Indiana, Arkansas, and now Georgia have passed modest religious liberty bills that would, among other things, allow pastors and others with qualms about same-sex marriage to refuse to participate if it violates their beliefs. In each case, pressure from big businesses have caused the governors of each of these states, conservative Republicans all, to kill the laws.
This is a reminder that big businesses–from WalMart to the NFL– for whatever reason, tend to be socially liberal. Why do you think that is?
The stereotype is that corporate America is conservative and Republican, indeed, that the corporations run the Republican party, along with other politicians they have in their pockets.
They may favor free markets and, in their enlightened self-interest, other pro-business policies. And this certainly shows their clout among politicians and in the Republican party. The corporations dictated and the Republican governors, despite the Christian conservatives who put them in office, did their bidding.
Some would argue that the free market is, as it used to be called, inherently liberal, favoring and creating social change and undermining conservative social values. The current alliance between social conservatives and free market economics is the anomaly. What do you think about that argument?
The reality is that big business often fights against the free market. Its interests are to eliminate competition and get big enough to become a sole provider, thus being able to charge what it wants. Big government can help with this by intervening into its industry. Corporations have resources enough to handle government regulations that can have the effect of putting smaller competing companies out of business.
So another question is, why are social liberals, as we see in the Democratic party, so hostile to big business, since the corporations tend to be on their side when it counts most?
Another lesson from the caving governors: Any meaningful religious liberty law–one that won’t come undone from protesters, boycotters, and business pressures–must be passed on the national level. Few, if any, states will stand up to the pressure.
Now Mississippi has put forward a law, and the pressures have already begun. We’ll see how that goes.
See David French, Georgia Religious-Freedom Bill Vetoed by Governor Nathan Deal, a Weak Weathervane, National Review.
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