I think the religious-hijacked Republican party is currently very dangerous and in addition, there’s no reason to think they’ll be particularly economically conservative. Bush and McCain in particular.

Fundamentals of ideology matter in a big way, and socialism is easier to defeat than thousands of years of supernaturalism which is the more important battle. To defeat socialism simply takes utilitarian arguments and doesn’t require a major shift in ideology. To defeat supernaturalism means getting people to accept that existence preceeds consciousness and this is very difficult when people are clinging to the promise of an afterlife.

IMO politics doesn’t have a huge impact on cultural ideology norms in that culture preceedes politics (culture = cause, politics = effect), but I still think it would be bad news for the more religious party (Republicans) to be in power.

In addition, the religous right don’t have a sound intellectual basis to justify capitalism or individual rights. Religion is anti-self interest and all about servitude and sacrifice. It’s actually more intellectually in line with socialism and environmentalism IMO. eg/ McCain is religious, an environmentalist and happy with increasing economic regulations.
I think the lack of ethical basis to support capitalism partly explains why the economic reforms of the late 70s and 80s are now been eroded away so easily after such a short time span.

So while I think it’s a difficult choice between two incredibly poor candidates, McCain and Obama, I’m not nearly as optimistic about the Republicans as many others seem to be.

In terms of the religion thing. I’d rather vote for people that want Jesus to save me from my sins than people that want Government to save me from my sins.

If Ms Palin attempts, for example, to have schools teaching creationism as science she crosses the line. She does however seem to understand where her personal religious views end and public policy begins (at least more so than others of the Religious Right).

The American system allows for McCain to claim a disavowal of the Bush years. However voting Republican would endorse Bush somewhat. That’s how people would spin it.

Personally however I’m trepiditious that there will be any significant change in the US except for the worse. We’ve had two class A crooks in a row. But their supporters persist in lauding them.

Democracies fall when the citizenry decline from strong people who stand up for themselves and take their politicians to harsh task into self-indulgent, bleary-eyed fat-arsed, cattle….

Ahem