News from Around the World

This reminds us of a Chinese fortune cookie we read recently:

It is a matter of when, not if, the Democrats' share of black votes will fall significantly below the stunningly high 90% they need to even be competitive in presidential elections. There are today large numbers of African Americans who voted for John Kerry despite holding Republican positions on issues like school vouchers, abortion, gay marriage, and moral values. Republicans will do everything they can to drive home the point that if black voters look beyond party labels to the issues they care most about, many of them will switch their votes...

It is remarkable how a largely secular Democratic Party has for so long enjoyed the loyalty of a largely Christian black electorate. While Democratic presidential candidates routinely campaign in black churches, there is a growing dissonance between the values of the Democratic Party and those of many church-going blacks. Few things were more awkward during the 2004 campaign than John Kerry quoting Scripture to black congregations. It is not who he is and it is not what the Democratic Party has become. In contrast, Republicans embrace the language...