The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party

Opinion Piece by Joan Bokaer
November 21, 2004

Arlen Specter(R-PA) is referred to as a moderate even though he received an 80% scorecard from Christian Coalition. Specter, who calls himself a pro-choice Republican has supported Bush's dominionist and anti-choice judicial nominees 100% of the time.

But Specter is still too moderate for the Club for Growth -- a group that hunts "RINOs." "RINO" stands for Republican in Name Only. The stated goal of the Rino's Hunter Club is to "root out and hunt down RINO's," and they target moderate Republicans in primaries. Arlen Specter was hunted by them.

After a bruising primary which Specter won by a narrow margin, he returned to the Senate Juciciary Committee where he was next in line to assume the chairmanship. But Specter spoke out, warning President Bush to refrain from nominating anti-choice judges.

This statement by Specter is revealing of the naivete of moderates. Specter's statement showed little understanding of the size, power, and determination of the theocratic right.

In response there was a massive letter lobbying campaign from the theocratic right. After that Specter promised that he would support all of Bush's nominations, and he would support a move by the theocratic right to end the practice of filibusters in the Senate.

In order to become Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Specter, inspite of his personal beliefs, will have become a champion of theocratic right. By supporting Bush's nominations, and more important, by supporting an end to the filibuster, he will, in effect, help pave the way for the theocratic right to win a majority on the U.S. Supreme Court.