Election Post-Mortem, p. 3

TheA PUBLICATION OF POLITICAL RESEARCH PublicEye ASSOCIATES WINTER 2006 • Volume XXI, No.1 $5.25 Tearing Down the Towers The Right’s Vision of an America Without Cities

By Jeremy Adam Smith One Nation, Two Futures? he formula that emerged from the T2000 and 2004 Presidential elections was provocative: the less dense the popu- lation, the more likely it was to vote Repub- lican. Republicans appeared to have lost the cities and inner suburbs, positioning them- selves as the party of country roads, small towns, and traditional values. Though Bush was often mocked for the time he spent on his ranch, sleeves rolled up, gun in hand, the image was widely promoted and served as a cornerstone of his identity among Republican voters.

Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images Smialowski/Getty Brendan Conversely, it looked like Democrats White House spokesman Tony Snow stokes the ties between economic and social conservatives with a visit had lost the country1 —that is, until to a Christian Right voter rally in September. For more on the conference, see story on p. 3. November 2006. That’s when Democ- rats won decisive victories in the Midwest Tax Revolt as a Family Value Tearing Down the Towers continues on page 15 How the Christian Right Is Becoming A Free Market Champion IN THIS ISSUE By Richard J. Meagher to its hit list. The Christian Coalition, the Editorial ...... 2 eath Should Not Be a Taxable Family Research Council (FRC), and other “DEvent.” In August of 2005, this conservative Christian groups condemn Whither the Christian Right? . . . 3 headline appeared on the website of the the estate tax in radio broadcasts and in conservative evangelical Christian organi- newsletter updates; they include it on Now online at zation Focus on the Family. The accom- voter scorecards; and they ask members to www.publiceye.org ...... 10 panying article asked Focus members to encourage their federal representatives, as Book Reviews ...... 22 persuade their Senators to repeal a federal FRC head Tony Perkins puts it, to “give this 1 2 tax on inherited estates. onerous tax a proper burial.” Reports in Review ...... 25 Focus on the Family is not the only But the estate tax only affects the wealth- Christian Right organization to add this tax iest of Americans, and seems to have noth- Eyes Right ...... 27 Tax Revolt continues on page 8

THE PUBLIC EYE1 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye ThePublicEye Publisher The Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, M. Div., D. Min. Editor Abby Scher, Ph.D Design/layout Hird Graphic Design Printing Red Sun Press Editorial Board Chip Berlet • Pam Chamberlain Frederick Clarkson • David Cunningham, Ph.D Surina Khan • Roberto Lovato The Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale Tarso Luís Ramos • Abby Scher Holly Sklar • PaulWatanabe, Ph.D PRAPRA Political Research Associates POLITICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES Founder and President Emerita Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D Staff The Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, Executive Director Chip Berlet, Senior Analyst Pam Chamberlain, Research Analyst Cindy King, Business Manager Sean Lewis-Faupel, Webmaster Tom Louie, Director of Development and Communications Tarso Luís Ramos, Research Director FROM THE EDITOR Abby Scher, Senior Editor Renee Sweeney, Data Manager More than half of America probably breathed a sigh of relief after the November elections. Intern Extremism had become commonplace in George W. Bush’s administration, and a spread Jake Pearson of seven million voters handed victory to his opponents. Board of Directors Richard Gross Whether Congressional oversight will trim the sails of the Bush Administration remains Heeten Kalan to be seen. What we do know is that after years of organizing together, the coalition of Vivien Labaton economic and social conservatives is more than an alliance of convenience that will shat- June Lorenzo Supriya Pillai ter with a single electoral defeat. Over time, they have been exchanging ideas, not just Mohan Sikka coordinating votes. Carlton Veazey Wendy Volkmann Rich Meagher’s article reveals one such example of how economic conservatives and Paul Watanabe, Ph.D. the Christian Right have been building ideology together — in the world of taxes. Now Alea Woodlee a sizable number of Christian Right leaders support low estate taxes for the wealthy as a The Public Eye is published by Political Research Associates. Annual subscriptions are $15.00 for family value. In his article, Jeremy Smith underscores how a deep mythology about the individuals and non-profit organizations, $10.00 for students and low-income individuals, and $29.00 dangers of urban life weaves together various parts of the Right. Turning to the election, for libraries and institutions. Single issues, $5.25. Pam Chamberlain and Chip Berlet find that conservative evangelicals embraced the war Outside U.S., Canada, and Mexico, add $9.00 for surface delivery or $14.00 for air mail. on terror as a family value. Please make checks payable to Political Research As a growing, changing movement, the Christian Right’s politics are far from static; Associates, 1310 Broadway, Suite 201, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144-1837. indeed, its leaders are quite nimble in absorbing and reinterpreting the politics of the 617.666.5300 fax: 617.666.6622 moment. So the conservative alliance may be more durable than we’d expect from the PRA is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted post-election finger-pointing blaming each other for their defeat. – Abby Scher by law. © Political Research Associates, 2006. Website: www.publiceye.org All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 ISSUE 54

THE PUBLIC EYE 2 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye Whither the Christian Right? How Religious Conservatives Succeeded and Failed in the 2006 Elections

By Pam Chamberlain and Chip Berlet 1700 activists gathered at the Values Vot- course, wrong. t was a scant five weeks until the 2006 ers Summit. Perkins predicted that his new The Christian Right did turn out and Imidterm elections, and photogenic coalition of Christian Right stalwarts would vote for Republicans, as it has in the past, Christian Right leader Tony Perkins gripped tip the scales for the Republicans in the but in this election slightly more Christian the podium and smiled confidently at the upcoming midterm elections. He was, of evangelicals voted Democrat, perhaps to send a message to Republicans that they were tired of the war in Iraq, offended by corruption, distressed by scandals, and seeking change. The Christian Right, how- ever, remains a large and powerful social movement, and it is already retooling for the 2008 elections. Post-election analyses of voter demo- graphics revealed that while American vot- ers do sometimes vote in blocs, the specific mobilization of these groups is more com- plicated, and an informed understanding more nuanced, than conventional wis- dom might suggest. What Perkins and his colleagues tried to mobilize is a subset of Christian voters, the core group of politi- cally active, conservative, white evangeli- cals who respond to electoral campaigns that focus on a narrow definition of “fam- ily values,” a frame that has proved suc- cessful for getting out the vote since the late 1970s. Reviewing how the new Christian Right mobilized its base in 2006 will help us understand and anticipate what they might do in the next two years.

Family, Faith, & Freedom: To Protect the Children ttending the late September Values AVoters Washington Briefing were a mix of heartland cultural warriors, grassroots Republican political activists, and local church staff, including ministers and lay ministry workers. The crowd was a typical

Pam Chamberlain and Chip Berlet are senior research analysts with Political Research Associates and members of The Public Eye Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images Smialowski/Getty Brendan Worshipers at the pre-election Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC editorial board.

THE PUBLIC EYE3 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

Rozell pointed out that in 2006 both the Republicans and the Democrats realized that moral values and religion help shape The rising or falling fortunes of the Republican Party how elections turn out: We have motivated groups, both on in any election cycle do not determine the size and the right and the left, trying to mobi- lize their constituencies, in large part vibrancy of the Christian Right as a social movement. because they believe values matter but they also understand that the two political parties are very closely com- petitive in Congress right now. representation of the predominantly white sponsors included the political action arms He correctly forecast that, “Affecting and Protestant evangelical Right today. of three other Christian Right groups: a few electoral outcomes could be the dif- Predicting “Washington will never be the Focus on the Family Action (Dr. James ference between Democratic and Repub- same!” Perkins then introduced the con- Dobson), Americans United to Preserve lican party control.”4 ference speakers, politicians and pundits Marriage (Gary Bauer), and American According to the National Election alike, some of whom, like Republican can- Family Association Action (Donald Wild- Pool exit polls commissioned by major didates George Allen and Rick Santorum, mon). Most of these groups have close media outlets, white evangelicals did turn (who appeared by video) turned out to historical ties. Dobson’s Focus on the Fam- out to vote and comprised 24% of the elec- lose their races a few weeks later. ily created the FRC to lobby Congress torate, the same proportion as in 2004 Tony Perkins established the main frame before it was spun off as a separate entity. when mobilizing these voters in certain key of the event when he said, “we are facing Gary Bauer ran the FRC from 1988 to states helped reelect George W. Bush.5 threats from within and from without.” 1999. The wild card in this coalition is This figure can easily be misleading, The threat from within came from lib- Wildmon, known for his inflammatory since not all white evangelicals are conser- erals, same sex marriage, and abortion. anti-gay rhetoric and occasional detours vative, and not all white conservative evan- The threat from without was terrorism. By into veiled anti-Semitism. His American gelicals consistently identify with the focusing on the terrorist attacks of Sep- Family Association pulls this coalition Christian Right. When successful, the tember 11th, the speakers tried to leap over further to the right.3 Christian Right can consistently mobilize criticism of the war in Iraq, other specific The polite and attentive crowd was a core group of about 15% of American vot- military interventions, the economy, and treated to one speech after another in the ers. They are joined by roughly 10% more other issues. hotel ballroom, in a didactic style and of white conservative evangelicals who The ultimate goal for many in this hierarchical format typical of Religious generally align with the Christian Right and aggressive effort is to “restore” America as Right rallies—tightly orchestrated logis- vote Republican, but who sometimes shift a Christian nation—a politicized, theo- tically, skillfully crafted in framing and their allegiance or sit out elections. logically-based worldview dubbed by messaging. The visual aesthetic was slick, “It looks like the white evangelical base critics of the Christian Right as “domin- modern, and high tech, clearly reflecting of the Republican Party pretty much held ionism.”1 The tendency toward domin- how the coalition sank considerable firm,” reports John C. Green, expert on reli- ionism has clearly influenced public policy resources into this event. The coalition gious Americans’ voting trends, from the in both the domestic and foreign policy are- partners also sponsored other pre-election Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.6 nas, as seen in the domestic gay marriage regional events, like the anti-gay marriage Yet he notes there were small and ultimately and the international abstinence-until- “Liberty Sunday.” The four cosponsors significant shifts teased out in exit polls. In marriage debates.2 were positioning themselves as the unified 2004, white evangelicals voted 74% for This type of Christian Right pre-elec- national voice of the Christian Right. How Republicans and 25% for Democrats. In tion voter mobilization conference used to successful have they been? 2006, white evangelicals voted 70% for be hosted by the Christian Coalition, with Republicans and 28% for Democrats. This the title “Road to Victory.” Now that the Success and Failure: What the slight shift alone is enough to shape the out- Christian Coalition has unraveled as a 2006 Election Results Show come in tight elections.7 national group, a new coalition has stepped he Christian Right mobilization of This reminds us that despite the visibility in to fill the void. The conference was Tvoters was not able, on its own, to of their leadership, especially on the Chris- coordinated by FRC Action, the political counter an unpopular war or an unpopu- tian airwaves, the Christian Right core action arm of the Family Research Coun- lar party, the incumbent Republicans. voting block is not consistently large cil, with Tony Perkins at the helm. Co- Even before the election, Professor Mark enough to secure a GOP win in key states

THE PUBLIC EYE 4 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye with tight races. The usual Christian Right which segments of Latina/Latino and allies among the broader white evangelical Spanish-speaking voters are shifting, and electorate sometimes shift and vote Demo- whether or not that is correlated with cratic. The white evangelical voter base being Catholic, Protestant, or secular. The Christian Right includes Republicans, Independents, and After the election, conservatives Democrats. They do not vote as a mono- bemoaned their losses but tried to say that mobilization of voters lithic bloc. Along with Democratic Party not much had changed. Americans for and progressive voter mobilization efforts, Tax Reform, Grover Norquist’s group, was not able, on its targeting women, people of color, organ- described the election as “Democrats Dress- ized labor, immigrants, and other con- ing up as Republicans,” referring to the rel- own, to counter an stituencies, the Christian Right can be ative conservatism of some Democratic outvoted. winners. unpopular war or an And while a small number of white Tony Perkins acknowledged that Amer- Christian evangelicals shifted away from the icans had spoken but insisted that there was unpopular party, the Republicans, a significant number of no new direction despite the shift in party Catholics and mainline Protestants also support. Distancing himself from the los- incumbent Republicans. shifted. More information is needed to tease ers and referring to his followers as out the influence of the Catholic vote, “integrity voters,” he said, “Democrats 26% of all voters, a group comparable in won mainly because they seized on a plat- ples, they ultimately abandoned the GOP.”8 size to the white Protestant evangelical form largely forsaken by the GOP—social “This should be a clear message to both Par- electorate. And not enough information is values. When ‘integrity voters’ saw the ties that values voters vote values, not currently available to determine exactly Republicans had abandoned their princi- party. Their focus is not on party politics,

SWIMMING IN SUBTEXT point, the emcee closed the banquet by reminding the audience that they were engaged in “spiritual warfare.” The Values Voter Summit in September 2006 was overripe with subtle messages designed to direct, motivate, and reassure the audi- • Our faith, our moral superiority, and the fact we are persecuted by ence. Here is a sample: our opponents justify hatred of the enemy, and even violent resist- ance. Our God may be merciful, compassionate, and the God of • Godly Christians must be involved in politics to take back America justice; but our God is a zealous and vengeful God, and we are his from the Godless secularists and liberals. Godly Christians must agents on earth. Sin invokes punishment. This worldview emerged vote, and vote for candidates who win our approval and these can- from several speakers. Colin Hanna, President of Let Freedom didates must come to us; we do not go to them begging. We may Ring, a 501 (c) (4) anti-immigration group, reinforced his inter- not always agree with the Republican leadership, but we need them pretation of this dual nature of a Christian God when he said that on our side to win our cause. Aware of being criticized for being mercy and justice must be blended in public policy. He described too partisan toward Republicans, Tony Perkins issued a statement amnesty for undocumented immigrants as “sin without conse- claiming that, “The Washington Briefing…was not an opportu- quences” and that “Amnesty is therefore not Christian.” nity for us to endorse candidates but rather an opportunity for candidates to endorse us and our values.” • We need a Christian counter-culture to overcome the depravity of secularized modern life. One of the most secularized arenas for • Our version of Christianity is correct, dominant, triumphant, evangelicals has been Hollywood. For instance, Donald Wildmon’s defines the political center, and is politically powerful. Every other AFA was founded to address immorality in the entertainment worldview is wrong, and unconnected to the real God. This is a industry. At the Summit, an especially high energy panel, “Holly- struggle between good and evil. Our opponents are witting or wood in the Heartland,” introduced the audience to the work unwitting agents of Satan. Former Florida Secretary of State being done by Christian film producers and the alternate infra- Katherine Harris—famous for her role in the 2000 Florida Presi- structure that will support this counter-culture. Ted Baehr, who dential election fiasco and now an elected U.S. Representative run- runs the Biblically based film review service, MovieGuide, high- ning for the Senate16—planted herself firmly in the dominionist lighted the work he and others have undertaken to steer Christians wing of the Christian Right.17 At the final banquet of the confer- towards more acceptable, family friendly popular culture. Rev, ence, Harris emphasized the importance of the proper candidates Tommy Tenney previewed his new film, a reworking of the story of winning in November, and suggested it was a battle against “prin- Esther, “One Night with the King,” and the audience learned that cipalities and powers.” Many in the audience surely recognized this Hollywood has specific Christian movie studios, like FoxFaith. as a Biblical reference to “spiritual warfare”— in their view a strug- 18 gle with the demonic agents of Satan. Just in case they missed the • We will win, because God is on our side.

