Actually, how about the "normal" among the Republicans and the Democrats put their differences aside and form a viable third party? I suspect that there are fewer differences between the moderates on each side than there are between the moderates and their idiot party-mates. How about that for democracy? For once, I would like to vote for a candidate that I like rather than the lesser of two evils.
I think the problem here is that you end up splitting the vote. Scientists and those who believe in a strong separation of church and state are not a united voting block like the religious right. Their votes are divided among several political parties--including Libertarians, the Green Party, Independents, and those who don't care enough to vote--at least that is the case in America. So the lesser of two evils might not even have a chance at being elected. Iconoclasts aren't quite the voting block that those fearing damnation are.
Moreover, "secularists" are labeled as "evil" and "godless" and people like Katharine Harris are telling people that voting in such a manner allows these :evil secularists" to insert their "godless agenda" into politics. Ann Coulter and others do a lot of fear mongering too, so that religious people are afraid that voting for those other than evangelical Christians will lead to evil, doom, and assorted horrors having to do with going to hell in a hand basket. Religious people have come to believe that you cannot be moral without religion--particularly their specific religion...and that those who believe as they do fall under the umbrella of "good" and those who don't are "evil", dark forces bent on the destruction of family, religious freedom, the bible, the sanctity of marriage (as if) etc.
Salvation vs. fear makes people get out and vote. Secularism isn't such a compelling story...it's almost boring...it's "rational" and can't promise "happily ever after" or the thrill of fighting evil forces. It's a hard sell in a world of sound bites, I think.
I did just read Sam Harris' book Letter to a Christian Nation where he laid out why it's important that our governments be secular--he makes a very compelling argument, but true believers are taught not to trust such messages--to fear them--vote against them--shut their ears to them.
And Bill Maher, a Libertarian, points out that the Democrats don't stand for anything--they are not against religion enough...but how can they be, when the religious are such an "inspired" block of voters. Sam Harris points out that atheists are the least trusted minority in America, and that you can't expect to hold a higher office without professing to believe.
Dogmas are great for getting people to act (and vote) without thinking--people are moved by "ideals" and "emotions" and catch phrases and "fear" and the feeling of being chosen or special or having a specific purpose per divine authority--And once the religious snowball gets rolling, I don't know how you stop it. It seems to have gathered up a slew of Americans who vote similarly; wheras, those who oppose it split up their vote or don't vote at all due to a distaste of politics in general. Secularists and Scientists (some of whom are religious even) aren't a unified voting block, because how can you organize a group around something as prosaic as reality and a non belief in a supernatural overlord? And yet the United States Constitution has gone out of it's way to keep religion and politics separate--but the religious seem to have no clue in reguard to this fact. As other developing nations are becoming increasingly secular (particulary in government) and scientific; America seems to be turning into a theocracy where those who dissent are shouted down and labeled as treasoness or worse.
Secular societies are healthier.
http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/2005/2005-11.html Evolution is a fact. And yet, the mere mention of it, makes Americans uncomfortable as a group. They hear it as "evil"-lution. I see this every day. There are so many exciting discoveries in the field, but the mere mention of it makes people go silent...as if they feel guilty for even revelling in some of our latest discoveries. And it is religions unsavory alliance with politics that makes it so. The people we are told to trust spread this disinformation and they encourage people to not trust science, facts, hard won knowledge, rationalism. It is religions coupling with politics that makes secular thinking something to be feared, and I hope that something somewhere can pierce this unholy alliance before this country gets any more divided on what an invisible guy in the sky wants (or whether he exists.)
As long as "faith" is seen as something "great", and "feelings" are promoted as good ways to "know something", then educating others in rational thinking and the benefits of secularism is going to be a tough job.
I wish I could think of a catchy meme for promoting facts over faith--because this idea that faith is something good is a notion that has infected many a mind--and it forms a strong barrier against reason. Why chance a blissful eternity by "biting from the tree of knowledge"?
I commend Richard Dawkins and his website:
http://richarddawkins.net for his efforts on helping America out of this miasma of ignorance, and I hope we can come together enough to make progress.
I see the smiley, so I think you're joking, but if so I'm missing the funny. Where did this come from? I don't think I've said anything that would indicate either of these qualities.