How did the anti-government, conservative wing of the Republican party get so cozy with corporate America? That is the question David Niose tackles in chapter 4 of his book, FIGHTING BACK THE RIGHT-Reclaiming America from the Attack on Reason. Chapter Four is titled, "Boomer Bust". In it Niose describes the melding of the religious right with conservative politics. Once that was complete, Niose believes, some politicians began to feel and to act on asserting their religion into their politics, missing opportunities to speak to the idea of mixing religion and politics.
Where do the Boomer's fit in to the picture? Born between 1946 and 1964, this important demographic helped shape American culture and politics. I am a baby boomer. I had a great childhood with parents who gave me material comforts that they themselves had missed. Other boomers may have rebelled a bit as they grew up questioning societal values and norms, but, I was more traditional and chose the values of my parents. Most of the boomers ended up conforming to the system as well. As we aged, most boomers drifted away from Liberalism. Hence the opening for the religious right to gain momentum in politics.
It seems that unregulated corporatism would be antithetical to the religious right. Corporations are inherently materialistic and survive on a consumer-based economy. Religions teach that spiritual goods are more important than material goods. Yet, somehow the two, unregulated corporatism and religion, became, as Niose puts it, "powerful bedfellows."
Here's what Niose says about the melding, "Fortunately for corporate interests, fundamentalist Christians by and large have little trouble reconciling their theology with a modern, materialistic lifestyle." Think Joel Olsteen, who preaches that "God wants you to prosper and have plenty of money."
I plan future posts on unregulated corporatism as I truly believe this is an inherently evil force in our society that we must confront and combat.
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