Why has the Christian radical right become predominate over the Goldwater and Reagan Republicans?

Question

Republican values have historically been fairly basic; free trade, strong defense, property rights, State's rights, and limited government spending. Why has this so drastically changed?

Answer 1

I don't know, but if something doesn't change the radical right will destroy this country from within.

Answer 2

I don't believe it has. I know hordes of Republicans, and none of them are members of the "Christian radical right". I think that the media give those stories credence, so everyone thinks every Republican is some Christian freak. Many, many Republicans aren't even Christians, let alone radical Christians.

One reason the right is upset is because the left is in an all-out assault against Christianity. So although I'm not a Christian, as a believer in individual rights, the ACTUAL words of the Constitution, and my hatred of government control, I wholeheartedly support Christians. Anyone who believes the Constitution says people shall be protected from Christianity is an idiot. And nobody has been able to explain to me why Christianity is so banned from public schools that you can't even have a Christmas tree, but there are classes devoted to teaching Islam. Hypocrisy reigns supreme in this country.

Answer 3

During the 1960s, the Democrats had control over all three branches of the Federal Government. And the U.S. Supreme Court seemed to have discovered the idea that the 1st amendment protects pornography. And that it prohibits teacher-led prayer and Bible-reading in school. The Court decided that "equal protection of the laws" means that state laws "discriminating" against illegitimate children (and their parents) are prohibited. Basically, the Court went waaaaaay over to the left and took away from Christian conservatives their ability to control the moral environment of their STATES. So the Christian conservatives (who used to be of either party) decided that they have to gravitate toward the party who hadn't taken away these political powers.

There have always been Christian conservatives who were successful at influencing their STATE governments to create laws that reflect traditional moral values. The Christians were probably Republicans in Utah, Idaho, Iowa, and the plains states, Democrats in the south, and either one in the Great Lakes. But they have -- since the 1960s -- unified behind the Republican party at the national level because the Republicans were not trying to use the federal judiciary to take away from the STATES their ability to "legislate morality."

Answer 4

It's been changing throughout our culture. The far right of Christianity finally figured out how to mass market and package their product with Christian pop and rock music. Out here in Oklahoma there are all these mega churches for denominations I have never heard of. The Charismatics have really started to take over and they are attempting to take control of the Republican Party to put forward their agendas.

This all began for Republicans when all those Southern Democrats bailed on Jimmy Carter and went with Reagan. So far these Southern Democrats have been succesful in taking control of the Republican Party.

Those of us left in the Democratic Party (no pun intended) are happy to see them take their radical butts away. They are some scary folks.

Answer 5

It's simple the Karl Rove plan is to make the Christian left the new Redpublican base.

All it took was for "W" to take a Bible class in Odessa say Praise the Lord on TV and back it up with a we will pray for our boys in uniform.

Whammo Jesus turned into an industrial tycoon.

Answer 6

It is a fanaticism about certain moral values like abortion, gay marriage, prayer in schools,
a non-belief in evolution, etc.
This is fired up in the Right Wing Churches and carried into the Republican Political Arenas.
I am sure it is very soul rewarding for them as they believe that they are doing God's work on Earth and they feel very good about it.

Answer 7

The neocon movement?

Current administration has been buoyed by an empassioned Christian base who adore the religious conviction behind most of this administration's policies (particularly support of Israel, fight against Islamic extremism, anti-abortion policies, etc.).

9/11 changed a lot of this. For some historical precedent, read into the days and years leading up to the ascension of Napoleon as ultimate leader of France. People gave up a lot of their civil liberties hang-ups (along with a whole other set of desires and needs people usually have of government) because we faced a threat from Islamic terrorism. We still feel insecure, 5 years on. That is empowering to a person, let alone one at the head of a trillion dollar budget.

Some of the things you state are really not properly achievable in the same basket of policy. For instance- free trade and strong defense. Well, our borders need some serious tightening, north and south, which would, if done right, impede free trade of goods and services from non-US trading partners. Limited government spending and strong defense- okay, you tell me how to pull that one off? State's rights and property rights- states are pulling the eminent domain card left and right to support commercial (not civic) interests....etc etc. So maybe the moderate Republicanism of yesteryear played well on a stage with known enemies and entrenched positions.

Today is different.

Labor is cheaper, technology becomes commoditized much quicker (thanks China!), demand for goods is exceeding savings rate, defense spending must be bifurcated between preparation for hot-spot combat (Afghanistan/Iraq) and potential traditional combat (big bad China, N. Korea, Russia).

How do we contest these trends toward an isolated economic environment and a restrictive governing environment? Well, it all starts with education, and by that I mean, getting back America's place at the top of the high-tech world, by most any means necessary. You see, to avoid silly distractions on the economic and military fronts, it helps to have developed tremendous technologies that either put the fear of the Almighty in your enemies (real/perceived) or make your competitors quake in their boots and enter into a subservient relationship (buying more American goods/services than selling into America). We keep consuming- cars, SUVs, gas, DVDs, cell phones, computers, iPods, whatever it is, things that are cool, pricy and not made here. Well, who pays for that? (look that answer up on the website for the Federal Open Market Committee). America is obviously good at smashing little bugs with big bombers and tanks (things we didn't use enough of in Iraq in '03 and now we're stuck doing house to house extermination in '06, tough business to get out of unscathed). We have to be BETTER at smashing big bugs with cool gadgetry that only we make, here in the States and own the rights and science to. Clintonian free-trade sent all our little secrets abroad to be copied at Kinko's speed by Asian and other markets. That impacts our defense (hence the paradox of free-trade and strong defense).

I believe government can limit itself (by spending on things it's good at and letting AMERICAN businesses and individuals handle the rest).

I see no problem in instituting a personal fee-based funding of all local and regional services (you'd get a bill in the mail every month that categorized your portion of the police/fire/public works/airports/civic gov't bill, you'd pay for it like you would your electricity or water bill).

This frees up capital out of federal coffers but also lets you compare what you pay for directly, with the level of service you receive from these entities. Just an idea, needs work, but it's better than your fed/state taxes going into some large bucket that never funds anything to make your life better.

As for Goldwater/Reagan Republicanism, the tenets of strong defense, property rights, limited federal spending, those are all great and should be pursued by either party, to help serve the wonderful American Pie to all legally residing people in our nation. Free trade? It's killed the ability of our economy to dominate other economies of the world (which is indicative of true national defense). State's rights? This is more divisive than unifying, but does reflect the sentiments of Americans in different parts of the country. The problem is, on some issues, this prevents the collective needs of the US from being satisfied (see the Nat'l Guard call-up for border enforcement as an example).

As for the Christian radical right? There are worse alternatives to use as your base (see Palestine and Iran). Thank your lucky stars you live in a free society that was founded by God-fearing Christians who had compassion for all humans. You could have a much worse platform to campaign on come November, or 2008.

Answer 8

Very simple, your party don't have a leader to follow and nothing to stand for ... No one wants to follow a loser, not even your fellow Democrats... May be by 2012 your party will get it to gather....

Answer 9

I think it is in response to the left trying to do certain things, like remove "God" from the pledge of allegiance.

I think it is more of a reaction, than an action.

Answer 10

Because they are countering the left wing liberals who continue to degrade our education systems, our moral values, and our christian values. The left woke them up, now deal with it.