A new poll below shows just how wedded the American voters are to faith-based politics. Two-thirds of voters say that it is very important (39%) or somewhat important (28%) for a presidential candidate to have strong religious beliefs. However, it has to be the right religion. Forty-three percent admitted that they would be uncomfortable with a Mormon in the White House. The numbers are even greater in opposition to a Muslim (64%). However, it is an atheist that draws the most universal opposition. Sixty-seven percent say they would not want an atheist in the White House. It would indicate that the attacks on atheists (and here) in this country and abroad may be resonating with voters and that faith-based politics remains good politics for candidates.
There are some interesting details like that fact that Democratic voters are more opposed to a Mormon president than Republicans. Fifth percent of Democratic voters (50%) express discomfort on the issue over Republican voters (36%) or Independent voters (38%). What is also interesting is that younger voters are less comfortable than older voters.
The news is not good for Obama either. The number of people unhappy with Obama has not significantly changed with 45% approve and 44% disapprove. However, a majority (54%) of white Americans disapprove of how Obama is handling his job as president. Yet, 88% of African Americans approve of his performance. The poll suggests that people like Obama . . . they just don’t like him as president.
It is a study worth browsing if you have the time.
PRRI-2011-American-Values-Survey-Web
Source: American Values
Blouise,
Dredd treats every JT post as an opportunity to link to his blog. He is indeed a poser.
Pete, I absolutely agree about the christian dominionists. These are the very same people who hate Jews but want to do everything to help Israel..
The reason they are so pro Israel is so as to speed up the “Second Coming”
And if they were to get their way they would bar the Pearly Gates, a bible in one hand and a handgun in the other. No Jews, Mormons or members of that church on the corner that spends its monies on feeding the homeless rather than a beautiful stained glass window honoring Mr.and Mrs. Snootnose-Blythe-Smith III for their generous $$$$ contribution.
Dredd,
“what creates our American freedom? is your discussion … not mine
I was addressing the original post Poll: Americans Want A Faithful President But The Right Faith which is an issue Americans have been dealing with since the war to establish the nation. (i.e. from the beginning)
As to the ad hominem bit … you are correct … even more so now for I did not realize that you had changed the discussion topic and then taken my words as if they had been written in response to that topic so that a phrase meant to imply “from the beginning of our existence as a nation” became, through your interpretation, “war creates freedom”. Not only did you attempt to edit my words, you also, through that process, attempted to change their meaning to fit an argument of your own creation. You have misused me sir, badly. I won’t forget it.
Blouise 1, November 10, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Dredd,
And yet that very same Madison who, due to poor health, would not actually fight in a single battle during the Revolutionary War, when President recommend enlarging the army, preparing the militia, finishing the military academy, stockpiling munitions, and expanding the navy while leaving his wife alone in the White House as the British approached to burn it during the War of 1812.
Immediately after signing the treaty to end that war in 1815, Madison/Congress took us to war once again in the Second Barbary War.
Your barking up the wrong tree with me. I’m not a pacifist and Madison is the last person I’d look to for advice on that subject.
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I notice an ad hominem tone in your discourse.
I don’t know why that is, so I will stick to the subject: what creates our American freedom?
I had said that war did not create American freedom, nor will it ever create American freedom.
Only “we the people” can do any creation of our own freedom, like we originally did, and only “we the people” can perpetuate our own freedom.
To say that war creates the freedom of the American people is perverse.
So I continue to presume you did not indicate that fallacy.
James Madison wrote The Bill of Rights, was considered to be The Father of the American Constitution, was elected president, was appointed a cabinet member, and was elected as a congressman during his career.
So, why you would not consult him as a founding father, in terms of whether or not war created our American freedom, is perplexing to me.
Who would you consult, to be an expert in creating American freedom?
You would not consider Gandhi the pacifist who did so without firing a shot?
Who did it for the most populous democracy on the face of the Earth, India, when he inspired the Indian people to create their own Indian freedom?
You could be right Kenergy.
Hmmm…George Bush told us he was a Christian…he murdered a lot of people in his 8 year term.
I think we need an atheist or agnostic for a change.
Dredd,
And yet that very same Madison who, due to poor health, would not actually fight in a single battle during the Revolutionary War, when President recommend enlarging the army, preparing the militia, finishing the military academy, stockpiling munitions, and expanding the navy while leaving his wife alone in the White House as the British approached to burn it during the War of 1812.
Immediately after signing the treaty to end that war in 1815, Madison/Congress took us to war once again in the Second Barbary War.
Your barking up the wrong tree with me. I’m not a pacifist and Madison is the last person I’d look to for advice on that subject.
Jo
1, November 10, 2011 at 10:24 am
I’m glad that homosexuals are becoming more socially acceptable. The closet is much roomier now.
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my vote, best line
it’s the christian dominionists that worry me. the world’s gonna end and we’re gonna help.
There is a reason Americans want a president who will put them to work.
