The natives are restless

Politically minded evangelicals are getting a bit grumpy with folks on Capital Hill.

An article in CitizenLink from Focus on the Family outlined a number of "pro-family" legislative agenda items that have been languishing in Congress despite the fact that a healthy number of social conservatives populate its halls.

And late last month, a group of evangelical Christians (including Tom Minnery from Focus on the Family) and conservative Jews created what they call a "Values Voters' Contract with Congress" -- an effort to make politicians more responsive to the conservative religious agenda: Among other things, they want a marriage protection constitutional amendement, legislation restricting pornography and assurance that "under God" will stay in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Religious conservatives vote for like-minded politicians (almost always Republican) in droves, but don't get as much satisfaction as they'd like when it comes to legislation. When the next election cycle rolls around again, they vote Republican again. Who else are they going to vote for?

Evangelicals may feel they have a little more heft after the 2004 elections, in which evangelicals played a pivotal role. Religious leaders are trying to send a message before anyone gets to the ballot machine in 2006 or 2008.