THE PUBLIC EYE5 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye but rather on government guided by core white evangelicals accurately. Thomas abortion, stem cell research, and pornog- values.”9 Frank, in his book What’s the Matter with raphy. In elections, sometimes economic The day after the election, conservative Kansas, nimbly navigated the conservative issues trump social issues, and sometimes columnist Michael Medved recognized scene on the ground in Kansas, but slipped social issues trump economic issues—and that, when he implied that people in the white how Republicans and Democrats are per- The numbers from every corner of working class who vote against their appar- ceived by Christian evangelical voters the country make it clear that the ent economic self interest did so because weighing the pull of those sets of issues can 15 American people meant to send a they didn’t really understand the complex determine the outcome of an election. message to their leaders, and the issues, or were easily swayed by funda- future of the conservative movement mentalist preachers and opportunistic Whither the Christian Right? depends on an accurate reading of the politicians. Some, we are led to believe, are he rising or falling fortunes of the 12 substance they meant to communi- simply addled. TRepublican Party in any election cycle cate, and a realistic reassessment of do not determine the size and vibrancy of the current state of our politics.10 the Christian Right as a social movement. Members of the Christian Right are more But it remains to be seen if these ana- committed to their issues as they define lysts are correctly reading their constituency. them than they are to any political party. Medved interpreted the figure that 59% of There is no evidence Like any social movement, they align with voters disapproved of the war in Iraq as an political entities that they believe will bring indication that “many (if not most) of that white evangelicals about the changes they seek. those voters dislike Bush’s policy because Black, Hispanic, and Asian evangelical they feel it’s not aggressive enough.”11 This are any more stupid or voters and Roman Catholics of all kinds seems a dubious contention. have responded to various campaign strate- Democratic Party leaders are now debat- crazy than anyone else. gies aimed at religious voters, most notably ing how to handle the issue of religion and around abortion and gay issues. On occa- people of faith—sometimes constructively Nor are they simply the sion, Christian Right and Republican and sometimes opportunistically. In Ohio efforts can erode the historic preferences and Pennsylvania, Democratic candidates manipulated puppets of among these groups to vote Democratic as actively referred to their faiths. Ted Strick- happened in 2004. While some in these land, the new Ohio governor is a Methodist a Karl Rove strike force. groups shifted back to vote Democratic in minister, and Bob Casey, Rick Santorum’s 2006, it remains to be seen how well sub- successful opponent for the Senate in sequent mobilizations will fare in specific Pennsylvania, is a Catholic. More targeted races. State-based analysis is key. analysis needs to happen in selected states There is no evidence that white evan- Every few years—following an elec- to learn the details of religious voters’ influ- gelicals are any more stupid or crazy than toral defeat of Republicans, the collapse of ence. For instance, conservatives and lib- anyone else. Nor are they simply the manip- a Christian Right organization, or an erals alike will study the data on same sex ulated puppets of a Karl Rove strike force. expose of a leader’s shady past—the death marriage bans, which passed with consid- Large groups of white evangelicals are of the Christian Right is announced in the erably smaller point spreads than in 2004, mobilized through the rhetorical style of media. Reports of its death are, as they say, to see if their presence on the ballot made right-wing populism, which suggests that greatly exaggerated, and complacency a difference in the candidates’ results. The liberal elites and welfare queens are erod- would be a mistake. The Christian Right same scrutiny will apply to the minimum 13 ing conservative American values. Jean will survive, and remains a powerful fac- wage ballot measures that pro-labor groups Hardisty refers to this process as mobiliz- tor in the social, cultural, and political life designed with a frame of economic justice 14 ing resentment.” of the United States. aimed at enticing people of faith to consider Many white working class voters and Keep an eye out for the next hot button other values than those stressed by the white middle class voters can be persuaded issue coming to your state. ■ Christian Right. at times to vote against their apparent For more extended analysis of the Christ- immediate economic interests through What’s the Matter with “What’s ian Right and Election 2006, See Running appeals to their sense of morality that cast the Matter with Kansas”? Against Sodom and Osama: The Christian "traditional family values" and "moral val- Right, Values Voters, and the Culture War in emographic election analyses notwith- ues" in terms of societal struggles over 2006, HTML: http://www.publiceye.org/ standing, it’s not so easy to describe issues such as gay rights, same sex marriage, D christian_right/values-voters/vv-toc.html;

THE PUBLIC EYE 6 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

PDF: http://www.publiceye.org/pdfs/Run- 3 Institute for First Amendment Studies, “Religious Lead- 12 For examples, see Frank, Thomas, What’s the Matter with ers Denounce Wildmon’s Anti-Semitism,” Freedom Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America ning_Against_Sodom_and_Osama.pdf. Writer, June/July/August 1989, at http://www.public- (New York: Metropolitan Books, 2004), pp. 160-161, eye.org/ifas/fw/8906/wildmon.html. 205, 213, 226, 238-251. 4 Banks, Adele, “With Election Looming, ‘Values Voters’ 13 Berlet, Chip, and Matthew N. Lyons, Right-Wing End Notes Are Back in the Spotlight,” Religion News Service, Populism in America (New York: Guilford, 2000), pp. 1- 1 Wednesday, September 20, 2006, http://www.presbyte- 18. See also Margaret Canovan, Populism (New York: Dominionism is a tendency within the Christian Right rianchurch.org/pcnews/2006/06482.htm . Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1981); Michael Kazin, The to assert that Christians are mandated by God to take 5 Goodstein, Laurie, “Religious Voting Data Show Some Populist Persuasion: An American History (New York: control of secular political institutions. See: Frederick Basic Books, 1995). Clarkson, “The Rise of Dominionism: Remaking Amer- Shift, Observers Say,” New York Times, November 9, 2006, 14 ica as a Christian Nation,” The Public Eye Magazine, P7. Hardisty, Jean V., Mobilizing Resentment: Conservative Winter 2005; Michelle Goldberg, Kingdom Coming: 6 Ibid. Resurgence from the John Birch Society to the Promise Keepers (Boston: Beacon Press, 1999). The Rise of Christian Nationalism (New York: W.W. Nor- 7 ton, 2006); Chip Berlet, “The Christian Right, Domin- Cooperman, Alan, “Democrats win bigger share of reli- 15 gious vote: Parties disagree on why the gap has nar- We discuss this at greater length in Running Against Sodom ionism, and Theocracy,” The Public Eye online, and Osama: The Christian Right, Values Voters, and the http://www.publiceye.org/christian_right/dominion- rowed,” Washington Post, MSNBC, November 11, 2006, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15662295; PBS, “Per- Culture War in 2006, HTML: http://www.publiceye.org/ ism.htm.While Christian Reconstructionism is the most christian_right/values-voters/vv-toc.html; PDF: militant form of dominionism, it is a common error to spectives: Election Analysis,” Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, (#1011), Transcript, November 10, 2006, http://www.publiceye.org/pdfs/Running_Against_Sodo imply that all dominionists are Reconstructionists or desire m_and_Osama.pdf. a full-blown totalitarian theocracy. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1011/pe rspectives.html . 16 Gumbel, Andrew, “Something Rotten in the State of 2 Kaplan, Esther, 2004, With God on Their Side: How 8 “America Cleans House,” Family Research Council Florida,” Common Dreams, September 29, 2004, orig- Christian Fundamentalists Trampled Science, Policy, and inally from The Independent, http://www.common- Democracy in George W. Bush’s White House (New York: Washington Update listserv email, Wednesday, Novem- ber 8, 2006. dreams.org/headlines04/0929-26.htm. The New Press); Geoffrey C. Layman and John C. 17 Green, “Wars and Rumors of Wars: The Contexts of Cul- 9 “Integrity Voters Reveal Values Gap,” Press release “Katherine Harris,” interview, Florida Baptist Witness, tural Conflict in American Political Behavior,” British Jour- Family Research Council, November 8, 2006, at August 24, 2006, http://www.floridabaptistwitness. nal of Political Science (36)1, (January 2006), pp 61-89; http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR06K02. com/6298.article. Herman, Didi, The Antigay Agenda: Orthodox Vision and 18 10 Medved, Michael, “Uncomfortable lessons from a dis- Arnold, Clinton E., Powers of Darkness: Principalities & the Christian Right (Chicago: University of Chicago Powers in Paul’s Letters, (Downers Grove Intervarsity Press, Press, 1997); Katha Pollitt, “Earthly Rewards for the Chris- astrous night,” Townhall.com, November 8, 2006, http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MichaelMedved/ 1992); Sara Diamond, Spiritual Warfare: The Politics of tian Voter,” Subject to Debate column, The Nation, the Christian Right (Boston: South End Press, 1989). December 6, 2004, http://www.thenation.com/ 2006/11/08/uncomfortable_lessons_from_a_disas- doc/20041206/pollitt; William Martin, With God on Our trous_night. Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America (New York: 11 Ibid. Broadway Books, 1996); Sara Diamond, Roads to Domin- ion: Right-Wing Movements and Political Power in the United States (New York: Guilford Press, 1998).

■ Yes! I want to support The Public Eye. Support The Public Eye magazine! Enclosed is a donation of: ■ $1000 ■ $750 ■ $500 ■ $250 ■ $100 ■ $50 Help us provide the best reporting ■ Other $______

and analysis on the U.S. Right ■ Check Enclosed and government repression. ■ Charge my Mastercard or Visa (circle one)

Account # ______Exp Date ______Each issue of The Public Eye Signature ______costs $12,000 to produce – not including staff time! Name ______Yet we still make it available Adress ______to everyone who wants it, City ______State _____ Zip______with your help. Mail form with payment to: Political Research Associates, 1310 Broadway, Suite 201, Somerville, MA 02144-1837

