Actually, another great piece by Dennis Gruending on the federal New Democrats attempt to reach out to faith-based groups and religiously motivated individuals through its recently created Faith and Social Justice Commission. Mr. Gruending deserves more readers, although I think sometimes his material is too calm and meticulously reasoned for the blogosphere. I'd suggest he throw in the occasional "boobies" gag, but I get the impression that just isn't where his head is at.
In any case, from the article:
[NDP MP] Comartin says that he has seen a change occurring among faith-based groups in the past four or five years. “We are witnessing a shift from the primary focus of these groups being right wing and based upon what they call family values back to a more left of centre position. These people are increasingly concerned about peace, poverty and the environment and they are coming at it from a more progressive perspective.”
Ducasse and Comartin agree that Barrack Obama’s effective outreach to faith-based groups during his presidential campaign in 2008 was an important development. Comartin says, “Faith groups in the U.S. became active on behalf of the Democrats in the way that they had been for the Republicans in earlier times. This arose from pastors and others seeing the problems that people in their congregations and their communities were facing, and they became involved in politics because of their faith and their desire to create change. Political leaders are recognizing this.”
Interesting that, down in the States, both Republicans and Dems. are fighting over the "less religious" vote.
