Today’s Reading List – July 19, 2006
To my understanding, the CJCLDS is good about this stuff, but with a Mormon in the race, it could get interesting. Lowell? Response: Yes, for decades the Church has been careful about keeping itself out of politics, as this official statement makes clear. I do agree that if Romney becomes a serious candidate, the challenge of keeping church resources (buildings, equipment, mailing lists, and so forth) out of the fray will be greater than it ever has been. They will have to be extra-careful.
This is a really interesting piece on the intersection of religion and politics. Could it be my Calvinist bent that makes me more accepting of a candidate of other faith than many? Is this a clue as to the source of “evangelical problem”? One thing I know, it is important to think about your faith – it makes a difference.
They link to us – need to return the favor. Lowell: This is a very interesting blog. It is not an offiicial Romney site, as far as I can tell, but appears to be the effort of a “527″ organization, which is what the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth were in 2004. The twist here is that the RunMittRun site is pro-Romney, although by law it cannot have any connection to a Romney campaign. It is a site very much worth watching, in large part because it does address the religion issue very straightforwardly.
Is this Mitt’s big issue, or this? Personally, I think it’s both. As I said yesterday an election with Romney is likely to be a referendum on “MBA governance”. The Corner seems to think he’s scoring points with the Big Dig deal. The RCP Blog wonders the opposite. I don’t think anyone will get elected President based on a local construction project. It takes a lot more to run the country. Lowell: I agree. If the Big Dig turns into a disaster, however, it will be used against Romney, much like the pollution in Boston Harbor was used against Michael Dukakis in 1988. As for health care, Romney’s plan had major think tank support from the Heritage Foundation, which was intimately involved in the plan’s development. That gives the plan excellent conservative credibility, although libertarians don’t like the mandate to purchase health insurance.
A good summary of the current state of the religion question as discussed by the major pundits.
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