by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright April 27, 2015
All Rights Reserved.

              Pursuing former President George W. Bush’s campaign strategy of united Christian evangelicals, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) went to Iowa promising to restore “religious liberty.”  With Bush’s former strategist Karl Rove advising Cruz, he hoped to repeat the same fortune as former President George W Bush whose evangelicals led him to two terms as president. “In the past month, we have seen religious liberty under assault at an unprecedented level,” said Cruz,  referring to n bills in Indiana and Arkansas discriminating against same-sex marriage couples.  Cruz pulls no punches when it comes to going after religious conservatives as a voting-block.  Bush rode a conservative wave after years of former President Bill Clinton’s progressive politics and Monica Lewinsky scandal.  Disgusted with Clinton’s shenanigans, religious conservatives voted in unprecedented numbers, backing Bush in 2000 against former Democratic nominee Vice President Al Gore.

           Cruz rejects the conventional wisdom that the GOP must have a moderate, like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, represent the Party to win the general election.  Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus agrees with Cruz that the GOP lost the 2012 election because nominee former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney wasn’t conservative enough.  Speaking to the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition in Des Moines, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal agreed with Cruz that religious freedom is under attack.  “We’ve got legislation in Louisiana to sinceo protect people of faith and conscience . . .Corporate America is not going to bully the government of Louisiana,” said Jindal, ignoring the national movement started  the Massachusetts’ High Judicial Court ruling April 27, 204.  Ruling that domestic partnerships violated Brown v. Board of Education ban against “separate-but-equal” standards once legal under the U.S. Constitution.

            Religious conservative back candidates like Cruz and Jindal that rejects what they call “judicial overreach” in the federal courts.  California’s Supreme Court agreed with a the Massachusetts High Court tossing out Prop 8 Aug. 13, 2013, starting legal same-sex marriage in California June 28, 2014.  Religious and social conservatives don’t want the federal courts dictating what the states can do.   Georgia Gov. George Wallace objected in 1963 to President John F. Kennedy ordering his Atty. Gen. brother Robert Kennedy to call in the National Gard to escort the first black student into the University of Georgia.  State rights would have maintained the same discrimination that held over from slavery, denying basic civil rights to African Americans.  Religious and social conservatives don’t like standardized federal laws that prevent local and state traditions from superseding federal law.  Cruz and Jindal know that the “Supremacy Clause” of the U.S. Constitution prevails with the states.

             Cruz and Jindal have no problem imposing their own biases into the public square, ignoring federal laws that require states to protect gay rights now as civil rights   Talking about the assault on religious freedom appeals to religious conservatives despite clear violations of the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.  “We are moving toward the criminalization of Christianity,” said expected GOP candidate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.  Huckabee shows no regard for the Constitution’s Separation Clause, keeping religion out the public square.  Religious conservatives, like Huckabee, aren’t concerned about established civil rights laws that apply to gays and lesbians, they’re concerned about getting votes.  Religious conservatives helped win President Ronald Reagan two terms, paving the way for Bush-43.  Conservatives, like Cruz, Jindal and Huckabee want to capitalize on religious conservative especially in stats like Iowa and South Carolina

              Tony Perkin’s Family Research Council supports candidates willing to fight abortion and same-sex marriage.  Research shows that some 57% of Iowans back religious conservatives, especially ones taking a stand opposing abortion and same-sex marriage.  “Let me clear tonight,” said Huckabee.”  I’m not backing off because what I’m saying is true.”  Reactions from the audience were met with, “That’s right,” with hearty applause.  Huckaabee hits a cord with religious conservatives that see their values trashed by the federal courts, imposing national standards for treating gays and lesbians.  Religious conservatives don’t accept the Constitution’s Separation Clause, preferring wear their religion on their sleeve in the public square.  What real religious conservatives don’t get is that ambitious politicians, even those with past lives in the clergy, pander for their votes.  They don’t really believe the conservative-leaning Supreme Court is going to answer their prayers.

            Whether or not some GOP candidates woo religious conservatives of not, mainstream voters aren’t interested in advancing the cause of religious groups.  Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker walked a fine line telling the audience he stands up for “religious freedom,” something that has little to do with practicing religion in the public square.  Perkin’s Family Research Council wants God and prayer back in the public schools, something forbidden by generations of Supreme Court rulings.  Unlike 2012 when the GOP nominated a Mormon, the Party hopes to get religious conservatives back voting in droves.  With Democrats uniting behind former First Lady, U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the GOP will need all the votes they can get to prevail in 2016.  Soliciting religious conservatives could backfire on the GOP, alienating more independent voters not looking to turn back the clock on hard-earned civil rights for gays and lesbians.

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