This term frequently comes to my mind when I hear politicians and their followers engage in a strict adherence to a doctrine or have an inflexible attachment to a set of  beliefs.  I see very little difference in this type of thinking to that which we see with religious fundamentalism; that religious fundamentalism we so often see in the Islamic groups of which conservatives are so critical.  Outside of carrying-out acts of violence, is there really much difference?

Recently I listened to the group on Morning Joe comment on how President Obama has no “ism”; no defining doctrine.  Could it be that  President Obama’s doctrine is to have no doctrine but to make decisions with an evidenced-based approach.  A look at the economic or historical evidence that a policy works or may not work and base your decisions and efforts on this.   Certainly with politics it may not be so clean-cut, but isn’t this the way many of us form our beliefs and opinions?   An evidence-based approach to how our country should work instead of a strictly moral or fundamentalist approach to politics.