Evangelical
Member
- Apr 18, 2009
- 306
- 13
- 16
I just find it disconcerting when any group is overwhelmingly ideological, because often it turns out that they vote based on their group identity than on the issues, and this is a threat to Democracy.
Such groups tend to be Catholics, Hispanics, Blacks, apparently Jews, I just think the overwhelming partisanship of Jews is absurd so I used them as the leading example.
Concerning Republican Partisanship, only Mormons seem to be out of alignment from moderate positions with 7 out of 9 Congressional members being Republican.
Evangelicals such as Baptists; 29 are Democrat, 29 are Republican. Almost perfect moderate positioning.
Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians/Anglicans, Whites, Asians, all seem to fall into moderate categories as far as groups are concerned.
Latinos are divided between mainland Hispanics, and Cubans, Cubans are overwhelmingly partisan toward Republicans.
How this affects Democracy is it creates absurd abberations in policy making, rather than issue driven policies, you tend to get group driven policies, with various groups having various interests and those interests are more greatly reflected in policy making than the actual facts.
Is it problematic right now? Maybe.
But, I find it interesting that essentially it is Democrats, who are essentially a coalition of partisan hacks, complain the most about their opponents, Republicans, who tend to be the most representative and inclusive of Americans.
And the facts are simply right here:
Pew Forum: Faith on the Hill: The Religious Affiliations of Members of Congress
Religious identity being the most important identity in national politics outside actual partisan lines.
Such groups tend to be Catholics, Hispanics, Blacks, apparently Jews, I just think the overwhelming partisanship of Jews is absurd so I used them as the leading example.
Concerning Republican Partisanship, only Mormons seem to be out of alignment from moderate positions with 7 out of 9 Congressional members being Republican.
Evangelicals such as Baptists; 29 are Democrat, 29 are Republican. Almost perfect moderate positioning.
Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians/Anglicans, Whites, Asians, all seem to fall into moderate categories as far as groups are concerned.
Latinos are divided between mainland Hispanics, and Cubans, Cubans are overwhelmingly partisan toward Republicans.
How this affects Democracy is it creates absurd abberations in policy making, rather than issue driven policies, you tend to get group driven policies, with various groups having various interests and those interests are more greatly reflected in policy making than the actual facts.
Is it problematic right now? Maybe.
But, I find it interesting that essentially it is Democrats, who are essentially a coalition of partisan hacks, complain the most about their opponents, Republicans, who tend to be the most representative and inclusive of Americans.
And the facts are simply right here:
Pew Forum: Faith on the Hill: The Religious Affiliations of Members of Congress
Religious identity being the most important identity in national politics outside actual partisan lines.