THE PUBLIC EYE7 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye TAX REVOLT continued from page 1 ing to do with the social issues, such as abor- according to Internal Revenue Service data, Institute (AFBI) in 1992 for similar lob- tion or sex education, that normally con- the number of taxable estates in each year bying purposes; and Jim Martin, head of cern the Christian Right. What would of the 1990s represented less than 2% of all the conservative seniors group, the 60Plus make them lobby for a lower tax rate on the adult deaths.4 Association. It was Martin who made the wealthy, especially since almost all estates With the estate tax affecting such a “death tax” label stick, while Soldano’s and are exempt from the tax anyway? small number of Americans, even con- Apolinksy’s groups met with Washington The answer is simple. Over the course servatives did not see outright repeal a insiders and directed wealthy constituents of the 1990s, the economic conservatives viable political option in the 1990s. The to lobby their representatives directly. successfully recast the estate tax as a “fam- Republican Party’s 1994 Contract with Over the course of the 1990s, these ily” issue, using language that appealed America only proposed increasing the conservative anti-tax groups tried to neu- more directly to conservative evangelicals. size of estates eligible to be taxed. When, tralize support for the “death tax” by care- And the Christian Right, primed by years in 1997, the Republicans backed raising fully crafting anecdotes about middle class of describing themselves as a “pro-family the exemption level to $1 million in assets Americans suffering under its burdens, movement,” and spurred on by a group of by 2006, estate tax foes were not happy. according to scholars Michael Graetz and intellectuals who put forth a Christian Right-wing critics felt it only compli- Ian Shapiro, authors of a 2005 book on the economics of the family, jumped at the bait, cated the tax code for inheritances. The repeal battle.7 “Stories trumped science,” becoming staunch supporters of repeal. these authors argue, because the statistics Once Bush signed a temporary estate tax used by supporters never matched the repeal in 2001, the Christian Right groups power and salience of their opponents’ joined the fight in earnest to make the The Christian Right tales of estate tax woe. repeal of the so-called “death tax” perma- The economic conservatives finally nent. revived the idea that tasted success with the election of George The result: closer ties between eco- W. Bush, who included repeal in his tax nomic conservatives in the Republican the poor could benefit proposal. The resulting Economic Growth Party and the religious conservatives who and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 make up the Party’s voting base. In fact, from the “bracing moral not only gradually increases the exemption some conservative activists feel that eco- level, to $3.5 million in 2009, but reduces nomic issues like the estate tax may be the discipline” of the market. and eventually eliminates the tax entirely key to maintaining a conservative elec- by the year 2010. However, due to a sun- toral majority in the years to come. set clause included to avoid Senate rules against expanding the federal deficit, estate The Economic Conservatives Heritage Foundation argued that the Tax- tax rates will return in 2011 to their 2000 Get Creative payer Relief Act of 1997 which proposed levels. So while repeal advocates achieved he government levies an estate tax on the reform “belongs to a class of legisla- a major victory with the 2001 law, the issue Tthe value of a person’s assets at death, tion that warms only the hearts of lob- remains very much alive politically. before they are passed on to heirs. A federal byists and specialists who must deal with tax of this kind has been in force since the the growing tax labyrinth.”5 Washington Insiders and the early 20th Century. While the tax was orig- The criticism of the 1997 reform Appeal to the Christian Right inally supposed to target the richest Amer- attempt opened the door for repeal efforts. Base icans, by the 1990s, thanks to inflation, even A number of anti-estate tax groups, led ashington insiders can take as much families with estates of $600,000 had to con- mostly by conservative outsiders and Wcredit for the 2001 victory as the sider the tax in their financial planning. Still, funded by some of the country’s wealthi- insurgents from the hinterlands of Orange few were actually affected. For example, est families, joined with sympathetic mem- County and Alabama. A big player in the Americans filed only 81,000 estate tax bers of Congress in an attempt to repeal the repeal movement was Grover Norquist, returns in 1995, and only 85% of these tax.6 The biggest players were Patricia head of the conservative anti-tax lobbying estate returns involved a payment.3 Indeed, Soldano, an estate planner from Orange group, Americans for Tax Reform. Norquist County, California, who, in the early holds infamous “Wednesday meetings” 1990s, created the Center for the Study of where Congressional and Administration Richard J. Meagher, a doctoral student at the Taxation and the Policy and Taxation officials meet representatives of conserva- Graduate Center, City University of New Group to lobby against the estate tax; tive advocacy groups and think tanks to York, is researching the alliance between Alabama estate planner Harold Apolinsky, coordinate policy efforts. Equally significant economic and religious conservatives. who formed the American Family Business was the influential conservative think tank,

THE PUBLIC EYE 8 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye Andy Singer/politicalcartoons.com the Heritage Foundation, which jump- port of the religious conservatives’ base. faith.” Norquist sees taxes and, to a lesser started research against the estate tax in the It should not be surprising that anti-tax extent, government regulation as the key mid-90s with about $200,000 in grants advocates sought out the Christian Right’s issues that can unite conservatives. from Apolinksy’s AFBI.8 support on an economic issue. Conserva- Norquist is in hot water for laundering Other secular conservative groups even- tives have built their power in the United money to Christian Right groups from the tually joining in the repeal effort include States by developing issues in ways that both scofflaw lobbyist Jack Abramoff.11 But he the libertarian Cato Institute, the 527 economic and religious conservatives find is likely on to something in his focus on tax association Club for Growth, and the free compelling. For over a decade, Norquist has policy as a means of recruiting the Chris- market advocacy groups Americans for labored to build a “Leave Us Alone Coali- tian Right. He tapped into a tiny group of Prosperity and Citizens for a Sound Econ- tion” of disgruntled taxpayers, business hyperconservative Protestant thinkers omy (now named Freedom Works). By owners, gun owners, and Western ranch- whose arguments that economic policies early 2001, even Eagle Forum founder and ers. In a 1996 speech10 outlining this coali- deserve as much attention as social ones anti-government crusader Phyllis Schlafly tion, Norquist argues that all of these have an outsized influence on American was warning readers in her newsletter to Americans share one goal: “they all want to evangelicals. Originally led by the late R.J. “Look Out for Death Tax Deception.”9 be left alone by the government.” For Rushdoony, Christian Reconstructionists While these groups’ focus on economic Norquist, a friend and ally of Ralph Reed believe that Biblical law can and should be issues or decreased government manage- when he headed the Christian Coalition, brought into the modern context, and ment of the economy made them obvious the Christian Right is also part of the mix; that it provides a basis not just for ethical candidates to join the repeal struggle, they Christian conservatives “fight against gov- and private life, but for public life and pol- had a limited reach among voters. For ernment interference and spending icy as well. In this view, all governmental repeal to become permanent, the eco- (financed by their own tax dollars) that policies—laws, court decisions, regula- nomic conservatives would need the sup- insults and attacks their values and their tions, etc.—should be directly based upon

THE PUBLIC EYE9 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

Biblical law.12 In their effort to broadly apply insisting that these programs created a Even more than Cato, the Heritage Biblical principles to civil government, culture of dependency among the poor. For Foundation can be thanked for much of Reconstructionist writers like Gary North example, an early mission statement for the this shift in opposing the estate tax on also emphasize the importance of private Religious Roundtable, an influential evan- moral instead of economic grounds. The property and free-market capitalism for gelical organization of the 1980s, notes that change can be seen in the work of Heritage ensuring the freedom and responsibility of “the Bible nowhere justifies the use of analyst Bill Beach. His first report on the the individual before God. At the same coercive government power to plunder estate tax in 1996 presents almost entirely time, they reject government price controls, some elements of society and dole out to economic-based reasons for repeal, argu- welfare and other entitlement programs, others.”14 But it takes no position on spe- ing that taxation interferes with economic and any kind of wealth redistribution. cific taxation. Later, the Christian Coali- liberty and growth.17 Yet his second report According to Reconstructionists, taxation tion made tax issues an important part of on the estate tax, published two years later, should only be as high as necessary for the has a very different tone. While he offers maintenance of a libertarian state that the same economic arguments, Beach allows individuals to act freely, although focuses more directly on the effects of the in accordance with God’s moral law. The “family values” imagery tax upon small business owners and farm- Whether acknowledged or not, many ers with exemplary values, noting the Christian Right organizations increasingly spread like wildfire across “great threat” to their enterprises. echo the Reconstructionists in that eco- The burden of the estate tax, Beach nomic policy matters to them often as conservative networks. argues here, falls upon “hardworking men much as issues of sexuality. They are prob- and women whose thrift and entrepre- ably especially receptive to their influence neurial spirit expose them to confiscatory given the old-time evangelical conviction, tax rates.”18 Indeed, repeal champions rooted in the 19th century, that “laws of its agenda by focusing on family-related repeatedly tell anecdotes about small enter- God reign over society, their real character policies like the so-called “marriage prises forced into early sale, bankruptcy and beyond appearance…confounding state penalty.” And then, after 2001, the Chris- foreclosure, although their claims are often rational control.”13 Some go so far as to tian Right picked up on the economic exaggerated.19 The strategic use of this lan- revive the idea that the poor could benefit conservatives’ arguments that the “death guage is not difficult to see; the image of from the “bracing moral discipline” of the tax” was a threat to families. the yeoman farmer and small business market. entrepreneur are central to American myth- With this moralistic bent, Christian Let’s Talk Family making and tug at the heartstrings of many Right groups typically focus on those tax he economic conservatives began shift- Americans, not just conservatives. Yet issues with a clear moral dimension. In the Ting their language in the mid-1990s. Beach also stresses, however subtly, the 1980s, Christian groups often protested the You hear it in the work of law professor strong moral values of thrift and hard use of tax funds for welfare programs, Edward McCaffery, who called the estate work that supposedly motivate these entre- tax a “virtue tax” as early as 1994.15 Since it preneurs. This moral vision deepens in appears to promote consumption rather the next phase of argument which indeli- than savings, McCaffery argues in a 1999 bly links small enterprises with the term Now Online at Cato Institute report, the estate tax dis- “family” — as in “family farms and busi- www.publiceye.org! courages hard work. Why work harder if nesses.” The powerful imagery of busi- the government simply takes away your ness and farm is thus united with the equally powerful symbolism of values, Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories extra earnings when you die? As McCaffery notes, the whole of society is affected: morality, and especially the family, that is Conspiracy theories about Jews so important to the Christian Right. The biggest problem with the death abound. PRA Senior Analyst This “family values” imagery spread tax is a moral one. The death tax Chip Berlet unpacks their like wildfire across conservative networks. rewards a “die-broke” ethic, whereby appeal in ZOG Ate my Brains, Presidential candidate John Kerry was the wealthy spend down their wealth an article in a special issue of “anti-family” for opposing the tax’s repeal, on lavish consumption, and dis- New Internationalist Magazine. charged a 2004 press release from the sec- courages economically and socially ular American Conservative Union. The Visit “From the Archives” beneficial intergenerational saving.16 on our home page. next year a similar ACU release charged that So the estate tax is more an issue of the “widely despised and onerous” estate morality than economics. On publiceye.org now! tax “destroys small family businesses, farms

THE PUBLIC EYE 10 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye and ranches.” Its burden falls on those work and savings.” He then underlined the Christian political groups such as the Fam- “who have worked hard all their lives” to danger to families by recounting a (possi- ily Research Council and Concerned pass on their family business. bly apocryphal) tale of a Tennessee clan that Women for America, occasionally, and Other organizations with fewer had to sell land to pay their estate tax.21 subtly, downplay their Christian affilia- resources than the ACU simply reprinted So marrying “small business” with “pro- tion in hopes of making broad appeals to another group’s press release or interviewed family” arguments keeps economic con- “family values.” Even the names of the the other group’s staff, echoing their lan- servatives in the fold even while stirring the dominant Christian political organizations guage. Thus the small conservative advo- support of the Christian Right. of the early 1990s and today, the Christian cacy group, America’s Future, simply posted Coalition and the Family Research Coun- on its website the claims of United Seniors Whence Family Values? cil, respectively, reflect this shift. Today Association’s Mary Mahoney who says,“the he “pro-family” language of the Chris- more than ever, appeals to “family” can be middle-class farmer or small business Ttian Right only began emerging in aimed towards religious conservatives, owner” shoulders the burden of estate the 1970s. That’s when evangelical church though couched in language that does not taxes. Republican officials began to use this leaders such as Tim LaHaye, Pat Robertson, necessarily offend or discriminate. language as well. Senator George Allen (R- and Jerry Falwell became part of a self-iden- By the time the newly installed, sup- Va.) argued in 2005 that the estate tax hurts tified “pro-family network.”22 Still, it was- posedly pro-family Bush Administration “modest Americans who worked hard n’t until the 1990s, when Ralph Reed began brought the estate tax to the attention of throughout their lives to save for their steering the Christian Coalition towards the Christian Right in 2001, it whole- families.”20 More recently, in a blog entry mainstream political power, that Christian heartedly climbed on board with the “pro- on Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s VOL- Right leaders began to more explicitly family” reform. Within months, major PAC website, Frist noted that the tax describe themselves as a “pro-family move- groups began using pro-family arguments attacks virtue because it “punishes hard ment.” Indeed, today’s most influential to support estate tax repeal. In a June 2001 John Cole, Scranton Times-Tribune Cole, Scranton John

THE PUBLIC EYE11 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

azine. Still, she largely adopts their family Is Paying Taxes Un-Christian? values rather than economic arguments. Before today’s Christians grumble about paying their taxes, perhaps they should ask a Carbone draws on every argument familiar question: what would Jesus do? starting with McCaffery’s “virtue tax:” “anything that undermines virtue weakens There are a number of references to taxation in the Bible. Some examples: the family; the estate tax is no exception.” • In Exodus 30, God orders Moses to collect a tax for the tent-like sanctuary, The tax discourages hard work, discipline, or tabernacle, that the Israelites use for worship. courage and dependability, and even worse, she argues, by disrupting inheritance, the • In 2 Chronicles 24, the Israelites gladly pay taxes to help rebuild the Jerusalem tax upsets the kinship bonds so essential temple (although King Joash is later punished by God for abandoning the project). to families: • In Matthew 17, Jesus asks Peter to pay a temple tax for the two of them, By interfering directly with the nat- using an unusual method: Peter is to catch a fish with a coin in its mouth. ural or family order, the death tax works against the family to a greater • In Luke 3, when tax collectors ask him how to live, Jesus tells them only this: extent than other forms of taxation. “Don’t collect any more than you are required to” (Lk 3:13 NIV). By artificially separating the family But Jesus’ most famous statement on taxation is found in Matthew (and reprised in along generational lines, it disrupts Mark 12 and Luke 20). The Pharisees, in an attempt to trap Jesus into denouncing the extended family... The death tax the Roman government, ask him, “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Noting considerably weakens the role and that the Roman ruler is depicted on the coins used to pay the tax, Jesus suggests that status of families in American life. people “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Mt 22:17-21 By undermining the family, the estate NIV). According to Craig S. Keener, Professor of New Testament at Palmer Theolog- tax attacks the very structure of society itself, ical Seminary, Jesus argues here that allegiance to God “is not an excuse to avoid our Carbone writes. By arguing that taxation 29 other responsibilities that do not conflict with it.” interferes with the “natural” order of the Paul agrees in his letter to the Romans: “This is also why you pay taxes, for the family, Carbone sounds the themes put authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone forth by a group of Christian intellectu- what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes.” (Rom 13:6-7 NIV) The Bible, there- als based at the Rockford, Illinois, think- fore, seems to provide clear guidelines for what Christians should do on April 15. tank, the Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society. Two years after Cardone’s report, the FRC’s short-lived “academic” journal, article, the Christian magazine World told ing the end of the “death tax.”23 Family Policy Review, recruited an article its readers that social conservatives are While the authors rarely linger to explain from the Center’s president Allan Carlson happy with the “family-friendly” Bush tax why estate tax repeal would be “pro-fam- that intriguingly supports tax giveaways on program, referring to both reducing the so- ily,” it is noteworthy that the Focus article the basis of family values.25 To Carlson, called “marriage penalty” and repealing quotes Heritage’s Bill Beach in support. The offering direct government support to the death tax. In familiar language, it says merger of market and religious funda- poor families with children, “tend[s] to that the tax “sometimes forced children to mentalist language was complete. draw governments deeply into the family sell the family-owned farms and businesses The most striking example of the Chris- economy and to substitute state largesse, their parents had spent a lifetime building.” tian embrace of the estate tax as a family and intrusion, for parental earnings.” Similarly, a 2001 paper by the conservative issue is a slick, 29-page pamphlet issued by Credits and exemptions, on the other Catholic group, the American Society for the Family Research Council in the fall of hand, “allow the family to keep more of the Defense of Tradition, Family and Prop- 2001. The report, written by FRC’s then- what it earns.... Children properly see their erty, argued that repealing the estate tax Director of Family Tax Policy Leslie Car- parents, rather than the state, as their would help grant “material stability to the bone, is entitled “Death and Taxes: How providers.” Thus the government strength- family.” A March 2001 press release from Divorcing the Two Benefits the Family.”24 ens the natural order of families and mar- Concerned Women for America notes that Carbone goes all out in her use of the riage in the least intrusive way possible. Bush’s 2002 budget included estate tax work of economic conservatives, drawing The influential FRC draws upon this repeal among other “pro-family tax cuts.” on Bill Beach, the Institute for Policy Inno- notion that the natural order of the fam- A few months later, a brief report by Focus vation, Congress’ Joint Economic Com- ily is the primary starting point for gov- on the Family celebrated the “good news mittee, the libertarian National Center ernment policy in both its beltway lobbying for families” in the 2001 tax cuts, includ- for Policy Analysis, and even Fortune mag- and in its education of its conservative

