Kakki wrote: This is wild to me. Churches have ALWAYS received tax exemptions. I never heard of a movement to invade Cuba in the 80s! I always thought "Tax Free" was about how many of the unscrupulous TV preachers were using that tax advantage to build multi-million dollar broadcasting, theme park, publishing etc. empires while bilking poor grandmas out of their social security checks. If anything the government was going after many of them in the 80s (see history of the downfall of Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggert and a number of others). Maybe some of you can point me to this lost history of the 80s regarding "tax breaks for support of a Cuban invasion."
Kakki's understanding is also my understanding of this song and its genesis. Kakki also wrote: While the "religious right" usually do support conservative candidates, they only represent a small portion of all people who vote conservative for a thousand reasons other than religion. I abhored the TV preachers because of their sleazy opportunism. And what they professed does not represent conservative political ideals of live and let live and freedom to live your life and follow your own beliefs as an individual. I'm surprised to hear Joni making such sweeping generalizations here. Agree with her on the song but not her understanding of conservatives in this instance." Can't agree here, Kakki. A "small" portion? Admittedly, the religious right does not represent all conservatives. My own brother, a thoughtful man who is more influenced by his philosophical beliefs on the nature of government and people than by his religious faith in forming political opinions, lies outside this designation. And I realize that you do not identify with this group. However, I'd like to see numbers on the relative breakdown (although I am not suggesting that anyone post them here: LOL!). My thinking is that this faction has been a huge influence on the strategy and goals of the Republican Party since the Reagan administration, is not insignificant, and is not small in number, although it may or may not constitute a majority. Believe it or not, I come from good conservative roots, and even voted for Gerald Ford in my first presidential election! But the conservatives lost me with the rightward, explicitly Christian, mainly evangelical-toned turn they took with Reagan. (Yes, I realize that not all evangelical Christians identify with the religious right, either). Finally, Kakki wrote, in response to David: ">I believe that both the Republican Liberty Caucus and > the Democratic Freedom Caucus embrace these ideals. Seems to me a "live and > let live" administration would not have spent taxpayer money to agressively > prosecute a state-sanctioned medical marijuana grower, for example. I would assume they were only following existing laws. Every conservative I have ever known, including one parent, believes in the decriminalization of drugs and certainly hands-offs from the medical marijuana growers." First, as you know and I know, "following existing laws" differs dramatically depending on the prosecutor or prosecuting agency, and his/her/its use of prosecutorial discretion. But in any event, medical marijuana is only one example of the current administration's willingness to meddle in individual liberties. The Bush administration--in general, on the whole, and even apart from its response to September 11--can hardly be characterized as "live and let live" on these issues. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! ;-) I'm very sorry if this post offended anyone. Since this appears to now be a full-blown thread, I suggest that, if it continues, it be moved to the PC list Les has set up for this purpose. Really, really enjoying all the talk of All Things Joni here! Take care, Mary.
