The fallout from the bi-partisan agreement to table a proposal from the religious right that would have ended the ability of Senators to filibuster is growing. The religious right is acting like a thermonuclear device went off under their plans to take over the judiciary. As Kevin Eckstrom of Religious News Service reports, religious progressive may have reason to celebrate the political defeat handed the religious right by both republicans and democrats:
Washington, May 24 - Six months after the November elections left them defeated and demoralized, progressive religious groups by most measures continue to be outpaced and drowned out by well-organized conservative groups.
Yet progressive leaders say the fight over judicial nominations has shown they are making measured progress in moderating the influence of conservative heavyweights with close ties to Republicans. Leaders of the "religious left" say they are slowly but steadily resurrecting a moribund movement. There is a coordination unseen since the heyday of the Vietnam era, they say, and plans are taking shape to match conservatives in media, mobility and -- most important -- money.
"Victory is not moving the nation to the left," said the Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches and former Democratic congressman. "It's moving the nation back to the middle."
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Those of us driven by our faith to speak out against war, poverty and the environmental crisis are doing a better job this year of getting our message out. But we need to work harder, organize more, raise more money, and find ways to be in community and worship with one another. Progressive Christians helped win a victory for democracy last night. We should celebrate that and then get back to work. We have a long walk ahead of us.
