Summary
Title: The Christian Right in American Politics: Marching to the Millennium
Author: edited by John Green, Mark Rozell, and William Clyde Wilcox
Publisher: Georgetown University Press
ISBN: 0878403922
Pro:
• Extensive analysis which you won't find elsewhere
• Explains where the Christian Right has found success and where it hasn't
Con:
• Very detailed - perhaps too detailed for some readers
Description:
• Analysis of history and activity of Christian Right in thirteen states
• Detailed records of who has done what, where, when, and why
• Argues that the Christian Right isn't nearly as successful as people assume
Book Review
There’s a wealth of data out there on the activities of the Christian Right, quite a bit of which has been collected and analyzed in the book The Christian Right in American Politics. Contributors examine the growth and work of religious right organizations in thirteen states: South Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington, and Maine.
Although there is a great deal of diversity in the politics and populations of these states, the authors found a number of interesting similarities - for example, Christian Right organizations are faced with basically two options: confrontation or compromise. Whatever the issue, whatever the state, confrontation in the name of doctrinal purity is usually associated with failure while compromise is usually associated with success — and failure.
In the first instance, they fail to get their agenda enacted in law and retain more of their outsider status, shut out of the corridors of power due to their intransigence. In the second instance, they get access to power and become a major player in the Republican Party, but at the same time compromise means that very little, if any, of their agenda gets enacted into law.
At most some symbolic measures are passed, but the real “meat” of the Christian Right’s agenda is sacrificed in the name of achieving anything at all.
Because of the prominence of the Christian Right in America, “failure” is not a word that is commonly associated with them; yet when you think about it, it’s not an entirely unreasonable conclusion. Abortion is still legal - at most, the Christian Right gets restrictions on late-term abortions or requirements for parental notification. There is still no government-mandated prayer in schools — at most, there might be a moment of silence in some places.
- ”Despite this high level of activity, the Christian Right enjoyed very little success in changing public policy in these states or at the national level. Although these case studies do not focus on policy, none find evidence of extensive success in achieving the movement’s substantive goals. ... [T]he Christian Right’s very limited success in policymaking in these states presents a contrast to its organizational success and mixed electoral gains.”
Why does this contrast exist? In large part it appears to be due to the strong, but not overwhelming, numbers of those who identify with the Christian Right. There are enough such people that is is rare for a conservative candidate to win without appealing to them, but at the same time a candidate who *only appeals to them doesn’t have enough support to win the election. If by chance they do win, their record while in office can ensure that they won’t be re-elected.
The goals of the Christian Right are simply too far outside the mainstream for a pure Christian Right candidate to be victorious: the groups are too extremist to have a very broad appeal. Thus, candidates must run from the center, giving voice to many of the concerns that the Christian Right has without moving to enact many of them into law.
At least, that’s the case for now. Things may change over the next few elections as the Christian Right’s base solidifies further while other factions within the Republican Party weaken even more. In the future, more confrontational candidates could meet with greater success - and less compromise may be needed.
