"Democrats" who base their votes on religion.

[Jokerman]

A few years ago our neighbor, who claims to be a democrat and consistently votes Democratic in the primary (in Indiana that's public record) displayed a yard sign for a republican candidate in the local election. This seemed strange as the democrat in that race was another, well-respected neighbor. When asked, he stated that he had to support the republican because "she goes to my church".

My personal opinion is that this is a pretty fucking stupid way to pick our leaders but not wanting to impose my opinion, I let the subject rest. The fact that his church friend recently resigned in disgrace and will likely be facing criminal charges speaks more to the issue than I ever could.

In the last election a Democratic Party official from an adjacent district openly campaigned for a republican in our district because they go to the same church. Her church buddy prevailed in a close election. This official regularly attends our club meetings and may have shared information on our candidates, fund raising and GOTV efforts with the opposition.

I'd like to openly confront this person and ban them from future club meetings but I'm being told that I'm over reacting.

What would you do?

[Curmudgeoness]

1. This is a stupid reason to support a candidate,

but I suppose that everyone has their reasons for who they support, and that is their right. Sadly, too many people who go to church will use that reason for supporting candidates, whether it is someone they know from the church or some stand that one candidate takes in regard to religious beliefs. It happens all the time.

With that said, though, if your group is a Democratic group, and they are planning strategies, I believe that the group has every right to ban someone from that group's meetings if they are openly supporting a Republican. It is not over-reacting.

[AlbertCat]

2. What would you do

I would remind everyone there that it is a democratic position to champion the separation of church and state. Supporting and voting for religious reasons is not very democratic. One may call oneself any label they want, but actions speak louder than words. If one supports a republican for religious reasons that doesn't make for a strong Democratic Party member and they should not be ostrisized, but perhaps maybe shouldn't be in on strategy meetings.

[es35]

10. The critical question is does religion breed fascism? I think history shows it does

The evidence is clear that the Church was an ardent supporter of Mussolini, Hitler, Salazar, the Ustasha and later supported Death Squad activity with heavy Catholic and Fundamental Protestant participation from the Family and church loyalists in the CIA. Not many people remember this but Pope Pius XII lobbied strongly for a preemptive nuclear strike on the Soviet Union with both A- and H-bombs that would have resulted 50 million casualties. He was preparing world Catholicism for the conversion of the Russian people to that faith and was using the Fatima legend to work up passion for an invasion. The Church also lobbied strongly for A-bombing the Viet-Minh at Dienbienphu to prevent a rout of the French. General Douglas MacArthur attempted to convert the Japanese people to Catholicism as well and was rebuffed by that nation for this.

Religion is the only other large institution that can declare war (Holy War) and mobilize millions to take up arms and depose government as happened in Spain in 1939 and Mexico in 1921. It does not respect secular justice and must be forced to observe it. When are we going to educate the public about this. It seems to me this is the most important issue about religion to be discussed.

[Iggo]

3. Anyone who bases their vote on religion.

[RussBLib]

4. so much for using your head

Don't think! (should be the church's motto)

It's absurd to support someone just because they go to your church. Sticky situation, though.

I'd say that you are probably going to the "wrong" church.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. get a new club with clear rules on supporting Democratic candidates.

That rule ought to be rule number one.

[RussBLib]

6. then again, the Dem could be a total freakin' yahoo

The "D" beside your name doesn't guarantee good sense. More often than an "R" does, but there are idiots everywhere.

[Jokerman]

9. That's the theory behind our local slating process.

Before the primary our county party decides who our "official" democratic candidates are and anyone else who refuses to drop out or continues to support them becomes persona non grata and is essentially shunned. Unfortunately the chosen candidate is usually the one with the most money and is expected to pay the county party a fee for the privilege.

Oddly enough under our current rules supporting the "wrong" democrat is more risky than supporting a republican.

[onager]

7. Maybe try to nicely point out...

That by supporting their "church buddies," they are also carrying water for McConnell, Boehner & Co. And helping to pass ever more anti-Democratic legislation.

But I probably couldn't be nice in this situation. Like others, I think it's incredibly short-sighted and stupid to vote Repub for this reason. I wouldn't vote for my own mother if she ran as a Republican.

As others have said, I'd at least make sure these people can't pass along party strategy to their church buddies.

Maybe sharing some Gallup data might help:

July 28, 2014 - Religion Remains Strong Marker of Political Identity

Even as overall party identification trends in the U.S. have shifted over the past six and half years, the relationship between religion and party identification has remained consistent. Very religious Americans are more likely to identify with or lean toward the Republican Party and less frequently identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, compared with those who are moderately or nonreligious.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/174134/religion-remains-strong-marker-political-identity.aspx

June 1, 2009 - Republican Base Heavily White, Conservative, Religious

The Republican Party's constituency is overwhelmingly white -- and the significant majority of those whites are ideologically conservative, while a majority are highly religious, as defined by church attendance. The Democratic Party, on the other hand, has more than three times the percentage of nonwhites among its identifiers as does the GOP. And white Democrats are much more likely to be moderate or liberal than conservative, and are much more likely to be infrequent church attenders rather than frequent church attenders.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/118937/republican-base-heavily-white-conservative-religious.aspx

[Jokerman]

8. "I wouldn't vote for my own mother if she ran as a Republican."

My spouse has run for local offices a few times and is currently an elected official. We live in a very red precinct and she enjoys a fair amount of bi-partisan support. A few years ago she was approached by a group of local republicans and asked to consider running on their ticket. She politely declined the offer.

When she told me about this I suggested that she couldn't run as republican because of a residency issue. She wasn't sure what I meant so I clarified, "You run as a republican and you won't be living in this house anymore."

She knew I wasn't completely serious but it certainly would have caused strain in our relationship.

Thanks for the links.

[progressoid]

11. Our former neighbor did the same thing.

Except she was a Repub and actually supported a Democrat. In fact, he's our Senate leader at the state level now.

Strange bedfellows and whatnot.