Religious right a big loser on ballot measures

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/130342,cst-nws-ballot09.article

Abortion, stem cell votes send 'strong message'

November 9, 2006
BY DAVID CRARY

From the country's heartland, voters sent messages that altered America's culture wars and dismayed the religious right -- defending abortion rights in South Dakota, endorsing stem cell research in Missouri, and, in a national first, rejecting a same-sex marriage ban in Arizona.

Conservative leaders were jolted by the setbacks and looked for an explanation Wednesday. Gay-rights and abortion-rights activists celebrated.

The verdict on abortion rights was particularly clear. Oregon and California voters defeated measures that would have required parents to be notified before a girl under 18 could get an abortion, and South Dakotans -- by a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent -- rejected a new state law that would have banned all abortions except to save a pregnant woman's life.

''This was really a rebellion in the heart of red-state, pro-life America -- the heart of the northern Bible Belt,'' said Sarah Stoesz, head of the Planned Parenthood chapter that oversees South Dakota. ''It sends a very strong message to the rest of the country.''

[Catfight]

1. Cause they are scary homophobes that hate life outside the womb. nt

[Chipper Chat]

2. Who was responsible for the gay marriage defeat in Arizona?

There had to be some smart organization by a group or groups. Other states should copy the model.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

3. I don't know... a sudden surge of common decency, perhaps?

Nah, MUST have been the works of the evil leftocomunnazyfagatheistmuslim cabal.

[Chipper Chat]

4. Dont forget the lesbian bikers.

:applause:

[lapfog_1]

6. Simple answer

The vast majority of ALL Americans, including most so-called red states, are NOT bible thumbing fundies. Most of the time they don't protest abortion clinics or get on the news with gay bashing. and they mostly DON'T VOTE. Tuesday, some of them were pissed off enough about Iraq and the corruption in Washington that they voted.

Oh, and some of the raving fundies, stung by Mark Foley and Pastor Ted, stayed home.

[madrchsod]

5. according to dean 1/3 of the evangelicals

voted for the democrats..something made these people vote for the democrats and we had better find out why.

[Clark2008]

7. Glad to hear that and all, but that's not exactly true.

People voted in FAVOR of gay marriage bans in seven states. It failed in only one.

None of these states should have had this on the ballot - particularly my state of Tennessee, which outlawed gay marriage in 1996 (why the fuck was it on the ballot again unless only to bring out these fundie nuts?).

You want to know why Ford lost - that's why. Because something that had already been banned was placed on our ballot to bring out these people in droves - and they'd vote for Corker while they were at it.

Silliness.

[NNN0LHI]

9. Ford was doing fine until the Repubs dropped the racist shit on him

The people who wouldn't vote for a black man even though he was the better candidate cost Ford the election.

They wouldn't vote for Jesus Christ if he was black.

Don

[Skidmore]

8. I think the thing that gets overlooked a lot is that many

Americans have a libertarian streak in them a mile wide. They don't want government in their homes or in their private lives nor do they want church in their government. I know I feel the same way about issues. While I believe that we have social and civic obligations to one another, I don't appreciate intrusiveness. Perhaps we should start acknowledging the very deep, and sometimes paranoid, bent that most Americans have toward government. It is a fine tradition, originating with the crafters of our Constitution. Let's preserve it.

[WernhamHogg]

11. Totally agree

For a year and a half now, I've been telling people that the biggest disaster, politically, that the Repukes have made in recent history was getting involved in the whole Schiavo mess. What was meant a pathetic little nod/"thank you" to the religious right ended up becoming a national freak show and in the process, alienated a LOT of people -- Democrats AND Republicans. America was shown on a national stage just how far over the line some of these freaks are willing to go (and of course, some of the fundie nuts were upset with the Repukes for not doing enough because they didn't "save" her). After that fiasco was when Georgie's numbers seemed to start dropping consistently and dramatically.

[sendero]

10. These folks NEVER had..

... a majority of the hearts and minds of America, they merely had smoke and mirrors, and a party willing to throw them an occassional bone to keep them voting.

The fact that they can't see this blatantly obvious truth makes one wonder how in touch with reality they really are.

[Renew Deal]

12. kick

:kick: