Christian Right Plays Hardball With Bush

Posted on January 25, 2005

The religious right is calling in its markers with the President. The New York Times reports that the right is extremely unhappy with President Bush's comments that he wants to privatize social security and overhaul the tax code before worrying about a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. The Arlington Group fired off a letter to Karl Rove which is rather threatening in its tone. It basically says that Bush either pushes forward on the gay marriage ban or the Christian right is going to block the social security reforms.

The Arlington Group is jam-packed with heavy hitters from the Christian right: Dr. James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Family Association, Jerry Falwell and Paul Weyrich. It's pay the piper time for Bush on gay marriage. And phoning in his support to the giant pro life rally outside the White House yesterday instead of walking outside his house for a photo op has further infuriated the group. Bush does not have the Senate votes for the anti-gay marriage amendment right now and hates to waste his political capital on a losing issue. But either he gives it the old college try, or the Christian right is going to revolt. Will he make it through the political minefield? It's too early to tell, but I know they're grumpy in the West Wing today.