Democrats Rely on Non- Religious Voters

[Nambe]

Elections - AP

After years of talk about the close ties between religious conservatives and the Republican Party coalition, an opposite factor is gaining wider notice: the Democrats' reliance upon non-religious voters.

"Seculars have become an increasing portion of the Democratic electoral coalition and especially of the party's activist base," says Geoffrey Layman of the University of Maryland, who dates the trend from 1972 and considered it obvious by 1992. ..

A spring University of Akron poll of 4,000 adults showed Americans without religious affiliation are 17 percent of self-identified Democrats, rivaling the party's traditional blocs of white Catholics (18 percent) and black Protestants (16 percent). Secularists favored John Kerry (news - web sites) over George W. Bush by 57.4 percent to 27.2 percent, with the rest backing others or undecided. The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 2 percentage points.

And a Pew Research Center poll of 1,512 adults, reported Tuesday, showed more Americans see the Republican Party as "generally friendly to religion" (52 percent) than the Democratic (40 percent). ..

[havocmom]

1. lot of ordained evilDUers

Many religious people just don't wear it on their sleeves. I know a lot of DEMs and many Republicans who consider overly religious candidates as a threat to everyone's religious freedom.

[JerseygirlCT]

23. Absolutely! And can't you be considered

a secularist (in the sense of believing gov't ought to be such) and a religious person at the same time?

[Rose Siding]

2. Ah yes, the godless Democrats

Sell it, AP :eyes:

Some do, some don't- WHATEVER

[JuniorPlankton]

3. Well, I am an Atheist

And in my eyes the Democrats commitment to church/state separation is one of their traditional strengths. (Lieberman is a Republican as far as I am concerned)

[ezekiel333]

4. A Democrats Prayer

Lord, bless our efforts to restore democracy and tranquility in America. Lend us your guidance in regaining the support of our allies throughout the world that we may rebuild the strength and prosperity of our nation. Help us to elect a president that will not invoke your name, merely to sway your people into blind, unquestioning obedience. Give us the fortitude to defend the Constitution of the United States of America against enemies both foreign and domestic; so that we can provide protection to all our citizens regardless of gender, ethnicity, social stature, or religious conviction. Please watch over our sons and daughters who have been placed in harms way and bring them home safely.

In your Holy Name we pray:
Bless America Again!
Amen

<http://floridapatriots.com/democrats_prayer.htm>

[DemVIctory]

8. What a wonderful prayer.

Thank you Floridapatriots!

[ezekiel333]

17. Glad you liked it

My wife wrote it for the site after an encounter with a Bushista in one of her classes.

[DeepModem Mom]

16. Amen, floridapatriots -- welcome to DU!

[ezekiel333]

18. Thank you

[newyawker99]

21. Hi floridapatriots!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Zhade]

22. Nice prayer. Good thoughts.

I have to say this, though, with tongue firmly in cheek: isn't it odd for a progressive to use the term "Lord"?

I know, I know, it's a Christian thing, and this isn't a flame. Just sounds so contradictory to me, that's all.

:)

[ezekiel333]

26. Lord

The words useage for a deity isn't just for Christians only.

Dictionary.com
Lord
a. God.
b. Christianity. Jesus.

And what contradiction do you see in a "progressive" using it?

[Zhade]

30. Oh, mostly that it's an anachronism referring to a master.

It's just interesting to me that progressive Christians use a term for God that evokes images of the slave/master dichotomy.

Not poking fun at it - just seems like a disconnect to me. No offense intended whatsoever!

:)

[ezekiel333]

31. None Taken

Just wondering about your interpretation of the words usage. I'll pass your take on it on to the author.

[LauraK]

5. Polls are making me dizzy since the Big Dog left.

I find it hard to believe so many church goers can't see the current need for health care and a workable effort towards family needs, rather than retoric about values.

[klook]

6. This is jive.

There are millions of religious Democrats, and millions of non-religious Republicans. I can believe that religion skews to the GOP, but that doesn't mean that it's their exclusive property.

[yardwork]

7. There's a distinction between "religious" and "spiritual"

and naturally this article ignores it.

As a Wiccan Christian, I don't belong to any organized religion. However, I consider myself to be a person with a strong spiritual life, including belief in a Deity. I try to live in accordance with Jesus's recommendations (not as easy a task as religious fundamentalists would have us believe).