THE PUBLIC EYE 12 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

Christian base about estate taxes. In tak- FRC, but the estate tax issue eventually cians, including Senators John Thune, Bill ing such a seemingly large portion of a per- becomes absorbed as an essentially unques- Frist, and George Allen.27 And recently the son’s estate, the tax implies that the tioned part of the larger Christian Right Family Research Council featured AFBI’s government is more important than the agenda. Certainly, the Family Research Dick Patten on its weekly radio program to individual. Estates would then exist more Council remains a leader. It lists permanent discuss repeal legislation. Neither Rep. for the purposes of government than for the estate tax repeal as one of three policy pri- Mike Pence — the show’s guest host — nor people who own them. For Carbone, the orities in the area of “Economics and Patten explicitly talked about religion; government’s only appropriate role is to Taxes”; promotes tax repeal as a “pro-fam- instead, they used the language of family and safeguard the natural order of the family. morality to speak to religious listeners She argues that, about an economic issue. It’s “morally In order to buffet rather than under- wrong” to take the “after-tax resources of mine the natural order, civil govern- So far, Senate Democrats American families” when a family member ment should take pains to “do no dies, said Pence. harm” to the natural state of society have managed to stall The movement’s grassroots may not all or the natural family order. This embrace the idea of tax cuts as a family principle applies especially to taxa- Republican efforts to issue, or entirely see government regula- tion... If through taxation it disrupts tion of the economy as interrupting the the natural economy by creating all repeal the estate tax. natural order within which individuals sorts of perverse incentives and penal- commune with God. But their education ties that favor certain people or pun- continues, as Christian Right organizations ish others, the government becomes are now connected in a kind of feedback part of the problem—a contributor ily issue” on its voter scorecards; and loop with other conservative groups and to social and family breakdown— reports on the issue in its updates to mem- GOP officials. 26 rather than part of the solution—an bers. The greatly weakened Christian And issues like the estate tax will con- instrument of justice. Coalition has followed suit, promoting the tinue to help bind these groups together. estate tax repeal in its list of priorities and As Stephen Moore, former head of the Club Other groups may not be as directly on its 2004 Presidential voter scorecard. for Growth notes, “Low taxes are the cen- influenced by this line of argument as the Far from being a pro forma nod to the tral linchpin of conservatism.... It’s possi- agenda of its economically conservative ble to disagree about abortion, gay rights allies, the Christian’s Right’s intellectuals, or the proper level of military spending, but INTERNS WANTED! at least, seem to be sincerely promoting the we can't disagree about our one unifying convergence of their two movements on message as conservatives.”28 By re-casting this economic issue. tax and economic issues as family matters, The Public Eye conservatives are making this agreement The Public Eye welcomes interns One Big Happy (Conservative) easier to find. ■ to join us in producing the only Family magazine dedicated to exposing espite this broad right-wing coali- the U.S. Right. Dtion, it is not clear whether they will End Notes succeed in permanently repealing the estate 1 Atwood, Aaron, “Death Should Not Be a Taxable Event,” Focus on the Family CitizenLink.org, http://www.fam- Political Research Associates tax. So far Senate Democrats have managed ily.org/cforum/news/a0037747.cfm, 9/15/06. Political Research Associates, to stall their efforts in the halls of Congress. 2 Perkins, Tony, “Death and Taxes,” Tony Perkins’ Wash- ington Update, the parent think tank of The Still, even if they fail, conservatives have won an even larger victory by building greater http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA06D33#WA06D33, Public Eye, offers a research 9/15/06. ties and coordination among the Christian 3 See Robbins, Gary and Aldona Robbins, The Case for internship, and a communica- Right and market conservatives, as well as Burying the Estate Tax (Lewisville, TX: Institute for Pol- tion and development intern- icy Innovation, 1999); “Historical Number of Returns the GOP. Notwithstanding the tensions that by Type of Tax,” Tax Policy Center, http://www.taxpol- ship. emerged in the fall 2006 elections, these icycenter.org/TaxFacts/TFDB/TFTemplate.cfm?Docid=1 powerful conservative sectors are forging 8, 9/15/06. To apply, just email a letter and common ground. The catchy title of Focus 4 Internal Revenue Service, “Table 17: Taxable Estate Tax resume identifying the internship Returns as a Percentage of Adult Deaths, Selected Years on the Family’s 2005 web article—“Death of Death, 1934-2002,” SOI Bulletin, that interests you to Should Not Be a Taxable Event”— is often http://www.irs.gov/taxstats/article/0,,id=115033,00.html, 9/15/06. [email protected]. used as a rallying cry by Republican politi-

THE PUBLIC EYE13 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

5 Beach, William W., A Scorecard on Death Tax Reform 14 Religious Roundtable, “Questions and Answers Con- 22 “The Pro-Family Network,” Conservative Digest, May (Washington, DC: Heritage Foundation, 1998). cerning the Roundtable's Position on Issues,” The 1980-June 1980: 6.5/6, 24. 6 Public Citizen and United for a Fair Economy, Spend- Roundtable Report, September/October 1983, 1:1, 2-3. 23 Jones, Bob, “The Check Is In the Mail,” World, June 9 ing Millions to Save Billions: The Campaign of the Super 15 McCaffery, Edward J., “The Uneasy Case for Wealth 2001; American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Wealthy to Kill the Estate Tax (Washington, DC and Transfer Taxation,” Yale Law Journal, 1994: 104. Family and Property, “Great Expectations: Hope for the Boston, 2006). 16 McCaffery, Edward J., Grave Robbers: The Moral Case New Millennium.” http://www.tfp.org/what_we_think/ 7 Graetz, Michael J. and Ian Shapiro, Death by a Thousand Against the Death Tax, (Washington, DC: Cato Institute, anti-abortion/anti-abortion_paper_2001.html, Cuts: The Fight Over Taxing Inherited Wealth (Princeton, 1999). Although he is an academic and self-described “lib- 9/15/06; Green, Tanya L., “Bush Proposes ‘Conserva- NJ: Princeton University Press, 2005). eral,” McCaffery testified against the estate tax before Sen- tive’ Budget,” Concerned Women for America, ate and House finance subcommittees in the late 1990s, http://www.cwfa.org/articles/1728/CWA/misc/index.ht 8 Thompson, Bob, “Sharing the Wealth?” Washington m, 9/15/06; Schneeberger. Gary, “Family Tax Relief Last Post, April 13, 2003: W08. and later is quoted extensively in Heritage Foundation reports. Act of GOP Senate Majority,” Focus on the Family Cit- 9 Schlafly, Phyllis, “Tax-Cut Dollars and Dogmas,” The izen, August 2001. 17 Beach, William W., The Case for Repealing the Estate Tax. Phyllis Schlafly Report, April 2001, 34:9. 24 (Washington, DC: Heritage Foundation, 1996). Carbone, Leslie, Death and Taxes: How Divorcing the Two 10 Benefits the Family, (Washington, DC: Family Research Published as Norquist, Grover C., “The New Majority: 18 The ‘Leave Us Alone’ Coalition,” Imprimis, May 1996: Beach 1998. Council, 2001). 25.5, 1-5. 19 While it is likely true that some small business owners 25 Carlson, Allan C., “Taxing the Family: An American Ver- 11 Grimaldi, James V. and Susan Schmidt, “Report Says and farmers would rather forego the expense of estate sion of Paradise Lost?” Family Policy Review, Spring Nonprofits Sold Influence to Abramoff,” Washington Post, planning, and that some may sell off assets to pay the tax, 2003: 1. repeal proponents are still unable to produce a single, ver- October 13, 2006. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- 26 See, for example, Perkins, Tony, “Declare the Pennies on dyn/content/article/2006/10/12/AR2006101200889.ht ifiable example of a farm or business closing due to the burden of estate tax payments. See Johnston, David Kay, Your Eyes,” Tony Perkins’ Washington Update, ml. Accessed Nov. 1, 2006. “Focus on Farms Masks Estate Tax Confusion,” New York http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WU05J08, 9/15/06. 12 Clarkson, Frederick, “Theocratic Dominionism Gains Times, April 8, 2001; Public Citizen and United for a Fair 27 Atwood 2005. Influence,” The Public Eye, March/June 1994, Vol. VIII, Economy 2006. 28 Quoted in Fund, John, “The Vanishing Center: In Both Nos. 1 & 2, accessed at http://www.publiceye.org/mag- 20 azine/v08n1/chrisrec.html, 9/15/06. Allen, George, “Death Should Not Be a Taxable Event: Political Parties, the Defense of Moderation is no Virtue,” Tax Code Should Promote Economic Activity,” Human Opinion Journal, http://www.opinionjournal.com/ 13 Hicks, Alexander, “Free-Market and Religious Funda- Events, September 2005. diary/?id=110004821, 9/15/06.

mentalists versus Poor Relief,” American Sociological 21 29 Review, v. 72, June 2006, p. 506. Hicks tracks the con- Frist, Bill, “Burying the Death Tax,” Volunteer Political Keener, Craig S. Matthew. volume 1, The IVP New vergence of economic and religious fundamentalists in Action Committee, http://www.volpac.org/index.cfm? Testament Commentary Series. Intervarsity: Westmont, their support of welfare reform in the 1990s. FuseAction=BLOGS.View&Blog_id=254, 9/15/06. Illinois: 1997.

POLITICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES BOOKSTORE Reports and books from the premier watchdog on the US Right Special rates for Public Eye readers!

Our Activist Resource Kits Books by PRA Associates Defending Justice (2005): $10 Right-Wing Populism in America by Chip Berlet and Defending Immigrant Rights (2002): $5 Matthew N. Lyons: $15 Defending Public Education (1999): $5 Mobilizing Resentment: Conservative Resurgence from the Defending Reproductive Rights (2000): $3 John Birch Society to the Promise Keepers by Jean Hardisty: $10 Defending Democracy (2001): $3 Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy by Frederick Clarkson: $10 Special Reports: $3 ______Deliberate Differences: Progressive and Conservative Campus Activism in the United States (2004) To order, call PRA at 617.666.5300 Privatizing the Common Wealth: The Pioneer Institute (2002) Or send your check with $3.50 postage for first item plus $1.50 for each additional item to: Calculated Compassion: How the Ex-Gay Movement PRA, 1310 Broadway, #201, Somerville, MA 02144 Serves the Right’s Attack on Democracy (1998 ) www.publiceye.org Challenging the Ex-Gay Movement: A resource packet (1998) Visa and Mastercard accepted

