> The issues that carried the election were social issues - not
> religious issues. It seems illogical that the socialist left can't
> figure out answers to social issues and present them as a plank of a
> political platform.
True, except that the "hard-core" Christian right doesn't think of these issues as what the Left would call planks of a political platform -- to them, abortion, homosexuality, etc., are matters of faith which by definition cannot be treated in conventional political ways (compromising, bargaining, etc.) because God Has Spoken! The socialist left has presumably already figured out its answer to the issue of abortion rights -- it's in favor of them. But the hard Christian right has already gotten its answer from God: it's agin'em, and won't listen to any "worldly" authority. And if the Christian left, which presumably shares at least some of the viewpoints of the socialist left, tries to discuss the issue with the Christian right, it gets the same answer: God Has Spoken, and you "Christian left" folks are as good as atheists, since you don't have the True Faith. So no matter who talks to them, the hard Christian right doesn't listen.
The answer, I think, is to give up talking rationally with this hard Christian right and speak only to people who have some appreciation for rational argument; they may be able to engage in discussing political planks. We who are not left Christians can cheer them on in their attempts to win over the right, but there isn't really anything we can do to help them.
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org _____________________________ "Simply by being human we do not have a common bond. For all we share with all other humans is the same thing we share with all other animals -- the ability to feel pain." -- Richard Rorty