...however distorted both the Right's analysis and its solutions to America's spiritual crisis may be, it wins allegiance by addressing the human hunger for a life with some higher purpose. The Left, by contrast, remains largely tone-deaf to the spiritual needs of the American people. It is the yearning for meaning in life, not just the desire for money or power, that lies at the core of American politics.
In other words, man does not live by bread alone. Or, to put it another way, Homo sapiens is not Home economicus, a 100% rational being most concerned with maximizing his own personal "utility function" or whatever. No, man is concerned with other things too: llife, death, religion, morality, sexuality, fairness, family, race, nation. Any political party which ignores, or fails to adequately address, these deep concerns, is going to have problems connecting on bread-and-butter issues or winning elections. Period. At least that's the argument Lerner - a liberal and a deeply religious man - is making in his new book. Here's more from the Harper Collins book blurb:
Lerner challenges the Left to give up its deeply held fear of religion and to distinguish between a domination-oriented, Right-Hand-of-God tradition and a more compassionate and hope-oriented Left-Hand-of-God worldview. Further, Lerner describes the ways that Democrats have misunderstood and alienated significant parts of their potential constituency. To succeed again, Lerner argues, the Democratic Party must rethink its relationship to God, champion a progressive spiritual vision, reject the old bottom line that promotes the globalization of selfishness, and deal head-on with the very real spiritual crisis that many Americans experience every day.Lerner presents a vision that incorporates and then goes far beyond contemporary liberal and progressive politics. He argues for a new bottom line in our economy, schools, and government. This is a fundamentally fresh approach, one that takes spiritual needs seriously in our economic and political lives. Presenting an eight-point progressive spiritual covenant with America, Lerner provides a blueprint for how the Democratic Party can effectively challenge the Right and position itself to win the White House and Congress. By appealing to religious, secular, and spiritual but not necessarily religious people, blazes a trail that could change our world and reclaim America from the Religious Right.
Sounds fascinating. I'm adding this one to my list of "must reads."
P.S. You think Tim Kaine's talk about being a "Christian missionary in Honduras as a young man" didn't help him in the 2005 Virginia gubernatorial campaign? If so, I beg to differ...