THE PUBLIC EYE 14 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye TEARING DOWN TOWERS continued from page 1 and Great Plains, often by leveraging Most urbanites (and decent people homelander ideology. Each seems to have their candidates’ rural identities against a everywhere) see such statements as offen- a piece of the puzzle. Put them together and national Democratic Party that local vot- sive and ignorant. Yet Mann urges urban we may stimulate new thinking on how to ers saw as being overly urban, secular, and people to see their own arrogance and hos- build a new progressive majority. affluent. By November 8, the electoral tility to everything sacred and traditional, map looked a whole lot bluer—yet and to take many homelander claims at face The City and the Tower Democrats could not have won without value so that we can begin negotiating a omelander ideologues of all stripes, appealing to libertarian, anti-urban national synthesis. It’s a lesson that some Hfrom religious to libertarian to neo- sensibilities. Democrats appear to have taken to heart conservative, agree that cities, like govern- “Millions of rural people have come to in the most recent election, pushing for- ments, should be small enough to drown reject the larger framework of urban life,” ward Democrats like newly elected Sena- in the bathtub. Their hostility has deep cul- writes public radio reporter Brian Mann in tor Jon Tester of Montana, who boasted to tural roots. his compelling new book Welcome to the voters of his backwoods origins and tradi- The homelander vision of the city starts Homeland (SteerForth Press, 2006). “They tionalist politics. “Isn't it time we make the with a story in Genesis 11:1-9. When God despise the liberal modernism that saw the first city of humankind and the shaped metro culture in the twentieth tower its residents had built, He century and see it as an ideology that destroyed the tower and confused their is every bit as foreign and threatening Thomas Jefferson described language, “so that one will not under- as communism.” stand the language of his companion” Voting is just the tip of the iceberg. ‘great cities as pestilential to and “scattered them from there upon Antagonism towards cities goes the face of the entire earth, and they beyond any one election. It is an the morals, the health and the ceased building the city.” under-recognized, under-analyzed Later in Genesis, God destroys the factor in right-wing organizing, but liberties of man’; Henry David towns of Sodom and Gomorrah for now more and more writers are strug- gross immorality, interpreted as homo- gling to understand the rural/urban Thoreau preferred his cabin in the sexuality. (Classical Jewish texts spec- divide, how it has shaped national ify economic greed, not sexuality, as the politics, and what it means for pro- woods to ‘the desperate city.’ cause of God’s wrath.) Thus begins gressive organizing. the Christian history of urban life. Mann coins the term “homelander” Now let’s skip ahead several thou- to describe largely white, anti-urban sand years, to the birth of the Ameri- conservatives, including those whose can Republic. “Enthusiasm for the country life exists only in their imagination. Senate look a little bit more like Montana?” American city has not been typical or pre- According to Mann, the homeland is a state asked Tester in one of his campaign com- dominant in our intellectual history,” of mind, helping fuse alliances between the mercials, appealing to rural pride. writes Morton and Lucia White in their conservatives who are bona fide rural and “It’s important to understand that we 1962 study, Intellectuals Against the City. exurban dwellers, and their powerful allies metros are the ones who have changed – “Fear has been the more common reac- in the center of power. and with remarkable speed,” Mann writes, tion.” Thomas Jefferson described “great It’s a useful concept, which reveals an referring to egalitarian families, gay and les- cities as pestilential to the morals, the important link between ideology and the bian relationships, and other practices that health and the liberties of man”; Henry structures of American life. You hear the are a part of everyday urban life. “On a wide David Thoreau preferred his cabin in the homeland ethos not only in George W. range of social questions, homelanders woods to “the desperate city”; in 1907, the Bush’s acquired Texas twang, but in the have simply stayed put… And now they’ve Rev. Josiah Strong called the modern city voices documented in recent books from come to believe that their way of life and “a Menace to State and Nation.” Mann, Steve Macek, and Juan Enriquez. their set of values offer a real alternative for This is not to say rural politics was (or “Urban America breeds things that will the future.” is) always conservative, or even anti-urban. probably never be here [in Perryton, Texas], Macek, Enriquez, and Mann, each in dif- From the Rocky Mountains to the Mid- but it scares people,” Jim Hudson, pub- ferent ways, tries to explain the Right’s skill western prairies to the Mississippi delta to lisher of Perryton Herald, tells Mann. What in polarizing city and country, calling on his- the Appalachian Mountains, rural pro- kinds of things? asks Mann. “Gay cul- tory, a political structure favoring less pop- gressives built a great, creative tradition of ture,” he replies. “HIV sure wasn’t bred in ulated states, economics, and new patterns civil disobedience, multiracial organizing, rural America.” of government redistribution guided by and cultural dissent. Yet in recent political

THE PUBLIC EYE15 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye history, that heritage was obscured by con- Tilting Against Towers: The ishingly uniform in race, culture, and servative organizing, which proved adept New Right’s Common Ground dress, despite a substantial minority of at harnessing anti-urban hostility in the s America urbanized and conserva- African-Americans in the suburbs around service of its political agenda. Atives resurrected the ancient image of them.3 In Urban Nightmares: The Media, the city as dirty and dangerous, they simul- In his church sermons Falwell talked the Right, and Moral Panic Over the City taneously affirmed the ideal of the steeply with his congregation about his trips to (University of Minnesota Press, 2006), declining small town and countryside. New York “and the narrow escapes he has Steve Macek brings the anti-urban history Religious and secular conservatives alike had among the denizens of Sin City,” hit- up to date and demonstrates how recent found common ground in this anti-urban ting racial code words like “welfare chisel- economic, demographic, and technolog- ideology—promoting the idea of an ers,” “urban rioters,” and “crime in the ical trends have distorted the image of the urban/rural divide and, in the process, streets”—all phenomena with which his city and played into the hands of its ene- helping make it real. congregation had little or no personal con- mies. Synthesizing a vast amount of history When the New Right emerged as a tact. Falwell’s proclamations did, however, and information, Macek traces the birth of political force in the early 1980s, journal- serve a political purpose, helping to mobi- the Right’s contemporary fight against the lize the homeland against the forces of city and its evils. He expertly sketches the modernism—global, post-industrial— black migration and European immigra- that converged in the city. tion that shaped American cities in the first Homelander ideologues The current round of city-bashing half of the 20th century, the rebellions started in 1992 when Vice President Dan and War on Poverty of the 1960s, the of all stripes, from Quayle attributed the Los Angeles riot— white flight and deindustrialization that which erupted in response to the acquit- emptied city centers in the 1970s, the religious to libertarian, tal of L.A. police officers videotaped beat- drugs and crime that ruined many neigh- ing Rodney King—to a breakdown of borhoods in the 1980s, and the increased agree that cities, like family values. (In The Unheavenly City, social and economic polarization that Banfield calls the Watts riots an “outbreak shaped them in the 1990s. governments, should be of animal spirits” conducted “mainly for fun Out of this ferment, conservatives pro- and profit.”) The riot is an image that has moted a race-based depiction of the city as small enough to drown played to fears of the North American city “chaotic, ruined, and repellent, the exact as a Babel of confusing languages and inverse of the orderly domestic idyll of the in the bathtub. brown faces. suburbs.” In such a view, urban poverty is To neoconservative Irving Kristol, the a natural byproduct of unnatural urban life; city does not actually belong in America, it is slack morals, not racism or capitalism, which he once described as an “urban civ- which create the urban underclass and its ist Frances Fitzgerald paid a visit to Lynch- ilization without cities”—meaning that the affluent liberal enablers. burg, Virginia, where Jerry Falwell founded United States has never had a city that plays “The lower-class individual lives in the one of the first suburban megachurches and the same role that, for example, Paris plays slum and sees no reason to complain,” launched the Moral Majority, the first in France, of providing an exemplary cul- writes Edward Banfield in his 1968 book major organizational expression of the tural identity and administrative center. The Unheavenly City, which planted the modern religious Right. There, in 1981, Some (primarily New Yorkers) might seeds of the conservative urban critique and Fitzgerald found a homelander utopia with point to New York City as such a place, but policy agenda. “He does not care how over one hundred churches. for homelanders, New York is alien terri- dirty and dilapidated his housing is either “Lynchburg calls itself a city,” she writes tory. “New Yorkers don’t really see them- inside or out, nor does he mind the inad- in Cities on a Hill, “but it is really a col- selves as part of the rest of America,” equacy of such public facilities as schools, lection of suburbs. In the fifties, its old pronounced right-wing pundit and hon- parks and libraries.” downtown was supplanted by a series of orary homelander Ann Coulter. “Ameri- Thus the solution to urban poverty and shopping plazas, leaving it with no real cen- cans understand that Manhattan is the lawlessness is not welfare and economic ter…The automobile has cut too many Soviet Union,” she said on another occa- development, which will “prolong the swaths across it, leaving gasoline stations sion, positioning Mann’s homelanders as problems and perhaps make them worse,” and fast-food places to spring up in park- the only true Americans. but instead law enforcement, religious ing-lot wastelands. But it is a clean city, full After terrorists destroyed the World evangelism, and market-driven ethnic of quiet streets and shade trees.”2 She also Trade Center, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robert- cleansing. found Falwell’s congregation to be aston- son deplored the attack but also saw it as

THE PUBLIC EYE 16 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye a re-play of Babylon, Sodom, and Gomor- slashed by 60 percent. Federal spending on combined to make cities increasingly rah, just deserts for “all of them who try to new public housing dropped from $28 unequal. But as Juan Enriquez makes clear secularize America” and re-build the tow- billion in 1977 to just $7 billion eleven years in the The Untied States of America ers of Babel.4 To people like Kristol, Coul- later. Meanwhile, shrinking welfare bene- (Crown Publishers, 2005), welfare didn’t ter, Falwell, and Robertson, the alleged fits have made it harder for the dispropor- disappear—the money just shifted from decline of the city is nothing to worry tionately urban recipients of public cities to the homeland in the form of farm about—in fact, it is to be welcomed and assistance to make ends meet.” and corporate subsidies, price supports, encouraged. Conservative policies and the retreat of military spending, and pork-barrel projects. In recent decades the libertarian Right liberal commitment to ending poverty Reviewing a chart of tax benefits to states, has presented the city as a gray, ruined place where rugged entrepreneurs are hemmed in on every side by rules and regulations and neighbors. “The problem with the cities today is that they are parasites,” said lib- ertarian cyber-guru George Gilder in 1995. “And those cities will have to go off the dole.” Another libertarian futurist, Alvin Toffler, has argued for decades that com- puters and automobiles would combine to make the city obsolete, “dispersing rather than concentrating population.” (As we’ll see, these predictions have turned out to be almost wholly wrong.) In the April 2006 issue of the libertar- ian journal The Freeman, Steven Greenhut attacks New Urbanism, a successful neolib- eral movement to revitalize city centers, and sketches the ideal libertarian city, which is to say, the suburbs. “Suburban neighbor- hoods are often filled with the vibrant sense of community the New Urbanists say is lacking,” he writes. “There’s nothing wrong with preferring to spend time in a private backyard rather than in the com- mons area New Urbanists want us to spend time in… I do not think diversity, eco- nomic or ethnic, is either good or bad in and of itself… People should live around whomever they want to live around, for any reason.”5

The Right’s Attack on Cities hough the Religious Right bases its Tpublic policy agenda on the authority of the Bible and the libertarian Right bases its on the sovereignty of the individual, they converge in the same suburban parking lot. As the Right gained power on a national level, their policies and preconceptions have had a direct impact on cities. “During the Reagan and Bush eras alone,” Macek

writes, “federal aid to local governments was of Latin America/caglecartoons.comBest

THE PUBLIC EYE17 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

Enriquez notes that it is curious “that the cities “parasites.” Quite the opposite is maladies, a strategy we saw in action when most productive, high-tech states tend to true, and that truth is driving the nation “San Francisco values” became a conser- vote Democratic. The most dole-depend- into two camps. “Nations are divisible,” vative talking point in the 2006 election. ent tend to be hard-line, antigovernment, Enriquez writes. “Monetary problems and From this perspective, the rural/urban antispending Republicans. Seventy-five inequalities often accentuate, or revive, split simply emerges from regional demo- percent of Mr. Bush’s votes came from divisions…” When residents of Perrytown graphics.6 As the urban space grows and taker states.” and Lynchburg embrace xenophobia and non-traditional families thrive, conserva- Conservative policy initiatives like Cal- fundamentalist faith in a society that is tives living in more rural areas are fighting ifornia’s Proposition 13 (which in 1978 increasingly global and technological, the ferociously to hold on to a disappearing way slashed property taxes by more than two- divide is only exacerbated. of life. thirds) devastated urban school systems, to Though profoundly alienated from a the benefit of suburban and exurban home- Lakoff and the Culture Divide popular culture that is shaped by urban sen- owners. More recently we’ve seen public ow have so many rural folks and their sibilities, Mann argues that homelanders transportation funding slashed, AIDS Hpolitical allies gotten so hostile to have succeeded in building an alternative funding shift from Blue to Red States, and cities and cosmopolitan values? Part of the mass culture of their own over the past two homeland security funding distributed as answer, as I have suggested, lies in the par- decades. “When I was a kid,” Mann writes, a form of pork. “Low-population states ticular cultural histories of Christianity “you drank from the spigot of urban cul- such as Wyoming and North Dakota ture or you went without.” “Back when the received forty dollars per person to arm three media networks controlled everything themselves against the impending al-Qaeda and AP and UPI were the only sources of menace,” Brian Mann notes. “Meanwhile, news, that was our window on the world,” the big I-have-a-bulls-eye-on-my-forehead A 2003 study by the says Jim Hudson, the publisher of Perry- states like California and New York man- ton Herald. “Now I start my day with Fox aged to pocket about five dollars per capita.” General Social Survey and Friends. Then I do a computer check, Mann points to the 9,000 residents of reading NewsMax.com, a very conserva- Ochiltree County, Texas, “the most Repub- found that city dwellers tive site.” lican place in America,” who were graced “These days, rural Americans can get by nearly $53 million in federal money in were more likely to help their news, books, art, movies, and music 2003 alone —which is, by any standard, from sources that more closely reflect their a generous reward for their unstinting each other out than values,” writes Mann. “The break isn’t support of President Bush. The state of clean or absolute; small-town folks still Kansas went from losing $2 million a year their rural counterparts. watch Everybody Loves Raymond and buy in what it paid in taxes, to making “a Stephen King novels…But now they can sweet profit of $1,200 per person” by also get their news from Fox, Sinclair, or 2004. When Mann raises this fact to his NewsMax.com. They can buy top-notch conservative brother Allen, he is enraged. thrillers and romance novels written by “I don’t believe it,” Allen says. “No way. I and America. Race is also a factor, as it has evangelical Christians.” In effect, home- know so many people in my town who been from the moment Europeans set foot landers are bicultural; they can under- refuse to take government money. They’d on the continent. stand the language of urban popular rather go hungry.” Allen urges his brother But why has this front of the culture war culture, but mainstream urbanites are often to drop the issue. “You’ll make rural peo- suddenly gotten so rhetorically violent, clueless about the homeland lingo. “This ple so mad that they won’t listen to any- the rift so wide? Popular explanations of the media balkanization extends beyond pol- thing else you have to say.” right-wing resurgence touch on its anti- itics and journalism,” Mann writes. “These To Enriquez, the divide is nothing to cel- urbanism. University of California, Berke- days, for every Dr. Spock, there is a Dr. ebrate. Urban areas are surging ahead, ley, linguist George Lakoff argues that Dobson. For every Stephen King, there’s skimming the talented tenth right off small Republicans got skilled at convincing tra- a Tim LaHaye.” towns and generating the vast majority of ditional families (which he says follow the Mann’s points are well taken, but I taxes, investments, and patents. “While “Strict Father” model) that secular, urban think Enriquez’s economic explanation Republicans cover the most land surface,” families (who favor a “Nurturant Parent” (also mentioned in Welcome to the Home- Enriquez snidely notes, “they do not gen- model) are out to destroy their very way of land) is another important piece of the erate most of the knowledge.” life. Explicit sex, abandoned children, and puzzle. Homeland conservatives have risen In short, Gilder was dead wrong to call dissolving families are framed as urban to power during a period when heartland

