I've long thought -- and occasionally argued here -- that the future of the Republican Party would be in transitioning to an explicitly Christian party. This would be a retrenchment, but also an expansionist opportunity for them if they could reach out to Catholics as well as the Protestant denominations that have long been strong in the Republican political body. It might allow them to expand into the northeast somewhat, where there are relatively more Catholics; but more importantly to the party's long term future, it could be a bridge to the Hispanic and Latino communities. It might even allow them to end the division between themselves and the black community, whose Christian tradition is both strong and inspiring.
Reading the transcripts and news accounts of the Restoring Honor rally today, I think that process is well underway. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, as many Christian principles are at odds with old interpretations of the First Amendment's establishment clause; there is also a very large and well-organized movement on the left against Christian expressions in public spaces. Still, it is the most obvious route for a party that needs to evolve, and which is looking for a common unifying principle that can expand its base while allowing it to remain the relatively-conservative option. It will be an interesting, and potentially explosive, transition.
UPDATE: A small distinction:
In a way, the rally today mirrored rallies held for then-candidate Barack Obama in 2007 and leading up to the election of 2008. Both this rally and many of Obama’s featured mesmerizing speakers, who chose to inspire audiences by rhetorically empowering them to take matters into their own hands.Yeah, that's kind of a big difference actually.
While Beck’s rally emphasized belief in God, Obama’s generally emphasized himself as a savior of the American people.
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