RELIGION & POLITICS IN AMERICA, SPRING 2011

RELIGION AND THE 2004 ELECTION, PART I

Green chapters 1, 3, 4
Monday, May 9

1.1. Take a look at Table 1.3 (9) -- from what we know about these religious groups, what makes sense, what doesn’t, and what is intriguing about the way that people voted in 2004?

1.2. What impact do the old and new religion gaps have on the outcome of the 2004 presidential election? Divide into groups and answer the following questions regarding your group’s assigned gap.

1.3. Considering Tables 1.5 and 1.6, discuss the important findings regarding how various religious groups voted according to their issue priorities.

3.0 This chapter builds towards Tables 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10. Ask if you have questions about specific findings and material presented on pages 45-59.

3.1 Take a long look at Tables 3.8 (60), 3.9 (62), and 3.10 (63). Discuss specifically the most important findings with respect to Evangelical Protestants, Mainline Protestants, and Catholics (we may divide this up in class and have small groups focus on one of these each).

3.2 The final tables in the chapter show clearly that worship attendance did not explain voting patterns in 1944, but the relationship definitely exists today. Speculate briefly on why the “worship attendance gap” (Figure 3.2, p. 65) takes off from 1992 to today.

4.1 What controversies arise over the meaning of “moral values” in the presidential exit polls (68-69)?

4.2 Are moral values an appropriate basis for determining (in part or completely) a person’s vote, or is this simply up to each individual voter to decide?

4.3 What are some advantages and disadvantages of targeting specific religious groups to build issue coalitions?