Yes they are. They are in a way pre-brainwashed by their leaders so using just the right rhetoric you can get them to act as a block and get them to do your bidding. They also have a nice property that they congregate in large megachurches, you really just have to convince the pastor to preach your agenda, and you instantly got thousands of voters.
Here is an excerpt from the link:
"President Bush made his famous comment that his favorite political philosopher was Jesus Christ because he changes your heart, I was a little bit surprised by that. Surprised, because presidential candidates usually do not make specific sectarian references to their beliefs. …"
Note, Bush Jr wasn't the only one who realized and exploited the potential. The AIPAC (Pro Israel Lobby) is also using Evangelicals.
http://www.aipac.org/connect/communities/yourchurch
^ The strategy is pretty clear. Identify pastors of megachurges and cater to them.
Here is an excerpt from AIPAC's mission page:
"Pastors and other significant community leaders have amplified their voices by inviting elected officials to speak about the U.S.-Israel relationship in church, organizing parlor meetings with members of Congress to lobby them on pro-Israel legislation and participating in AIPAC’s annual Policy Conference."
I have seen the effect first hand, it was very effective. An elderly relative was a member in one of those churches. Maybe 20-15 years ago they couldn't show you where Middle East was on the map. And all of the sudden within 5 years they somehow started talking about supporting the state Isreal and their house filled with trinkets built by settlers as "thank you"s from thousands in donations she sent over there and so on. It was a bit baffling, at first. Then I watched one the sermons by her pastor once (she had a recording) and it become clear what's happening.
> they can sometimes be deceived, blinded by bias or just not put enough thought into their beliefs
Sure but just more so than others. Looking back it seems Bush Jr's campaign manager knew who to target and what to do. Maybe he was stupid, but people working him weren't. Didn't mean they couldn't have some kind of tea party following or something along those lines. But why work harder when you don't have to...
For example, not all evangelicals are young earthers. Also not all, and probably not even most, attend the type of megachurch you keep talking about.
"Just say a few words about Jesus and they'll follow" is another straw man. There are plenty of Christians who wouldn't identify as evangelical who also will try to use the words of Jesus to their advantage. Even Bernie Sanders tried that tactic recently. I somehow doubt he's going to get a wide swath of evangelical support.
Belief in God is not the same thing as giving up rationality; which you seem to indicate. That's a common bias a lot of people have.
I think your post says more about you than the large group of people you want to stereotype and marginalize.
It was just an example.
> There are plenty of Christians who wouldn't identify as evangelical who also will try to use the words of Jesus to their advantage
Agreed. Used in the context of elections it is clear what the purpose was.
> Belief in God is not the same thing as giving up rationality; which you seem to indicate. That's a common bias a lot of people have.
It is one of the indicators. Most of all it is an indicator that they will probably listen and follow whatever the pastor of the megachurch suggests.
At the end of the day it doesn't matter if I think they are rational or not, but that those in power who need to mobilize their vote need to think. Think of it as getting the lowest bang for your campaign buck. Who do you appeal to? They are a nice group, and it clearly worked!
Obama did the same thing, so I am not really playing for the Democrat's team or anything, liberals can be easily manipulated. Obama campaign for Hope And Change for example was awarded AdAge award.
http://adage.com/article/moy-2008/obama-wins-ad-age-s-market...
That's an award given by a marketing agency for best marketing campaigns. Usually given to Apple, Nike, Coke and so on. Well in 2008 Obama got the prize.
> I think your post says more about you than the large group of people you want to stereotype and marginalize.
The fact that that group was used and used by a large lobbying group and that Bush's campaign kind of support my idea though. It is not much of a hypothetical.
Even the most conservative sources and Evangelicals themselves talk about being betrayed and used by Bush. I don't know what other evidence we'd need:
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121384/jeb-bush-not-favor...
After all the promises and talks about Jesus they are wondering what happens to outlawing abortions, why weren't same sex marriages stopped and so on. That is what they were waiting for based on promises. Instead it was all about handouts to the military industrial complex.
As for betrayal...yes, of course. That explains a lot (not all) of what is going on in the Republican primaries this year. Unfortunately, politics nearly always involves compromise to achieve common ground. Also unfortunately, evangelicals generally don't have a belief system that adequately addresses politics in the setting of a democracy or republic.
Here's an interesting thought expirement...if 10 years down the road the African-American vote left the Democratic party...would one go around saying they had been "easily brain-washed"? Such statements would probably be challenged (and should be) just as I've challenged it here.