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Pat Robertson, head of the Christian Broadcasting Network and the favorite son among evangelical Christians for the Republican nomination in 1988, envisions a moral resurgence in America. "I see a definite spiritual revival that is touching the standards of conduct of the entire society, which has gone too far toward sexual freedom . . . Americans perceive a serious crisis to the long-range stability of the American family. The American people are looking for a return to moral values that strengthen the family." The theme is not just limited to the preachers of the right. Jesse Jackson, for one, has spoken out against "sex without love," arguing that teenage pregnancy is blighting the next generation of blacks.
Falwell sees Reagan as both a cause and an effect of the conservative moral movement. "The country is moving politically to the right, and Ronald Reagan is a product of that phenomenon. He has been produced by it and has contributed to it." Reagan marches to his own drummer, but he also manages to be in step with the parade. "The trick," says Deputy White House Chief of Staff Dennis Thomas, "is to be far enough ahead to be a leader, but not so far that you're out of touch."
Though he has never departed from his ideological passions, Reagan has proved to be consistently pragmatic about avoiding crusades that could forfeit his popular support. He has long preached family values but has not pushed any significant legislation advancing the conservative social agenda into law. He sends staunch messages of support to antiabortion rallies but never appears himself; he makes the right noises about school prayer but does not press for a constitutional amendment to legalize it.
Reagan's greatest contribution to the conservative moral agenda has been through his appointments to the federal judiciary. So far, however, he has had only mixed success with the Supreme Court. Although the high court has recently shown a willingness to be more restrictive in its interpretation of free speech and privacy rights, it is still at least one vote away from reversing its 1973 abortion decision.
White House Communications Director Patrick Buchanan predicts a new, more vigorous incarnation for social conservatives. "The right-to-life movement is as strong or stronger than ever. The number of gay-rights marchers at various demonstrations has been a fraction of their old strength. The Christians are taking over the Republican Party in Missouri, Washington and Michigan."
One of the most active groups of antipornography crusaders is Wildmon's National Federation for Decency, which grew from its Tupelo headquarters to encompass 350 chapters nationwide. Leslie and Ronald Pasquini run the chapter in Springfield, Mass., which coordinates efforts in New England. It claims 1,000 members and has staged pickets at 30 adult-magazine outlets in the region. The group's relentless pressure on the Rhode Island-based CVS drugstore chain, along with the commission letter, apparently bore fruit last month: the company announced it was removing Playboy and Penthouse from its 600 shops.