TheLastManInAmerica

I want to conquer the world

Give all the idiots a brand new religion

Put an end to poverty, uncleanliness and toil

Promote equality with all of my decisions

“I Want to Conquer the World”- Bad Religion (1989) 

            I have long believed the problem with politics and the reason for its inefficiency is the reluctance of parties to come together; I know ardent conservatives and liberals and I see how they slander each other and have even known people who won’t converse with co-workers because of conflicting viewpoints. On a personal and semi-related note, this is why I will never align myself with a political party because to me they are essentially a smaller form of religion.  But naturally, I applaud when a politician makes a gesture to reach across party lines to form some sort of foundation to build from. But Barack Obama’s attempt to reel in wayward Evangelicals, whose lukewarm feelings towards McCain have made them an essential target for November, is shameless pandering that only paints him as another politician, willing to whore himself for votes.           

Making up nearly a quarter of voters, it is no doubt that this demographic is extremely important and could definitely swing an election but what good is it to appeal to those at the other end of the spectrum? Those who believe a god’s word should be the law of the land have no place in American politics.  “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion,” the First Amendment begins; yet, Evangelicals’ stand against gay-marriage stems from the Bible, as Leviticus 18:22 states: “Thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is an abomination”.  And so it is that religious dogma is the underpinning of many Evangelical’s political views, such as their thoughts on abortion and stem-cell research, which are vastly important fields of study that they stand against because it conflicts with their ideas on god.      

      And these are the people Obama is trying to snag votes from?! People who helped elect a C-average college student to the Presidency twice?!  I’ve heard that opposites attract but this is more like trying to mate a lion with a lamb! Their views are in such opposition that it would take a miracle to join the two. And as Obama goes around displaying his faith, proving he “ain’t afraid of no (Holy) Ghost,” it is obvious that is what he’s relying on.

But what can he hope to gain by winning these votes, other than the Oval Office, of course? If he does somehow manage to sway them in his favor, he will find himself in precarious position. He will now be accused of betraying one group no matter which way he turns on such hot-button issues as listed above, either by his party’s base or by the voters he woos away from McCain. Imagine, if you will, Evangelical’s reaction to Obama supporting initiatives in favor of abortion or that of Democrat’s if he were to oppose such an initiative. But I suppose it’s all part of the game, they (politicians) must do all they can to get the votes they need, stepping over toes, sidestepping issues and setting up moves like a master chess player. To quote another Bad religion song, “Priests and politicians pretend they’re your friends,” but in the words of Oscar Wilde, “A true friend stabs you in the front.”  

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