Romney's Evangelical Problem
Jonathan Rauch draws attention to a Nov. 20 open letter signed by Christian intellectuals.
Jonathan comments:
I interpret the release of this document, at this moment, as a warning shot directed at the conservative movement and, less directly, the Republican Party. The gist, in my own translation:
1) "Opposition to abortion and gay marriage will be the two issues for the social right. Forget about diversifying the portfolio or changing the emphasis. Not gonna happen on our watch."
2) "Never mind polls showing gradually increasing acceptance of gay marriage. Never mind the country's now-majority support for some form of publicly recognized same-sex partnership, even among younger evangelicals. Homosexuality is 'sexual immorality,' now and forever, and public sanction of same-sex sexual unions is unacceptable. Period."
3) "Don't even think about going squishy on either of these issues, because, if you do, we will split the movement. You have been warned. It's opposition to gay marriage to the bitter end... or civil war."
I see the Declaration as part of the Republican/conservative drive toward a smaller, purer party/movement. I suspect it will help deliver the "smaller" part, anyway.
I think Jonathan has missed the lede on this story. Here's the lede:
A declaration intended as the defining statement of conservative Christian principle in the post-2008 political landscape - endorsed by over 150 people over a period of a month - found room for not a single Mormon signatory. Mormons may contribute generously to social conservative causes like the National Organization for Marriage and the campaign against same-sex marriage in California. But when it comes time to define what is Christian and what is not, Mormons are not to be included. I have to think that's ominous news for the Romney 2012 campaign.