“Work is the curse of the drinking class.” – Oscar Wilde
“Stay thirsty my friends.” – Mr. Dos Equis
Blouise 1, November 10, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Dredd,
If I had wanted to note the Declaration then I would have. I was most specific in using the words going to war.
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That was what I was addressing, the propaganda that war is what produces freedom anywhere, anytime.
It never has and it never will.
“Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other.” (James Madison, Father of the Constitution).
All you need to know, then, is who is in the business of war?
Once known, let’s not support the enemies of freedom, let’s reject them.
Dredd,
If I had wanted to note the Declaration then I would have. I was most specific in using the words going to war. That specificity is based on history and in this case the reference is tied to France, Spain and the Dutch Republic secretly providing supplies, ammunition and weapons to the revolutionaries starting early in 1776 and to the Model Treaty ( Plan of 1776) .
Write your own post bubba … stop editing mine by telling me what I should have or shouldn’t have said when you obviously have missed the entire point and are not nearly as knowledgeable of the history upon which the post is based as you think … look beyond the widely know date of the Declaration to a more in depth knowledge of events.
As for the Constitution … oh, never mind … dude, you’re a poser.
@tomdarch: I think the 36% number may be influenced by a fact on the ground: Mitt Romney.
Mitt Romney looks likely to win the Republican nomination, and then Republicans would have to vote for him, and so they may be less inclined to say they are “uncomfortable” with their candidate when they are REALLY uncomfortable with any Democrat.
On the other hand, Democrats have no Mormon candidate on the horizon, so they risk no cognitive dissonance by expressing discomfort, and in fact since the perception is that “Mormon’s are Republicans” (we have two Mormon Presidential hopefuls that are) Democrats might be more likely to express “discomfort.”
Something doesn’t smell right about the stat that 50% of self-identified Democrats would be uncomfortable with a Mormon in the White House, but only 36% of self-identified Republicans would. (As for self-identified Independents, there are plenty of them who vote straight-ticket for one party or the other, so it would be useful to break them out as such.)
It’s hard to look at the 2008 presidential race and not see that the fact that McCain wasn’t a “true believer” was a serious problem for his campaign. That issue certainly explains the otherwise preposterous selection of then Governor Palin, particularly the apparent total lack of vetting in her selection. The McCain campaign knew that they had no chance of winning without the fervent support of Evangelical/Fundamentalist (mostly Protestant) Christians, so they panicked. Even the choice of Palin as running mate didn’t do enough to turn them out to volunteer and donate. After all, the man at the head of the ticket wasn’t “one of them.”
Even if Romney said noting for the next year that wasn’t a carefully selected quotation from Pat Robertson, I doubt that he’ll get the kind of fervent turnout of Republican base that George W. Bush got – simply because, as a Mormon, he isn’t “a real Christian”.
I’m not saying here that there aren’t plenty of Democrats who are biased against members of the LDS, I’m just skeptical that the “36%” number accurately represents the real-world feelings of the people who vote Republican.
I think if there was an atheist politician who laid out the truth and put herself on the line (as in facing down the less lethals our police state puts out) by blockading a foreclosure or demanding the arrest of war and financial criminals–well we’d see about how people might vote!
I don’t think that has been true until just lately, but I think it’s true now.
Blouise 1, November 10, 2011 at 10:27 am
Thus it has been since 1776 when we actually went to war to establish this nation.
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The nation came into existence, was established, by the Declaration of Independence then the Constitution.
We gave ourselves our freedom with our hearts, minds, and our unity, then our pen not our sword notified the world of what had already happened.
The war was started some time after that by Britain, as a reaction to the creation of our nation, which had already taken place.
Elaine M:
I don’t either as I inartfully tried to express. I just think most of the religious try to live the ideal. That some don’t doesn’t bother me.
Elaine,
Or Catholics. However, I’d be willing to bet that most of those denominations identify as strongly as “Evangelical Free” or “Southern Baptist” as they do Christian. The church I went to as a kid did.
Oro,
Before you judge to harshly, you should consider that you’re doing the same thing they are. Judging a group who you think of as “other” as a whole rather considering that there’s just as much variety in comparably sized groups.
In fact, you could say “They fit the facts to their beliefs. There is no rhyme or reason. They compartmentalize,” about just about everybody on some subject.
I agree with Gyges — which happens to be a defining characteristic of Authoritarian followers. These people don’t think. They fit the facts to their beliefs. There is no rhyme or reason. They compartmentalize. And most compartments are stuffed with American Myths — among them: America is a Christian Nation. And this is the most mythical time of the year — THANKSGIVING!!! For example —
http://hnn.us/articles/406.html
http://www.misconceptionjunction.com/index.php/2010/11/10-thanksgiving-myths-dispelled/
Gyges,
In the eyes of some who self-identify as Christians, certain denominations are not created equal. Some don’t believe that Mormons are Christians.
We may be over thinking this. People want a leader who is “like them” most of them in this case self-identify as Christian, so they want a Christian leader.