The Great Republican Divide

For the last eight years, the Republican Party ran the political arena on a tight alliance between Evangelical Christians and secular conservatives.

That alliance is in peril, and not by the scores of former Republicans who've switched parties or turned Independent (I'm one of the latter).

No, it's Christian Conservatives who are throwing a wrench into the works.

With Mike Huckabee leading in the primaries, secular Conservatives are getting mad. Huckabee, they say, has no chance at winning in a general election. The vast voting bloc they've relied on so heavily isn't quite so in tune this time around.

But Evangelical Conservatives have always voted on principles, and I can't blame them. In fact, I'm proud. My biggest fear this election was that Christian Conservatives would simply do what it takes to keep the GOP in the White House, even if that meant forgoing their basic issues.

And while I don't agree with some of Huckabee's stances, he's certainly been one of the more likable candidates. Take, for instance, his response to accusations he put a subliminal cross in one of his campaign ads. The idea that the cross in the background is subliminal is hilarious, but even if it was true...the guy's an ordained Southern Baptist minister!

I loved these two quotes:

Actually I will confess this, if you play this spot backwards it says ‘Paul is Dead, Paul is Dead, Paul is Dead,’” the presidential candidate joked to reporters in Houston Tuesday. “So the next thing you know, someone will be playing it backwards to find out the subliminal messages that are really there.

And...

The former Baptist minister also shot back at some who said the spot should have been more inclusive, and that he should have wished voters “Happy Holidays.”

“I don’t know what else to call Christmas, last time I checked that is what we celebrate. If somebody can give me a way to get around that and do it honestly, then perhaps that’s what Christmas is,” said Huckabee.

“The very word Christmas comes from the contraction of 'Christ Mass' — the worship of Christ – again, change the word if we don't want to talk about it, but that’s what it symbolizes and represents.”

I'm loathe to get into a War on Christmas mentality, but, in the words of GOB Bluth, "Come on!" Isn't this the primary holiday we celebrate? Sure, there's New Years, and that's pretty non-faith and all. And there's Channukah, which is a great holiday for our Jewish brethern (1.8% of the American population). What else you got?

And if you're really so pissed off about Christmas and how it celebrates the Baby Jesus, look around! No one cares about that anymore! It's about Santa, and ham, and buying craploads of gifts! I just heard from a Hyundai commercial the other day it's about the word "duh"! Christmas is as Christ-based as St. Patrick's Day anymore.

Let's skip taking offense over "Merry Christmas". If you tell someone "Merry Christmas!" and he says, "Well, I'm Jewish," then you can say, "Well, Happy Channukah!" (

Problem solved.

(Note: Problem is not solved if you say 'Well, Happy Channukah' like a smartass. Say it happily, with a smile. Other people like it when you are kind.)

And while we're at it, let's stop worrying about what other people celebrate. If someone says, "Happy Holidays!", say it right back. And then try and refrain from grumbling about their PC wording. The majority of this country may celebrate Christmas, but it doesn't mean you get to be a jerk about it.