> [from Gallup's weekly update]
>
> "I say there must be and can be a constitutional place for faith in our
> public life,'' Senator Joseph Lieberman and Al Gore's choice as
> vice-president, told an African American congregation in Detroit this past
> weekend. Polling suggests Americans are reluctant, however, to mix
> religion and politics. Although nearly six in 10 Americans (57%) say that
> religion plays a very important role in their life, only a third say their
> own personal religious beliefs and faith will be important be in deciding
> their vote for president this year. This includes 14% who say their
> religion will be extremely important and 19% who describe it as very
> important. Another 21% say their religion will be somewhat important to
> their vote, while 44% say it will be less important, or not important at
> all. [August 24-27, 2000]
So 54% say religion will be somewhat, very, or extremely important in deciding their votes.
We're left to wonder about the last 46%. Some of them say religion is "less important" (than what?) and some say "not important" (and 2% are unaccounted for).
Looks like, all in all, a pretty small percentage finds religion "not important" in their votes. Doesn't seem like we're all THAT reluctant to mix religion and politics.
--
bill
"As if giving grounds did not come to an end sometime. But the end is not an ungrounded proposition, it is an ungrounded way of acting." L. Wittgenstein