I think anti-Catholicism is pretty much a dead political force in the USA, even on the right. JD Vance was a Catholic by the time he ran for veep in 2024, and I doubt it cost the ticket very many votes at all.
Yeah, you have some fundy dead-enders who yell about Coney Barrett's RCism when she joins a decision they don't like, and Hegseth's Reconstructionist pastor likely hates Catholics. But it's not influencing the way any significant blocs of voters behave.
(And before someone brings up "But look how much they hate Pope Leo!!", yes, but they hate him because he's made a few statements against Trump. Not because he's Catholic.)
I'll be interested to see if or when the right-wing Catholic/evangelical/LDS alliance falls apart. In the US those groups historically despise each other, but since the late 70s they've had enough common interests (specifically Dead Horse issues) to cooperate on political projects.
Now that religiosity and church membership are declining quickly here, I wonder if they're less likely to split from each other - they need the numbers.
Only about 40% of Utah is actually Mormon, . . . .
Per some surveys. Other recent and reputable surveys put the LDS population of Utah at around 60–65%.
Right wing leaders set out to create wedge issues that would push evangelicals to the right and were aided by conservative Catholic bishops, and Mormon leaders saw an opportunity to pass themselves off as Christian by aligning with the evangelicals.
A lot of it is centred on abortion. While conservative Catholics, Evangelicals and Mormons agree on a lot of social "dead horse" issues generally speaking this is the one they most agree on wanting to use the State to enforce.
According to Fred Clark evangelical opposition to abortion post-dates the formation of the religious right coalition. Acceptance of abortion and contraception used to be one of the ways evangelicals differentiated themselves from those Catholics. Cue Monty Python's Meaning of Life Protestant sketch.
Jerry Falwell's book Listen, America! from 1980 contains a chapter attacking abortion, including a passage saying "...Catholics have been alone for too long" on the issue. I think that's the earliest I've seen an anti-abortion position from an American evangelical. Woodward and Bernstein's 1979 book The Brethren includes second(third...?)-hand reportage of certain protestant denominations criticizing Roe v. Wade when it came down.
I think anti-Catholicism is pretty much a dead political force in the USA, even on the right. JD Vance was a Catholic by the time he ran for veep in 2024, and I doubt it cost the ticket very many votes at all.
Yeah, you have some fundy dead-enders who yell about Coney Barrett's RCism when she joins a decision they don't like, and Hegseth's Reconstructionist pastor likely hates Catholics. But it's not influencing the way any significant blocs of voters behave.
(And before someone brings up "But look how much they hate Pope Leo!!", yes, but they hate him because he's made a few statements against Trump. Not because he's Catholic.)
I'll be interested to see if or when the right-wing Catholic/evangelical/LDS alliance falls apart. In the US those groups historically despise each other, but since the late 70s they've had enough common interests (specifically Dead Horse issues) to cooperate on political projects.
Now that religiosity and church membership are declining quickly here, I wonder if they're less likely to split from each other - they need the numbers.
Only about 40% of Utah is actually Mormon, . . . .
Per some surveys. Other recent and reputable surveys put the LDS population of Utah at around 60–65%.
Maybe 40% is the number for Salt Lake City? It's sometimes cited as being the least Mormon part of Utah, though I'm not sure if that's from a listing of counties, cities, regions, or what.
I think anti-Catholicism is pretty much a dead political force in the USA, even on the right. JD Vance was a Catholic by the time he ran for veep in 2024, and I doubt it cost the ticket very many votes at all.
Yeah, you have some fundy dead-enders who yell about Coney Barrett's RCism when she joins a decision they don't like, and Hegseth's Reconstructionist pastor likely hates Catholics. But it's not influencing the way any significant blocs of voters behave.
(And before someone brings up "But look how much they hate Pope Leo!!", yes, but they hate him because he's made a few statements against Trump. Not because he's Catholic.)
I'll be interested to see if or when the right-wing Catholic/evangelical/LDS alliance falls apart. In the US those groups historically despise each other, but since the late 70s they've had enough common interests (specifically Dead Horse issues) to cooperate on political projects.
Now that religiosity and church membership are declining quickly here, I wonder if they're less likely to split from each other - they need the numbers.
Only about 40% of Utah is actually Mormon, . . . .
Per some surveys. Other recent and reputable surveys put the LDS population of Utah at around 60–65%.
Maybe 40% is the number for Salt Lake City? It's sometimes cited as being the least Mormon part of Utah, though I'm not sure if that's from a listing of counties, cities, regions, or what.
Salt Lake County is 49% LDS, per statistics I’ve seen. It has hovered around 50% for at least 20 years or so.
I think anti-Catholicism is pretty much a dead political force in the USA, even on the right. JD Vance was a Catholic by the time he ran for veep in 2024, and I doubt it cost the ticket very many votes at all.
Yeah, you have some fundy dead-enders who yell about Coney Barrett's RCism when she joins a decision they don't like, and Hegseth's Reconstructionist pastor likely hates Catholics. But it's not influencing the way any significant blocs of voters behave.
(And before someone brings up "But look how much they hate Pope Leo!!", yes, but they hate him because he's made a few statements against Trump. Not because he's Catholic.)
I'll be interested to see if or when the right-wing Catholic/evangelical/LDS alliance falls apart. In the US those groups historically despise each other, but since the late 70s they've had enough common interests (specifically Dead Horse issues) to cooperate on political projects.
Now that religiosity and church membership are declining quickly here, I wonder if they're less likely to split from each other - they need the numbers.
Only about 40% of Utah is actually Mormon, . . . .
Per some surveys. Other recent and reputable surveys put the LDS population of Utah at around 60–65%.
Maybe 40% is the number for Salt Lake City? It's sometimes cited as being the least Mormon part of Utah, though I'm not sure if that's from a listing of counties, cities, regions, or what.
Salt Lake County is 49% LDS, per statistics I’ve seen. It has hovered around 50% for at least 20 years or so.
Trump is getting desperate. Promising $5,000 checks for all voters (not going to happen), Promising a 'UGE steel mill in Iowa (not even near the resources needed for a mill). Using government funds to show his image in all American TV audiences. Getting the major countries to agree to reduce their strategic oil reserves to lower fuel prices temporarily.
Comments
Jerry Falwell's book Listen, America! from 1980 contains a chapter attacking abortion, including a passage saying "...Catholics have been alone for too long" on the issue. I think that's the earliest I've seen an anti-abortion position from an American evangelical. Woodward and Bernstein's 1979 book The Brethren includes second(third...?)-hand reportage of certain protestant denominations criticizing Roe v. Wade when it came down.
Maybe 40% is the number for Salt Lake City? It's sometimes cited as being the least Mormon part of Utah, though I'm not sure if that's from a listing of counties, cities, regions, or what.
Thanks.
Meanwhile he cannot keep his eyes open,