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GOP critiques Dems' platform on Jerusalem, God

Conservatives are voicing concern at some tweaks to the Democratic party platform this year, including the removal of "God" from the text.It seems that in past

Conservatives are voicing concern at some tweaks to the Democratic party platform this year, including the removal of "God" from the text.

It seems that in past Democratic platforms, God was mentioned several times or at least once, such as in 2008 (via CNN): "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."

This didn't happen in the 2012 platform and now Republicans are rising the specter of those "godless Democrats."

"We mention faith 15, 20 times in there," Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said on Daily Rundown, defending the Democrats' platform. "It’s pretty clear." 

But Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn seemed to waver. "'In God We Trust,' that's our slogan," he said on Daily Rundown. "I think we should probably start the platform with that."

He's right, of course. Congress established that slogan in the 1950s.

Republicans, though, appear to be taking the critique further. Paul Ryan, vice presidential nominee of the Republican Party, called the omission "peculiar." "It's not in keeping with our founding documents, our founding vision," he said on Fox News.

Steve Benan at The Maddow Blog, though, points out that the U.S. Constitution, the basis for all of our laws, makes no mention of God. Oops.

But, perhaps the GOP means the Declaration of Independence where "Creator" is mentioned in the context of our "certain unalienable Rights." 

Of course, as Benan says, it seems that what's good enough for the Constitution ought to be good enough for a party platform.


 

This year's Democratic platform also updated a section on the Democrats' stance on Israel. The edit removes language that previously stated, "Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel." While the platform continues to pledge its support to a safe and secure Israel, it does not specify where the capital should be.

Republican candidate for president Mitt Romney called it "shameful" in a statement

The official Democratic Party line to the controversy is that nothing has changed other than the language and that where the capital resides must be worked out among Israelis and Palestinians.

"I am OK with it," Durbin added. "President Obama has put together the strongest coalition to fight the efforts of Iranians to develop a nuclear weapon which is the No. 1 issue in Israel."