The Democrats Get/Fumble Religion

All I can say is, yes.

And also that I find it a little strange to agree with a Heritage Foundation fellow.  But I do.

All I'd add is that this isn't just typical Democratic Party ham-fistedness (though it's that, too).  It's also part of the broader corporate impulse toward branding as a substitute for -- rather than the result of -- policies, actions and relationships.  It's seductively easy -- and completely ineffectual -- to use words like "faith" and "worship" in opposing a particular piece of legislation.  It's a little harder -- but not much better -- to draw broad analogies and forge loose connections between social policies and scriptural passages.  It's very hard -- and absolutely necessary -- to go out and meet, get to know, engage in dialogue with people of faith.  Or, better, let's call them "people who use the vocabulary of religion to think about difficult life issues" (because, you know, there might just be some intellect involved).  If you do that, you'll have to spend a fair amount of time listening, rethinking, maybe formulating new polices. But the policies won't necessarily be bad policies. And because the relationships are authentic, you stand a chance of breaking the Republican stranglehold on faith-based communities and values-based messages.

Worth a shot?

Or, as the ads used to say, you can turn the page.