My spiritual beliefs are directly connected with my politics. That's why I support Kerry.

Of course, if shrub and his followers had their way, I'd be burned at the stake.

[Chovexani]

9. I question the purpose of this article.

Seems to me this is just another attempt to trot out the tired "Godless Democrats" meme to whip up the fundies and scare Joe and Jane Mainstream into voting pug.

No offense to our atheist/skeptic brothers and sisters. I am a spiritual person but I try to keep an open mind on things.

I am just questioning this. Especially the timing of it, right before the Puke convention.

It smells.

[Larkspur]

10. Not all DU'ers are mainstream religious folks either

from Azuregreen http://www.azuregreen.com/

[Chovexani]

11. There are TONS of Pagan Dems

I saw more Kerry-Edwards bumper stickers at the Ren Faire I went to last weekend than I think I've ever seen in one place. And we all know who hangs out at Ren Faires. ;)

I have met libertarian Pagans...they tend to be big into the Norse stuff...but I have yet to meet a truly right wing Pagan. I would say something like 99% are liberals of some kind. Most are Greens but there are a lot of Dems.

Any Pagan that votes pug might as well tie themselves to a wooden pole and douse themselves with lighter fluid.

[Larkspur]

13. My previous Dem Town Chairperson is a Pagan

I gave her the bumpersticker that I posted on my post above.

[DeepModem Mom]

12. FEEDBACK: [e-mail]

[DeepModem Mom]

14. I find this story offensive --

First, the Founders intended religion to have no part in politics.

Second, the story is written as if Democrats seek out non-religious people as Republicans seek out evangelicals and fundamentalists, not only through policy, but through tactics such as using church membership lists, etc. The clear intent is to paint Republicans as good, God-fearing people and Democrats as worthless sinners. In fact, many religious, church-going people, who are probably Democrats, have quite a different view on three issues mentioned in the article. Many feel that a woman's right to end an early pregnancy (or even a late one, for unforeseen reasons familiar to all), gay rights, and opposition to public money being used to support religious schools are issues that take the moral high ground.

[Piperay]

15. They might as well come right out

and call the Democrats "Godless commies" and be done with it since that is what they are insinuating, this article and the reporter who wrote it should " go cheney itself". :argh:

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Zhade]

20. "Seculars" almost sounds like a slur.

The word is secularists, genius.

[SemperEadem]

24. You're right.. it's been about a 20+ year push

to demonize 's-s-s-secularists-s-s-s' in the eyes of right-wing and fundamental religists.

fundamentalists wish to remove what God has already given--free choice. I suppose they believe that they know better than God.

[JerseygirlCT]

25. I hope, looking long-term, that Dems don't rely on only

the non-religious folks.

I hate that the right has to some extent succeeded in co-opting religion -- particularly Christianity. I'd like to see the party that actually comes closer to loving one another take back that association!

Screw the poor and religion is how I say isn't exactly Christian-compatible in my book. But maybe I'm just strange.

[Cheswick2.0]

27. 17 % Secular and 83% religious

Am I reading this wrong?

[Charles19]

28. Poll Shmoll....

I have been reading a lot about these polls lately. Where religious people all vote for Bush. None of the religious people I know are voting for Bush. I think those who look accurately and honestly and how this administration has conducted itself could hardly say they are based solidly on good religious morals.

Take for example the treatment of detainees. This is the perfect display of how someone with good religious beliefs would have handled the situation one way or the other. Did Bush and Rumsfield say "as Christians what would be a good way to get information from these prisoners, set an example for other offenders and accomplish our goals" or did they say "find out from the lawyers how much we can get away with against them legally". It is questions like these where solid morals helps make the right decision and not "the lawyers".

As both Rumsfield and Bush have been Corporate boys before they know all to well to go "to the lawyers". It is sad America's image abroad has to be damaged this bad and people had to undergo the torture they did because of their poor judgement and lack of using their supposed religious high ground, which in truth none of them have.

[PhuLoi]

29. I host a Kerry for Prez group at my house weekly.

In the group are a couple who are republican but will not vote for bush because of his religious extremism. This older retired professional couple see bush as a real danger to America. They actively seek out other repubs to vote for Kerry. They sport 'Republicans for Kerry' stickers on their vehicles.