http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.s ... nal%20NewsPanel: Religion not a political strategy
LOS ANGELES, June 24 (UPI) -- Panelists at a Los Angeles forum, sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance, Thursday asked candidates for office to eschew religion as a political strategy.
Instead, they urged candidates to stress the proper role of religions in public life.
"No matter who is elected to the Oval Office and to Congress on November 2, the nation could be even more polarized on November 3 than we are today," the group's president, the Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy, said.
Political consultant Bill Smith said for the Republicans "religion is not just a part of the strategy in the campaign; it is the strategy," a new release issued by the group said.
Continuing division among the electorate "represents a failure of imagination," Los Angeles Times reporter Ron Brownstein, who also appeared on the panel, said.
"With the nation split 46 percent to 46 percent, with not many undecided, Bush is ignoring the middle, trying to deepen his base support rather than broadening his strength."
The alliance, formed to counter the influence of Christian Coalition on U.S. politics, said additional forums are planned in Chicago and Atlanta.
Copyright 2004 by United Press International.
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"One commentator pointed out that when the mafia commits violence, no
one suggests we bomb Sicily. Today it seems we are, in a symbolic way, not only bombing "Sicily," but are thinking about bombing "Athens" (Iraq)."
http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2001/cr112901.htm' target='_new'>Ron Paul, 11/29/01 Speech before Congress