THE PUBLIC EYE 18 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

name of liberal and progressive urban pol- icy, an urban liberalism is flourishing; in places like San Francisco and Portland, it has achieved a confident hegemony. Though the San Francisco Bay Area has plenty of problems, including profound wealth inequality and troubled public schools, it remains a seat of technological and cultural innovation, with its low fer- tility rates offset by immigration and emi- gration that keep the city culturally diverse. Meanwhile Money Magazine has called Portland “one of the best cities in which to live.” Even families who flee from city cen- ters take their urban values with them into the increasingly diverse inner suburbs, where Democrats won 58 percent of the presidential vote in 2004. Both left and Right are turning out to be wrong about the politics of sprawl, which is emerging as the bleeding edge, rather than the death, of urbanization.7 Today even “edge” cities like Las Vegas and Miami have turned deep blue, as their populations grow denser and more diverse. Even the urban outposts of places like Montana and Oklahoma run politically to the left. Far from dispersing, as Alvin Toffler pre- dicted, the “creative class” is concentrat- ing itself in blue cities the way medieval gentry once crouched behind castle walls when they saw barbarians on the horizon, in the process displacing poor and work- ing-class residents. Despite all the con- servative prophecies of urban apocalypse, the level and pace of urbanization con- tinues to accelerate, with complex eco-

Andy Singer/caglecartoons.com nomic and social results. Every year two million people move to industry, mom-and-pop shops, and fam- rooted in military spending. American cities and inner suburbs, adding ily farms are all in steep decline; the mas- islands to the archipelago, while America’s sive redistribution of government largesse Beyond the Myth: The Truth homeland population falls fast toward 56 has stepped in, like the Marshall Plan once About Cities million, “roughly the level of the mid- did for a ruined Europe, to fill the economic odern liberalism was born in the 1970s,” notes Mann. Far from declining void. Homelanders are not, as Tom Frank “Mbig cities and died there,” neocon demographically, the United Nations pre- argues in What’s the Matter with Kansas? Fred Siegel writes in The Future Once dicts that the percentage of the North (Henry Holt, 2004), being tricked into vot- Happened Here (Free Press, 1997), paint- American population living in urban areas ing Republican by an evil corporate elite; ing American cities as economic and moral will rise to 84 percent of the population by 8 in many respects, the radical grassroots base dead zones. But as the most recent elections 2030. calls the shots and embraces mutually ben- reveal, nothing could be further from the Cornell researchers Barclay G. Jones eficial alliances with beltway players, often truth. For all the mistakes committed in the and Solomane Koné found that from 1970

THE PUBLIC EYE19 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye to 1990, per capita income increased pay wages that are sufficient. Their bene- This might be the prime weakness— directly with population size in metropol- fit structure is poor. I don’t need employ- some might call it a strength—of urban itan areas, a trend that benefits whole ers like that in our city.” Throughout the identity politics, and perhaps all identity countries. “For states of the United States country, notes the Wall Street Journal, politics: it encourages groupthink, conceals and 113 countries for 1960 and 1980,” they anti-Wal-Mart activists are augmenting inequality between members of the in- found, “a strong positive relationship exists their message with “an appeal to urban cul- group, and obscures system-wide problems and holds temporally between level of per tural values,” making Wal-Mart a metaphor with inflated egotism and compulsive self- capita Gross Domestic Product and percent for the worst in homeland America.11 regard. of the population that is urban.”9 Yet cutting the Red States off the federal And as Brian Mann points out, even if Urban areas concentrate social as well as dole, ignoring the downward-pressure on The Stranger’s strategy was desirable, it financial capital: a 2003 study by the Gen- income created by Wal-Marting the home- would be extremely difficult to pursue on eral Social Survey found that city dwellers lander economy,12 or leaving Red States out a national level. The Senate, for example, were more likely to help each other out than of environmental policymaking – all steps gives each state two seats regardless of pop- their rural counterparts.10 Such statistics — recommended by The Stranger’s editors – ulation. “As a consequence, those lucky there are many — stand in contrast to the ignores our mutual interdependency and homelanders in Wyoming and Alaska Stygian alienation depicted in conservative breeds self-destructive partitions. receive 72 times more clout per capita “yuppie horror films” like Judgment Night than do California’s metros,” Mann writes. (1993) and Ransom (1996), which show “It’s a startling fact that half of the Amer- urbanites as antisocial and uncaring — a ican people live in just nine highly urban- phenomenon ably dissected by Macek in ized states—most of them staunchly Urban Nightmares. Neocon Fred Siegel Democratic — but they hold only 18 per- cent of the Senate’s power.” Similarly, the An Urban Backlash Is paints American cities structure of the Electoral College has tilted No Solution power towards the rural states, while ger- umbfounded by the homeland ascen- as economic and moral rymandering has given Republicans an Ddancy, many urbanites have embraced edge in the House of Representatives. a misguided strategy of rebranding pro- dead zones. “Put bluntly, our political system is no gressivism as specifically urban. In their longer a neutral playing field,” Mann influential 2004 manifesto “The Urban writes. “In ways our founding fathers could Archipelago,” the editors of the Seattle never have imagined, the Electoral College weekly, The Stranger, argue that it’s time for An urban identity politics would also and the Senate now favor one way of life, urbanites to aggressively pursue their own serve the interests of urban elites by seek- one set of cultural and political values, self-interest on a national stage. “We need ing to paper over the deep social and eco- over another. Because those values are no a new identity politics,” they write, “an nomic divisions that shape 21st century longer shared by most Americans, the urban identity politics, one that argues for cities. In his book The Rise of the Creative result is a growing disconnect between the cities, uses a rhetoric of urban values, and Class (Basic Books, 2002), Richard Florida our political elites and the people they creates a tribal identity for liberals that's as argues that attracting highly educated New govern.” powerful and attractive as the tribal iden- Economy workers to cities is key to urban His is a bald statement, implying the tity Republicans have created for their con- economic growth. But as Rebecca Solnit increasingly diverse rural states are homo- stituents…To red-state voters, to the rural points out in Hollow City: The Siege of geneous. This has huge political implica- voters, residents of small, dying towns, and San Francisco and the Crisis of Ameri- tions, if it were true. Since it is impossible soulless sprawling exburbs, we say this: can Urbanism (Verso, 2000), creative politically to reform the Senate or abolish Fuck off. Your issues are no longer our class migration is driving social inequities the Electoral College, does that mean that issues.” and gentrification. “[T]he new future looks all is lost or that a Second Civil War is Though easy to dismiss as a rant, “The like San Francisco: a frenzy of financial spec- inevitable? Mann argues that liberals and Urban Archipelago” hit a nerve with cos- ulation, covert coercions, overt erasures, a progressives have no choice but to organ- mopolitans. When Wal-Mart, which barrage of novelty-item restaurants, web- ize and campaign in the homeland, build- already dominates rural America, tried to sites, technologies and trends, the despair ing on a populist and civil rights history that open a store in Boston, public outcry of unemployment replaced by the numb- never quite went away. On this we agree: stopped it cold. “Wal-Mart does not suit ness of incessant work hours and the anx- Now is the time for reclaiming a progres- the clientele we have in the city of Boston,” iety of destabilized jobs, homes, and sive rural heritage instead of running from said Mayor Thomas Menino. “They don’t neighborhoods.” it, and discovering what Americans in

THE PUBLIC EYE 20 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye both camps have in common. The 2006 Too many liberals and progressives are in the same issue. elections suggest this strategy has promise. isolated in their metropolitan towers, look- 6 To learn more about Lakoff and his ideas, see www.rock- ridgeinstitute.org. For an interesting elaboration on “People are hurting in the country- ing down not only at the people The Lakoff, see Doug Muder, “Red Family, Blue Family,” side,” Chris Kromm, executive director of Stranger deem “rubes, fools, and hate- http://www.gurus.com/dougdeb/politics/209.html. the Institute of Southern Studies, told me. mongers,” but also at the disenfranchised 7 Macek’s book does have serious analytical flaws. In a rush to synthesize huge amounts of material, much of it out- “You go into western North Carolina, and and dispossessed of their own unequal side his academic discipline, Macek peddles out-of-date you see hundreds of thousands of people cities. Even if the homelander challenge or questionable conventional wisdom and simplifies whose lives are being shattered by eco- fades to a historical footnote, metropoli- complex demographic issues. For example, he paints “the suburbs” as monolithic conservative redoubts with- nomic dislocations. If progressives turn tans will still need to face cities rived by class out noting gradations from inner suburbs to exurbs that their backs on those people, they’re losing and race. Maybe it is time for those of us vote in distinctly different ways. a huge opportunity and they’re failing to who live in cities to come down from our 8 World Urbanization Prospects: the 1999 Revision, pre- ■ pared by the United Nations Population Division. Avail- address this country’s deepest problems.” towers, before it’s too late. able at Meanwhile, the Right-wing hasn’t aban- http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/publi- doned the cities. Refusing to rest on their cations.htm. 9 Jones, Barley G. and Solomane Koné, “An exploration of homeland base, Republicans are now End Notes relationships between urbanization and per capita income: organizing urban think tanks and recruit- 1 In this essay, I intentionally avoid complicated issues of United States and countries of the world,” Papers in economic vs. social liberalism, instead focusing on rural ing politicians in “purple” cities like San Regional Science, April 1996. vs. urban political competition and how that is reflected 10 Diego, applying rural and suburban values in voting patterns. However, it’s worth noting that urban Smith, Tom W. “Altruism in Contemporary America: A and inner suburb politics are very often economically con- Report from the National Altruism Study,” National in an urban context, capitalizing on the lib- servative while being aggressively liberal on social issues, Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago. Report ertarian inclinations of the creative class.13 often slanting heavily in a libertarian direction. It’s per- prepared for the Fetzer Institute, June 2003. 11 At this writing it’s too early to tell, but fectly true that in America today we are most divided over Hudson, Kris, and Gary McWilliams, “Seeking Growth ideas of what constitutes family and family values, to the in Urban Areas, Wal-Mart Gets Cold Shoulder,” Wall November 2006 may stand as a turning detriment of larger economic issues. “People have personal Street Journal, September 25, 2006. standing in a discussion about what a good marriage is point, when rural liberals and progressives 12 The Wal-Mart Foundation and Walton Family Foun- and what a bad marriage is,” Republican operative Bill dation, well known for their homeland sympathies, fought their way back onto the electoral Greener says. “They feel comfortable in that dialogue. It’s both give generously to churches, charter schools, and about something they understand, a lot more than about map. We still have a long, long way to go, voucher campaigns aimed to privatize schooling. It’s a trade policy.” and we need more research, writing, and curious irony that the most definitive homeland busi- 2 Fitzgerald, Frances, Cities on a Hill, New York, 1981. debates like the ones found in Welcome to ness chain is also the one to do the most economic and 3 When Fitzgerald asks a civic leader about the relationship social damage to small towns, wiping out good jobs and the Homeland and The Untied States of of Falwell’s church to Lynchburg, he replies, “It’s in local business. Homeland America’s support for Wal-Mart America. There is more at work in the Lynchburg, but it’s not of it.” Might the same be said of might be a better example of economic self-destruc- all religious fundamentalism in America? tiveness than voting Republican. For additional reference, homeland ascendancy than pure ideology see Betty Feng and Jeff Krehely, “The Waltons and Wal- 4 and moral politics; we also have to respond Robertson interviewed Falwell on September 13, 2001 Mart: Self-Interested Philanthropy,” Center for Respon- on The 700 Club. For a transcript of the interview, see sive Philanthropy, September 2005. to the self-interest of people whose lives are http://www.actupny.org/YELL/falwell.html. 13 Cokorinos, See Lee, “Target San Diego: The Right being turned upside down by war and 5 Greenhut, Steven, “New Urbanism: Same Old Social Wing Assault on Urban Democracy and Smart Gov- Enginering,” The Freeman, April 2006. See also “How ernment,” Center for Policy Initiatives, November 2005. economic change. Public Transit Undermines Safety,” by John Semmens,

PRA’s Special Reports Now Available Online! Congratulations to The Public Eye!

