GOP Prepares for New Culture War

One of the most interesting electoral outcomes last Tuesday was the passage in Arkansas of a ballot measure prohibiting the adoption of children by unmarried couples. The underlying goal of the initiative was to prevent homosexual couples from raising children in the state.

What's especially interesting is the title of the piece, "Antipathy Toward Obama Seen as Helping Arkansas Limit Adoption." While I think this particular measure goes too far in restricting the rights of average citizens who may be unmarried with children, the Arkansas vote is a powerful case in the emerging culture war in the states following the election of Barack Obama to the White House. Recall, as well, the intense protests against Proposition 8 in California, which is a radical push to redefine the traditional meaning of marriage.

On Fox News this morning, Representative Mike Pence made the case that the way back for the GOP is through traditional conservatism, arguing for the "time-honored principles of limited government, a belief in free markets, in the sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage":

There's lots of evidence that the culture war is real and building, and one of Obama's greatest challenges ahead will be to let the air out of his messianic rise to power without fomenting a real backlash among his uncleansed hordes of supporters and their pent-up demands for radical change.

Interestingly, just today Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan delivered a major addresss to usher in the new administration, "America's New Beginning: President-elect Barack Obama." Meanwhile, some Democratic Party activists are lobbying to promote a national holiday for Barack Obama.

Yep, that culture war's kicking before we've even had the inauguration.