Going back at least as far as the bigoted Jerry Falwell's "Moral Majority" scam, right-wing political "evangelicals" have been an appendage of the Rethuglican / New Confederate / Kids-In-Cages Party, selective with their moral outrage at Dems, while ignoring or giving a pass to their deeply corrupt Rethug brethren. So it's no surprise that the flower of this multi-decade hypocrisy, namely corrupt sexual assaulter and lying fraudster Donald "Not Exonerated" Trump, has been embraced by the right-wing political evangelicals.
In their article in today's Washington Post, David Campbell and Geoffrey Layman describe the gyrations of the right-wing political evangelicals as they defend an immoral black hole like Trump just years after piling on President Clinton for his moral failings. The self-righteous blast by far-right hardcore bigot Franklin Graham at Dem Presidential hopeful Mayor Pete Buttigieg for being gay is just the latest example of the deep corruption of these self-described religious leaders.
This passage from the Post article sums up their double standard nicely:
"In 2011, a poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the Religion News Service found that 60 percent of white evangelicals believed that a public official who 'commits an immoral act in their personal life' cannot still 'behave ethically and fulfill their duties in their public and professional life.' But in an October 2016 poll by PRRI and the Brookings Institution — after the release of the infamous 'Access Hollywood' tape — only 20 percent of evangelicals, answering the same question, said that private immorality meant someone could not behave ethically in public." (our emphasis)Gee, who'd a thunk it, a 40 point drop in outrage? It's apparent that they have some major philosophical disconnects when it comes to their own right-wing politicians' immoral behavior. With this crowd, it's really never been about morality, otherwise they'd be at the southern border demanding a halt to the brutal treatment of immigrants (hypocrites), renouncing the wealthy "prosperity gospel" hucksters (golden calf), etc. You'll see that when "hell" freezes over.
BONUS:
Franklin Graham, because when I need spiritual guidance I turn to the homophobic demagogue who would have you believe that a thrice-married serial-philandering imbecile who mocks the weak and bullies the helpless and is every deadly sin personified was sent by God to lead America— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) April 25, 2019
(photo: American Talibangelist leader Pat Robertson delivering his sermon on brotherly love)