RUNNING AGAINST SODOM AND OSAMA The Christian Right, Values Voters, and the Culture War in 2006 (October 2006) By Chip Berlet and Pam Chamberlain In its November/December issue, The Utne Reader named The Public PRA’s pre-election analysis dissected how the Christian Right was again trying to mobilize its base by foregrounding the threat of gay marriage. But to this “internal threat,” PRA found, the Christian Eye as a finalist for its Independent Right added the “external threat” of Islamic terrorism, linking the two under the theme “Family, Press Award (General Excellence for Faith and Freedom.” Visit www.publiceye.org. newsletters). The first place winner Also, listen to The Public Eye on the Airwaves! will be announced in January. A special half-hour radio report on the Christian Right’s election mobilization, reported by Public Eye editor Abby Scher, aired on Making Contact starting Nov. 1 in a special collaboration with the Thank you Utne! National Radio Project. To listen to a podcast, visit www.radioproject.org.

THE PUBLIC EYE21 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye Book Reviews ProLife – and Feminist Many of the essays argue that men often coerce and pressure ProLife Feminism: Yesterday and Today women into having abortions and that the very structure of a Mary Krane Derr, Rachel McNair, and Linda Naranjo-Hubel, eds. patriarchal society makes abortion necessary. Daphne Clair de Xlibris Corporation, 2005, 474 pages (pbk). Jong, founder of Feminists for Life New Zealand, describes abor- Reviewed by Sarah Augusto tion as something that is “done to women to fit them into a soci- ety dominated by men” and “a sell-out to male values and a The editors of ProLife Feminism tell readers that their pur- capitulation to male lifestyles.” She goes on to state that abor- pose is “to offer a largely untapped but nonviolently powerful tion is “a deeper and more destructive assault than rape, the cul- resource for healing and preventing the personal, familial, and minating act of womb-envy and woman-hatred by the jealous societal wounds surrounding abortion and other forms of life- male who resents the creative power of women.” Abortion, in taking.” In this new self-published edition of the 1995 volume, this view, allows men to avoid sexual responsibility and victim- they assemble a diverse collection of writings from pro-life fem- ize women. And women who support abortion rights, they say, inists, an identity which most pro-choice feminists likely find use arguments that resemble those justifying sexism. Feminists quite paradoxical. Nonetheless, the women whose voices are rep- for Life activist Leslie Keech contends that resented in this volume challenge many of the sexist and irresponsible behavior is “height- stereotypes often held about pro-life women. ened and encouraged by abortion’s easy way Many of the contributors espouse beliefs out,” which allows men “to simply use the that fall right in line with those of most pro- Pro-life feminists woman for his pleasure, and then buy his way choice feminists, except of course when it out of the deal for a couple hundred dollars.” comes to the issue of abortion. contend that abortion Furthermore, abortion pushes women into The contributors are powerful and influ- becoming more like men by portraying their ential women whose work spans over two cen- is a symptom of male reproductive capacities as a handicap that turies. They are accomplished movement makes them unable compete in a man’s leaders and activists involved in a vast array domination, and world. For example, Rachel MacNair, past of social justice issues including racial and eco- president of Feminists for Life and one of the nomic justice, environmentalism, disability therefore harmful and editors of this volume, argues that pro-choice rights, gay and lesbian rights, and anti-war and feminists perpetrate “the idea that our bod- anti-death penalty initiatives. Among them oppressive to women. ies are inferior due to their innate abilities.” are prominent early feminists including Mary Implicit in this rhetoric that equates abor- Wollstonecraft, Susan B Anthony, and Eliz- tion with oppression, violence against abeth Cady Stanton. More contemporary women, and male dominance, is the assump- contributors include Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai tion that no woman would make the decision to abort were she , former South African Member of Parliament Jennifer Fergu- given a truly free range of choices. This argument exposes son, and Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. another similarity between pro-life feminists and the mainstream Beyond their impressive resumes and commitment to equal- pro-life movement — both groups emphasize and idealize ity and social justice, pro-life feminists share the core belief of women’s reproductive capacities, often to the point of sacral- the mainstream anti-abortion movement: that personhood ization. Pro-life feminists assert that motherhood is not the only begins at conception and abortion therefore constitutes the vio- or the most important role for women, yet it is simultaneously lent death of a human being. The same arguments that are most stressed as a fundamental and essential part womanhood. commonly directed at all pro-lifers can be used to critique pro- Women, then, are portrayed as naturally nurturing and empa- life feminists — women’s right to control their reproduction is thetic beings with an innate respect for life. Pro-life activist and necessary for equality, compulsory pregnancy violates women’s suffragette Mattie H. Brinkerhoff describes women’s reproductive autonomy and human rights, and without safe, legal and acces- capacities as the “holiest of instincts” while Isabella Beecher sible abortion women turn to dangerous alternatives. However, Hooker argues that motherhood gives women “a moral advan- there is one claim that is particularly difficult to refute using the tage that man can never have.” Longtime Feminists for Life above reasoning. This claim, prevalent among pro-life feminists activist Frederica Mathewes-Green states, “every woman need including many contributors to this volume, contends that abor- not bear a child, but every woman should feel a proud kinship tion is a symptom of male domination and is therefore harm- in the earthy, elemental beauty of birth. To hold it in contempt ful and oppressive to women. is to reject our distinctive power.”

THE PUBLIC EYE 22 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

Abortion is said to violate these uniquely female instincts, to have children or to delay childbirth until a time in their lives therefore causing great emotional pain and psychological harm. when they are ready to fully embrace pregnancy and parenthood. Many of the writings argue that women experience feelings of Rather than oppressing women, the availability of safe and legal regret, guilt, and depression for years after an abortion. Artist abortion helps ensure that women have full equality and repro- and writer Elizabeth Edson Evans argues that abortion repre- ductive choice. sents an “irreparable loss,” which often causes serious emotional Nonetheless, pro-life feminists do share many of the same goals after-effects. Cecilia Brown, president of the Pro-Life Alliance as pro-choice feminists. It is unfortunate that these two groups of Gays and Lesbians, likens post abortion suffering to “an open cannot come together to advocate the issues they agree upon. wound that was not going to heal.” One of the first American Doing so would also promote increased dialogue and under- women to receive a medical degree, Dr. Rachel Brooks Gleason, standing on the issue of abortion. argued over a century ago that many women who abort “are vic- Sarah Augusto is a graduate student in sociology at the University tims of a melancholy which amounts to monomania.” In of California, San Diego. She is conducting an ethnography another example Grace Dermody, founder of the New Jersey of the interactions between pro-choice and pro-life movements. chapter of Feminists for Life, discusses a 1983 court case in which a woman was tried for the murder of her three-year-old son, cit- ing that court testimony “connected the young mother’s fatal beating of her child to the trauma of her abortion the day before.” Child Warriors for God In some respects, pro-life feminists are correct that the Jesus Camp demand for abortion is a symptom of women’s inequality. Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, Magnolia Pictures, Many women who might choose to carry an unplanned preg- 85 minutes, 2006. nancy to term under ideal circumstances are deterred due to issues Reviewed by Eleanor J. Bader such as a lack of financial and social support, inadequate child- Pastor Becky Fischer, Director of Kids in Ministry Interna- care and parental leave policies, or stigmatization of single tional and the subject of Jesus Camp, a riveting documentary motherhood. Pro-life feminists are correct in saying that these about a weeklong summer program for Pentecostal/Charismatic problems pose serious impediments to women’s equality and need youth, hopes people will see that her message is about piety, not to be addressed. We must continue to work for gender equal- politics. ity and improved social services to ensure that these women have “It’s about the importance of disciplining children in the Chris- the full range of reproductive choices available to them. tian faith,” she told the film’s directors, Heidi Ewing and Rachel However, there will always be some women who would Grady, in a post-production interview. “My hope is that view- choose not to carry an unplanned pregnancy to term, regard- ers will be able to see the obvious truth which is children are capa- less of whether all these needs are met. Some women who choose ble of understanding, feeling, being an enthusiastic and not to carry a pregnancy to term do so not because their life cir- powerfully effective part of extreme faith in Jesus Christ.” cumstances make pregnancy difficult or impossible, but because Some call it being a radical Christian. they do not want to be pregnant. For these women, abortion is For Fischer, who was herself saved as a young girl, it’s simply not a choice imposed by a sexist, male dominated society. It is about repairing society. As a Pentecostal, she and her followers a means of exercising control over their bodies and their lives. nurture a direct, born-again, relationship with God. And part Furthermore, the argument that abortion is oppressive and harm- of that, she exhorts, is speaking out. “Boys and girls can change ful discounts the many women who have had abortions and do the world. I can lead kids to the Lord in no time at all. They are not regret their choice. To claim that these women are under some so open. They are so usable form of false consciousness because they do not feel pain and in Christianity.” sadness over their decision to abort is to claim that they lack the The North Dakota ability to think for themselves and make intelligent, informed camp, located in, ironi- decisions. Such characterizations of women fly directly in the cally, a town called Devil’s face of core feminist values, both pro-life and pro-choice. Lake, trains kids to preach, These pro-life feminists articulate a vision of a world where prophesize, and evangelize. abortion is rendered unnecessary due to comprehensive sex It supports them in taking education, access to contraceptives, and full empowerment Pictures © Magnolia the next step in their faith, and equality for all girls and women. The need for abortion would Becky Fischer is the Pente- whatever that might be. surely be minimized in such a utopia, yet women will continue costal preacher working with During the course of daily to experience unplanned pregnancies. Misunderstandings and kids who is featured in the worship, they are encour- miscommunications can never be completely eliminated and con- documentary Jesus Camp. aged to speak in tongues, traceptives are not 100% effective. Abortion rights are neces- a hallmark of the sect’s sary to make certain that women have the ability to choose not form of prayer, and the

THE PUBLIC EYE23 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye film captures them as they mumble, and occasionally shriek. away at ethics. “Some of you are phonies and hypocrites,” Fischer Their passion is apparent, if incomprehensible to secular view- charges. “You do one thing in church and another when you’re ers. Fischer and other adults join the cacophony, making with your friends. If that’s you, come up here and wash. Say it. sounds sure to unsettle film watchers who have not seen this NO MORE. Name what you need to be forgiven of.” Again, kind of worship. tears fall as confessions are offered. But as odd as it is for many people to see hundreds speaking “It’s really hard to do this,” one boy admits. “It’s hard to believe in tongues, Fischer never loses control, easily pulling the kids in God. You don’t see Him. It makes me feel bad, but sometimes back into the real world when she decides they’ve had enough. I don’t believe what the Bible says.” It is like watching orchestrated pandemo- The strength of the documentary is captur- nium. Fischer’s hand is heavy, and her over- ing moments like these. The filmmakers pro- sight constant, because she knows the stakes vide a window into a world their intended are high: 43 percent of the 100 million Amer- audience probably knows little about. But while icans who claim to be born-again report they provide on-screen analysis of the conser- being saved by age 13. “One-third of the 6.7 vative political values the adults promote in their billion people in the world are children,” evangelizing, they provide little perspective on she continues. “So where should we put our the “Jesus camp” as a religious phenomenon. For © Magnolia Pictures © Magnolia focus? Our enemies train kids to use rifles and instance, you would never know that Pente- Levi is a talented child machine guns…We want kids to lay down preacher seen in Jesus Camp. costalism is embraced by many African Amer- their lives for the gospel… We have to stand ican Christians who are not George W. Bush up and take back the land.” supporters. You might assume that every evan- Despite assertions that the movement is gelical Christian is a conservative Bushite. apolitical, reclamation clearly involves sup- Another of the film’s few flaws it that it only porting President George W. Bush. At one point in the film, a shows the kids when they are participating in organized events. cardboard cut-out of GWB is placed on stage in front of an Amer- Despite the fact that virtually all of these kids live in a born-again ican flag. “Tell him, ‘Welcome President Bush. We’re glad Christian bubble, they have heard of the cultural icons celebrated you’re here.’ Speak a blessing over him. Tell him, ‘We want one by non-evangelical youth. Whether it’s musicians, film stars, or nation, under God,’” Fischer urges. sorcerers, they have some inkling of a broader world. For this The prayer—if there are objections they are not articulated reason, Jesus Camp would have benefited from a few shots of aloud—is followed by a fire-and-brimstone speaker, an inspir- the campers hanging out with one another during non-scripted ing (though to us unidentified) middle-aged man wearing an activities. Similarly, despite a voiceover informing viewers that anti-abortion tee-shirt. “Before you were born God knew the kids participate in sports and other typical camp activities, you,” the elder thunders. “You weren’t just a piece of tissue, a we see nothing of them in these contexts. piece of protoplasm, whatever that is. You were created by God. What we do see, however, is poignant and frightening. It is Isn’t that incredible? But since 1973, up to 50 million babies disturbing to see adults try to politicize those who are so young never had a chance to fulfill God’s plan for their life [sic]. God in the name of instilling values. One wonders whether these kids had a dream for these babies, just like He has a dream for you.” will remain true believers or will leave the fold. What’s more, The preacher then holds up a cardboard box filled with tiny plas- if they leave, what scars will they bear as a result of their tic dolls and puts one in each child’s hand. A prayer to end abor- upbringing? tion has voices soaring as they beg the Almighty to do their “The intensity you see in these kids is incredible,” Fischer says. bidding. Some kids, boys as well as girls, cry, tears streaming She sees the camp as a defining moment in participants’ lives down their mournful faces. and is convinced that what they’ve learned will be the basis of Other prayer vigils are equally intense. We watch as Levi a lifelong morality. O’Brien, a 12-year-old from St. Robert, Missouri--one of three Despite her confidence, the jury remains out. I, for one, am children the film follows and already a gifted preacher—pre- hoping that Ewing and Grady will turn their cameras on pares for his own sermon. Saved at five, he tells the filmmakers, O’Brien — and his peers—a decade from now to hear what they “It’s not me up there. It is, but it’s not. I don’t write the sermon, have to say about religion, politics, and the Reverend Fischer. God writes it,” he says. One adult lambastes Harry Potter—“You don’t make heroes of a warlock [sic],”—while services on different days hammer

