Willimas’s article proposes that Falwell was instrumental in forming a Christian Right primarily due to his status as an evangelical Christian public figure. Falwell’s belief in Republican policies stems from the impact that privatized corporations and, by extension, the Republican Party, have had in his hometown area in a post-Civil Rights movement South. With a declining tobacco industry and the effects of the nationwide Civil Rights movement dramatically changing the economy and dynamics of the area, Falwell saw the Republican Party as a way to maintain a helpful status quo to his area of the South. One area I would’ve liked to see the article explore a little more would be the comparison between Falwell’s church members and the average Republican voter, as I think there’s a strong comparison to be had there.
Falwell’s changing political commitments come from a couple of factors. For one, the difference in opinions between Faldwell’s Republican city business leaders and his beliefs on the subject created a rift between the two. Another large factor was the Civil Rights movement and the passage of Brown v. Board, which caused a societal uproar in his area. Falwell, when put under stress, tended to follow the popular beliefs of the time, assumedly for his own personal gain.
The beliefs Falwell has in his community are also part of the reason the tax cuts and defense spending fell in line with his evangelical beliefs. The article outlines the connection on page 6 when the government moved a lot of the Cold War economy to the South, which greatly benefitted the areas Faldwell had a vested interest in. Through this defense spending, there was a massive influx of jobs to Falwell’s primary economy, and this was the largest part of what kept the Republican Party and Falwell tied together.
Will Wright 
I enjoyed reading your blog post and thought you did a great job including many of the main points in the article. I agree with what you wrote about how many of Falwell’s political commitments changed throughout this time. The time that he gained popularity was a time of change in the country and, like you said, I think this played a factor in his changing beliefs. I also agree with what you said in your article how when much of the Cold War economy was moved to the south it benefited many southern economies and the south in general.
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