Big Business and the Religious Right

Senators who filibuster any of Bush’s judicial nominees are already threatened by the Charge of the Bible Brigade. Now, in addition, a powerful business lobby is preparing a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign to intimidate anyone who gets in the way of Bush’s judicial crusade.

Large corporations are usually reluctant to get embroiled in the social issues being pushed by Christian lobbying groups, but this tactic will lump them together with the Religious Right whether they like it or not.

This lobbying effort is being pushed by former Michigan governor John Engler, who is now head of the National Association of Manufacturers. They will be providing money and a strong get-out-the-vote effort.

This combined effort of the National Association of Manufacturers and the extreme Religious Right could make some senators even more reluctant to filibuster Bush’s nominees.

Or, it could backfire. The director of People for the American Way said “I believe that a sizeable percentage of NAM’s membership would be stunned to learn that their leadership has decided to join the right wing’s effort to eliminate a constitutional right to privacy, to strong civil rights protections and a woman’s right to reproductive freedom.”

Do the country’s most famous CEOs really want to be lumped together with Jerry Falwell and James Dobson?