No Room for God in Demo Platform

In another one of those does this surprise anybody moves, the Democratic Party platform committee has removed references to God from their platform.

According to an article in The Examiner the new party platform removes the word “God” from this paragraph:

We need a government that stands up for the hopes, values, and interests of working people, and gives everyone willing to work hard the chance to make the most of their God-given potential.

The new paragraph reads:

We gather to reclaim the basic bargain that built the largest middle class and the most prosperous nation on Earth – the simple principle that in America, hard work should pay off, responsibility should be rewarded, and each one of us should be able to go as far as our talent and drive take us.” 

The change is not significant in itself. I don’t think God is going to fall out of His heaven because a political party expunged His name from a paragraph in its platform. The significance of the change lies in its consistency. A one word change could mean anything, but when it is grouped alongside the HHS Mandate and party position on abortion and marriage, it becomes part of a pattern. That pattern says a lot. 

This change in language has no force of law. Democratic elected officials are not required to do what it says. But as a reflection of the values shift within the inner circle of party activists, I believe it is meaningful. It doesn’t so much change things as it acknowledges the way things truly are.