Why not quote John Locke or Hobbes or, failing that, someone else from the 18th century on political democracy…or at least a political philosopher, which Madison was not.

Well, Madison did co-write the Federalist papers, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Sure, we was “well read”, but he wrote some pretty good stuff too. Since Gore was talking about the American revolution, it makes sense to quote the man who’s generally regarded to be “the father of the constitution”.

“The American Revolution was a triple triumph — for political democracy, religious tolerance, and for the free inquiry demanded by the scientific method.”

Political democracy which was shortly co-opted by political machines, religious tolerance which applied to mainstream Protestant denominations, and the scientific method for the elites who, throughout most of our nation’s history, were the only ones to have any sort of education not to say the type of education that would even make the application of the scientific method a realistic possibility.

And the idea that quoting Mr. James Madison makes everything better is just farcicial, Mr. Gore. Why not quote John Locke or Hobbes or, failing that, someone else from the 18th century on political democracy…or at least a political philosopher, which Madison was not.

He was a politician who was well read.

I’m sorry, this whole Enlightenment in America business is a conveniant fantasy for those who already have privilege. I’d wager anything that most of the unwashed masses couldn’t give a damn—and I’m saying this as a person of the Left.

So why does it seem like Republicans have heartily embraced the religious voters? Because they want to win. They understand that by addressing a few key social issues, coming out against sexual education, abortion and a few other pet causes, they can get large numbers of voters to agree with them on anything else. At the same time, Republicans who believe in the financial doctrine of the party keep voting for them because the religious stuff is secondary to actual policies.

The danger now is that, by pandering to a group that “evangelizes” their political beliefs, we’ll see the Democratic party try to capture the same lightning in a different bottle. And that would leave those of us who don’t want Government by God out in the cold.

I really think the left at some point is going to have to sever the right from their claim to own Christianity. Carving out a couple of select quotes from a very contradictory book then using them as a political cattle prod does not a religion make.

Just stopped by to say hi, I like your blog a lot and link to it on mine.

Jane

It’s funny…I feel like the events of the last few years have actually driven me away from religion. Every day I can see more clearly how it’s mostly just a tool for controlling people.

None the less, he will now occupy a space next to the likes of Jefferson and Madison in my mind.