Image: spheres of the Religious Right's influence

From Mother Jones, the expanding universe of the Religious Right.

As we plan a path for changing the nation's political agenda, we would do well to consider the kinds of forces that stand against us: there are veritable armies of press agents, book promoters, political lobbyists, academic researchers, and secretaries, waiting to call each senator, bookstore, radio show, local paper, magazine, and pastor in the country, to advance their agenda. I don't know that grass- and netroots alone will allow us to face such a formidable opponent.

Noble as it is that individuals here and at other netroots political organizations have pledged their time and intellect to creating a movement, we need institutions to face this battle. We need funded, permanent institutions to speak truth, to conduct solid research, to convey solid game-plans, and to publicize themselves to the high and low across the fifty states. Only such institutions as these will be capable of addressing the spider-web of spin promulgated by the Religious Right.