So, being an American, I've been thinking a lot lately about the fundamentalist movement and what's driving it.
I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist, and I like to take a look at things from the perspective of "who gains from this". I usually find that if you "follow the money" you find a pretty clear connection of cause and effect.
It seems like most fundamentalists (by population, not by influence) are living in the middle of America are lower middle class or lower in economic standing.
Yet, they overwhelmingly support policies which specifically hurt them in favor of people who are doing much better.
Typical issues --
1) Should we send poor middle American children to Iraq to guarentee massive revenue for Exxon? -- Yes.
2) Should we critically handicap our own children's education in order to drive them out of high paying jobs and into poverty? -- Yes.
3) Should we completely roll back any taxes on billionares and their heirs? -- Yes.
Now, it's possible that the fundamentalists are completely rational and thoughtful people who are deciding that they really do need to suffer more so that the super rich can be even super-richer.
However, I tend to believe that they've somehow been duped. That the positive feedback loop of evanglists and education cuts has resulted in an enormous flock of sheep who are some enamoured with the wolves that they willingly give up their lambs and pay for the privledge of the sacrifice.
The question is this: How do we, the few remaining rational people, save those who can not save themselves?
Or is it too late? Do we need to let them starve themselves out of existance and rebuild from the ruins they leave behind?