When I wrote my last blog, "Demonizing Obama and the Politics of 'Morality,'" I suspected there would probably be some effort by people opposed to the president's programs to obscure and distort the administration's initiatives on health care and unemployment.
We are not trying to carry President Obama's political water. There were several instances during his presidency when those of us who voted for Obama were critical of one or more of his positions on an important domestic or foreign policy matter, or of his perceived lack of decisive leadership on certain critical issues. In short, we are not, nor have we ever been, nor do we seek to be, an Obama cheerleader. However, neither are we deaf, dumb or blind.
The assault on the legitimacy of the president's personal Christian theology is nothing less than despicable. It is garbage politics; unworthy of serious political discourse.
Who determined that Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney or any other critic of the president's policies are qualified to judge the integrity or "acceptability" of President Obama's commitment to his Christian religion? Republicans, Fox News commentators, and right-wing radio should stop insinuating that the president's religious commitment is less than theirs. Rick Santorum, in a wink and a nod to his conservative base says Obama 'must be a Christian, if he says he is.' But, he won't acknowledge that the president, IS, IN FACT, A CHRISTIAN!! And, by the way, lest we forget, President Obama was for several years a member of Reverend Jeremiah Wright's church in Chicago.
Rick Santorum has home schooled his children. By doing so, that does not mean, that public education is less worthy or appropriate for other parents who send their children to public schools. Santorum, however, suggests that the public schools are "controlled by the federal government" and subject to President Obama's influence. Therefore, public schools today may no longer be an appropriate institution to educate our children. Is this really 2012?
Additionally, who appointed Santorum and other right-wing media talking heads as czars of what is appropriate for women to do or not do about birth control? Senator Santorum "says he is Catholic." We respect his religious beliefs. President John F. Kennedy was also Catholic. In spite of some initial fears at the time, he assiduously honored our Constitutional mandate -- separation of Church and State. He never sought to make his Catholic belief's national government policy. And, with all due respect to Senator Santorum, "he is no Jack Kennedy."
It's an understatement to say that our nation has become more ideologically divided in recent years. Some scholars and political pundits describe America today as being as divided as we were in 1860 at the time of Abraham Lincoln's election. Then, the principal issue dividing the country was the existence of slavery within several States in our Union.
As a young boy, I remember the presidential election of 1948; and, later, as an adult, those of 1960 thru Nov 2008. The current political acrimony between the Republican and Democratic parties is not in our nation's best interests. Nor is the continued effort to demonize President Obama and politicize the moral beliefs leading spokespersons in the Republican Party insinuate that he has, which are "radically" different from theirs.
We as a nation deserve better than this. We as a nation can be better than this.
Jay Rubenstein: Santorum's Augustinian Theology
Nope. None at all.
1) Good husband
2) Good father
3) Good President
4) Good American
5) Good man
Rev wright taught this theology to obama for 20+ years.
There are many different versions of religions -
But this truth will not be considered P/C on this site - nope
It's easy to see however - that he was not raised as a Christian - because if he was - he would know the power [ Catholic Church ] that he is messing with.
There should be several years for everyone to decide which of the new countries they want to live in and after that the Empire is over. Unity is overrated. The far right can all join together. We will arm ourselves against their aggressive tendencies and we will trade with them if they are amenable to that. Other than that I would not have anything to do with their country. I have nothing in common with them and nothing but bad feelings towards them.