us about slavery and women's role in society. What? I hope it's a good thing but these are just too weird to make up. The craziest (and most in upper power of the right wing) plans slavery and genocide for those who don't agree with them - C Street types. Great job Bruce. Congratulations again. Your friend. I said hello to Fred at Netroots.

[minimalist syntax]

I live in Orange County and am a member of the Democratic Party in Orange County. What can be done to oppose this at the local party level?

[Bruce Wilson - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, I'd say that just publicizing the far-right associations of a number of the authors of and contributors to the Third Way / Faith in Public Life "Come Let Us Reason Together" agenda is the first place to start. That would raise the issue - if the "Hispanic Karl Rove" is helping to craft that agenda, can it really be in the best interest of the Democratic Party, even broadly speaking ? To raise that point isn't to assert that all Party candidates have to pass some ideological litmus test on reproductive and gay rights issues. Samuel Rodriguez is emerging as one of the keenest strategists of the newly emerging Christian right, and he has endorsed militant far-right groups such as Lou Engle's TheCall. Rodriguez can't play both positions - he's demonstrably not interested in "common ground."

[minimalist syntax]

Thank you for your post. I will meet about this with my friend who, with me, is part of the Christian left. We are both members of the OC Democratic Party.

[JohnFromCensornati]

It's a two-way street. The Dems began courting the faithers as soon as the pollsters and consultants told them that the faithers won the 2004 election for King George W.
Also, they love to pander to "independents" (a euphemism for Republicans that are ashamed to identify as Republicans).
Obama's preachy religious streak and anti-gay-marriage remarks were the main reasons I didn't like him during the primaries. Then, he chose Rick Warren for the inauguration.
The Dems have lost me after 30+ years. I won't support the new Party of God (D).

[PlaceboStudman]

"We don't need any sissy Christians, Oprah Winfrey Christians. We need prophetic, devil stomping, demon rebuking, blood washed, Bible believing, free-from-sin Christians !" - Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, prominent Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda co-author.­"

Um...he wants unborn fetuses to be his culture warriors? Cause my reading of The Bible says that EVERY single one of us is a sinner pretty much from the moment you pop out of the womb.

That is if you believe that whole Jesus myth and other related fairy tales of the notorious zombie ghost

[minimalist syntax]

I have never agreed with you before, but I would definitely agree with you here. As a Christian, you would believe no one is free from sin.

I thoroughly renounce this group and all Christian fundamentalism I say (while possibly ducking thrown objects).

[PlaceboStudman]

I may be an Atheist (secular Pantheist actually), but I seem to be one of the few who has actually read the bible and knows exactly what it is Im denouncing

And its good to see you denouncing these nutjobs. We need more people like you who realize that it's NOT okay to implicitly condone these groups' beliefs with silence

[tccstend]

Hi Bruce,
Of course those who have paid attention or who have actually studied the Dominionists, knew that this would happen. They have no allegience to a party but rather to their own agenda which, unless they are continually monitored, they are quite capable of working through any naive person in a position of influence.

[Bruce Wilson - Huffpost Blogger]

Of course, I agree. And, I'd add this - Pat Robertson has articulated the goal, for the movement he's helped lead, of controlling both political parties.

[thinkagain2]

I'd really like to see a dialog blog between you and Frank Schaefer. Think that could happen?