July 14, 2006

God vs. The Gavel

If the rise of the fundamentalist Christian right has you worried, if you think the US is headed towards a theocracy (as Kevin Phillips says) but that isn't your cup of tea, then you may find comfort in Marci Hamilton's rather ferocious attack on efforts by diverse religions to wheedle their way around the law, whether it's about child molestation, property rights, prisoners' issues, or White House Christmas cards. Hers is a particularly important view to understand because as a mainstream conservative, one who clerked for the long-time swing vote on the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O'Connor, Marci genuinely wants to work with liberals in the furtherance of good public policy. It's fusion politics, of a sort that our simulation of a free press routinely fails to describe. It was very kind of Marci to talk with me and I gained a renewed appreciation for the great benefits from having a diversity of thoughtful opinions in the public space. This podcast runs an hour and five minutes. Enjoy!