[4_2_it]

blarg,

Prayers at the beginning of public meetings go back 230 years or so. I have not heard anyone consider the Founding Fathers as the Fundamentalist Right.

DaveT,

I find it curious that when church members get involved in politics that people decry it as a violation of the Separation of Church and State. Separation of Church and State is simply that the government cannot establish a national religion, not that religion cannot be active in politics.

Also, 'Under God' was put in the Pledge during the Eisenhower Administration as an affront to Communism. The founders acknowledged a Creator so I don't have a problem with God being mentioned as long as the government doesn't mandate church attendance or belief in said God.

diebitter,

The Religious Right rose to power in the 1980's during the Regan era. Its tent was much broader back then (Anti-Communist, Anti-tax, Anti-Big Spending Government, Anti-Abortion all rallied together). Today, only the anti-abortionists are the only group that hasn't at least partially left the tent. The RR clearly still has influence and power, but it's power has clearly declined over the past 15 years. Whether it can regroup and remobilize is uncertain. My opinion is that the RR has had their day in the sun, but will not go gently into that good night.