THE PUBLIC EYE 24 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye ……Reports in Review…… REPORT OF THE MONTH

What Liberal Media Bias? of Heritage’s total and approximately one-fifth of Brookings’ cita- Study Finds First Drop in Think Tank Cites tions” – a statistic that is less disturbing when you consider its more by Michael Dolny, Extra, May/June 2006. limited mandate. FAIR also found that journalists are citing think tanks 10 per- http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2897 cent less often than in 2004—the first drop since the survey began Claims by conservatives of a liberal bias in the media are totally in 1996. Left-center and progressive groups saw a 23 percent decline unfounded, if you judge only by which “experts” are interviewed. in citations in 2005 compared to 2004, almost three times the This was the tactic taken by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting decline in citations for right-leaning think tanks. And a few right- (FAIR) in its annual survey. leaning groups are cited more than in years past: the conservative Of the “expert” sources appearing in the major newspapers, TV Discovery Institute—a think tank that denies the science of evo- and radio transcripts archived in the Nexis database in 2005, 40 lution—and the militaristic, Lexington Institute. percent were affiliated with conservative or center-right groups, The highest ranked progressive group to make the top 20— 47 percent were to centrist groups and 13 percent were to the Economic Policy Institute at number 13—experienced a drop center-left or progressive groups. in citations from 1,376 in 2004 to just 730 in 2005, a 47 percent Think tanks are the main source of “expert” opinion for news drop. Meanwhile, the conservative group with the biggest nega- sources. The centrist Brookings Institution is most cited, followed tive percent change in the top 20, the Center for Strategic and Inter- by the conservative Heritage Foundation at number two. What’s national Studies, had 1,869 citations in 2004 and only 1,331 more, according to FAIR, unmistakably progressive think tanks citations in 2005, a 29 percent drop. are being replaced by “left-centrist” ones. The most often quoted – Jake Pearson of these groups—the Urban Institute—receives “less than a third

Other Reports in Review Beyond Family Values tants and Catholics joined the 27 percent of Different Kind of Front Group 2006 American Values Survey traditional evangelicals who said abortion Smokescreen and same sex marriage is their top issue. By Dr. Robert P. Jones and Dan Cox by Brendan Mock, Southern Poverty Law Cen- In a more nuanced approach to religious The Center for American Values in Public Life, ter Intelligence Report, Fall 2006. http://www.spl- orientation, the survey identified about 50% People for the American Way Foundation, Sep- center.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=672 of Americans as religious centrists, whether tember 2006. This investigative article sponsored by the Catholic or Protestant, about 22 percent as tra- This research turns everything we think we Southern Poverty Law Center tracks the ditionalists and 18 percent as modernists, know about values voting on its head. impact a tiny number of black anti-immi- creating the categories by evaluating how Given eight choices, people reported that gration advocates have on the primarily white- often someone goes to church or prays, their the top political issue that would influence organized and white-run anti-immigration view of God and the Bible, and their sense their vote in 2006 was the economy, followed groups like the Minuteman Project and Fed- of how important religion is. This sidesteps by the Iraq War and terrorism, with only 5 per- eration for American Immigration Reform the trap of other polls which identified cent saying abortion and gay marriage were (FAIR). “The campaign aims to convert black religiosity only by how often someone goes the most important. Republicans over- Americans to their cause, and simultaneously to church each week—a practice largely whelmingly listed the Iraq War and terrorism to provide groups like the Minuteman Pro- associated with evangelicals. as their top issue. A politician’s integrity was ject and…FAIR with cover against accusations Perhaps the biggest surprise was that 44 per- the top concern of the 2,502 people sur- of racism,” writes Mock. cent of those “born again” said conservative veyed. This was true across parties. He focuses on Terry Anderson, a black pun- evangelicals Pat Robertson and James Dob- Turning to the top issue facing America, dit from South Central Los Angeles, who hosts son don’t speak for them well or at all. And a the economy still ranked first, with 85 percent a weekly radio show in which he regularly majority polled—61 percent—support at choosing poverty and affordable health care. harangues against Latino—mainly Mexi- least civil unions for gays. –Abby Scher But more than 20 percent of Hispanic Protes- can—immigrants with blatantly racist, vitri-

THE PUBLIC EYE25 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye olic speech. Yet while Anderson is active in the is no black anti-immigration movement, only it was okay for the government to look at some- anti-immigration cause—he regularly speaks a few individuals promoted by the same, one’s library records without his or her knowl- at Minuteman sponsored conferences and racist groups that have been fighting the edge. And surprisingly large proportions say sits on the board for the FAIR front-group, rights of immigrants for years. – Jake Pearson we should back the President and “give up Choose Black America (CBA)—he is not some civil liberties to keep Americans safe.” well known beyond the anti-immigration That is, 35 percent in Connecticut, 31 per- hard-core and especially not by black people. A Nation of Civil Libertarians? cent in New Mexico, 33 percent in Ohio and “By his own description, most of his radio 30 percent in Pennsylvania. – Abby Scher ACLU Voter Poll: Connecticut, New Mex- show’s nationwide listening audience is white.” ico, Ohio and Pennsylvania While the investigation shows that a hand- American Civil Liberties Union, October 10, ful of truly racist, active anti-immigration War Profiteering by Privateers 2006. African-Americans do exist, their presence is Executive Excess 2006: Defense and Oil less important than the decision by organi- http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/27025pub20061 010.html#attach Executives Cash In on Conflict. The 13th zations like FAIR to utilize them for their own Annual CEO Compensation Survey. cause. The 11 founding members of CBA are Perhaps we shouldn’t get too excited by the Institute of Policy Studies and United for a Fair not necessarily of the same ilk. One member, results of a survey of 600 people about civil liberties issues, especially when the ACLU Economy, Washington D.C. and Boston Mass, the far-right Christian Evangelical preacher August 2006, 60 pp. Jesse Lee Peterson, is actually despised by phrased the questions for election purposes. With a focus on military contractors and another member, businessman and columnist Nonetheless, the poll of registered voters in oil company executives, this 13th edition of James Clingman, who told Mock that “…if four key states found that a greater proportion the compensation survey reveals that since the he had known, he would have never shown say the US President shouldn’t act on his own War on Terror began, CEOs of 34 of the top up [for CBA’s creation].” in fighting terrorism and bypass the checks and military contractors made on average double Though mentioned, there is less focus on balances provided by the courts or Congress. what they had before 2001. the actual racism of these black men (there are Depending on the state, somewhere between The figures are mind-boggling. The aver- no women featured in the article). Instead, 64 to 72 percent backed that statement ver- age compensation of these “war profiteers” is the focus is largely on the connections between sus 60 percent in February. $7.2 million per year, with the highest pack- the various anti-immigration groups and the Seventy percent opposed “extraordinary age going to United Technology’s George handful of black anti-immigration activists rendition” where the government detains sus- David at $31.9 million. Military contractor who allow themselves to be paid as spokes- pects in a different country and secretly flies CEOs make 308 times what an Army private people: Anderson alone received upwards of them to a location where they could be tor- makes, and 44 times an Army general with 20 $10,000 from FAIR founder John Tanton’s tured. Two-thirds opposed torture. Sixty per- years’ experience. U.S. Inc. to fund his radio show. cent wanted Guantanamo detainees to see all Across industries, CEOs make on average Mock does not delve into why Anderson the evidence against them and bar hearsay evi- 411 times an average worker’s pay. The top 15 and those like him are so actively aligning dence. Sixty percent objected to holding U.S. oil company executives received an aver- themselves with racists and organizations like detainees without charge or access to a lawyer. age of $32.9 million each in 2005, 518 times FAIR or the Council of Conservative Citizens On the down side, close to half supported the average worker in the oil and gas indus- (CCC). Still, it may not matter. Indeed the the government secretly listening in on calls try, with “pump profiteer” William Greehey main finding of “Smokescreen” is that there without a warrant. Almost 30 percent thought of Valero Energy raking in $95.2 million. Aside from statistics, represented in easily accessible charts and graphs, the added value Read the best analysis on the Christian Right of the report for activists includes arguments against unchecked greed and a welcome set of on Talk2Action.org! reasonable recommendations. Starting with talking points about why such pay disparity Talk2Action is a group blog led by Public Eye writer and is wrong, (not the least of which is creating a editorial board member Frederick Clarkson. Read weekly privatized profit motive for war), they go on contributions from Fred, Political Research Associates to recommend ways to encourage restraint and workable caps on CEO pay, curb windfall cor- researcher Chip Berlet, and the rest of the best thinkers porate profits, put in place tough anti-trust on the Christian Right. requirements and eliminate taxpayer subsidies for the oil industry. –Pam Chamberlain Visit Talk2Action.org.

THE PUBLIC EYE 26 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

“Everything that was in the PATRIOT Act most important and effective domestic evan- that was a problem was asked for by Clinton, gelistic initiative in the history of the SBC.” and the Republicans stopped it…it was the So union organizers take note: America’s Republicans who fought most competently 16 million Southern Baptists may need a lot against the imposition of the first PATRIOT of new teachers for their children. Good luck Act unamended.” bringing them into the fold! Eyes Oh that it were so, Grover. If only there Source: http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/65796 RIGHT were more Republicans filling out the slim 1228.html ranks of Democrats resisting the law then SOME OF MY BEST maybe the peep of Congressional opposition FRIENDS ARE… would at least have become a howl. The cofounder of the anti-immigrant Min- A FIRST FOR WOMEN Source: Katherine Mangu-Ward and David Weigel, “Who Deserves the Libertarian Vote?” Reason, December uteman Project, Jim Gilchrist, brought along In a first for women, the first full-time 2006, 21-28. an African American colleague to his Octo- woman professor at Calvin Theological Sem- ber talk sponsored by the Columbia Uni- inary (CTS) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is EXODUS FROM SCHOOL versity Republicans. Gilchrist, who is White, now the first woman to leave under a cloud Every Southern Baptist Convention state took the stage, wrapped an arm around col- of controversy. affiliate is considering whether to develop a league Marvin Stewart and declared, “Who’s According to Christianity Today, the public school exit strategy for their kids, a racist now?!” departing Dr. Ruth Tucker, author of sev- inspired by theologian Albert Mohler’s belief Stewart, who sits on the Minuteman enteen books, has been in an almost constant that the schools foster moral decay. board of directors, said demonstrators called struggle with the CTS administration since By training children to have a “secular him racial epithets, and that he is going to sue arriving as an associate professor in 2000. mindset,” leaders fear that public schools the university for how it responded to a tus- CTS is affiliated with the Christian Reformed “exclude the acknowledgement of God and sle between college Republicans and protes- Church, a “dominionist” denomination that the Word of God at every point.” tors. So if a Black man is a member, does that believes America is (or should be) a Christ- “The experiment with government mean the group’s program and rhetoric can’t ian nation. schooling has failed,” says resolution co- be racist? Tucker claims she is a victim of sexual dis- author Bruce Moran. “An affordable, effec- Source: http://www.columbiaspectator.com/media/storage/ crimination, with her negative personnel tive Christian education alternative to the paper865/news/2006/10/06/Opinion/The-Riot.Act- evaluation conducted by a professor who, an government schools….would truly be the 2335572.shtml?norewrite200611031539&sourcedomain investigating committee found, “display[ed] =www.columbiaspectator.com some evidence of gender and diversity insen- sitivity.” What was Tucker’s sin? She report- edly displayed “unspecified ungodliness” and a poor “faculty room ethos” that involved joking “inappropriately.” A true path breaker, indeed. Source: Sarah Zylstra, “Public Grievance,” Christianity Today, October 12, 2006 http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2006/november/2.26.html and “Calvin’s Seminary’s first female professor quits, charging bias,” Christian Century, October 17, 2006 http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=2426. A LIE OR WISHFUL THINKING? When the libertarian magazine Reason recently sat down with Grover Norquist and asked him about civil liberties, it prompted a lively debate about the line between personal freedoms and national security. In true Norquist fashion, the head of Americans for Tax Reform responded that it is Repub- licans—not ACLU-loving Democrats— who are responsible for resisting some of the PATRIOT Act’s most pernicious parts.

THE PUBLIC EYE27 WINTER 2006 The Public Eye

★ Special 25th Anniversary Rate ★

Individual/Non-Profit Organization $15 $29✕ ❍ Subscribe! Anniversary Year Special! Yes, I want to subscribe to The Public Eye, the quarterly Student/Retired/Low-Income $10 of PRA. Please send a subscription to the address below. Outside U.S., Canada, and Mexico add $9.00/surfacemail, $14.00/air mail ❍ Subscription (4 issues) $______Support The Public Eye! Postage (outside U.S., Canada, and Mexico) $______Yes, I want to help The Public Eye unmask the Right and Donation to support $______its attacks on democracy and diversity. I have enclosed a The Public Eye contribution of $______toward your work. (Donations are (Donors of $50 or more receive a subscription to The Public Eye) tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.) TOTAL $______

❍ Check Enclosed (Make payable to Political Research Associates) Name ❍ Charge my Mastercard/Visa

Address

Account # ______Exp Date ______

City State Zip Code

Name ______❍ My subscription is a gift to the person listed above. Please enclose a card to let them know the gift is from Signature ______SUPPORT

Mail form with payment to: SUBSCRIBE ______Political Research Associates, 1310 Broadway, Suite 201, Somerville, MA 02144-1837

For information on additional materials available from PRA, please visit our website: www.publiceye.org and order on-line.

NON-PROFIT ORG. ThePublicEye U.S POSTAGE NEWSLETTER PAID BOSTON, MA Political Research Associates PERMIT NO. 54584 1310 Broadway, Suite 201 Somerville, Massachusetts 02144-1837 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER THE PUBLIC EYE 28 WINTER 2006