Why the American View of Religion Confuses Me

I confess to be on the outside with a lot of religious discussion. So much of it seems contradictory to me--an almighty, loving and omnipotent God who can be swayed by prayer, as if we have some better plan than his own or that He needs the validation prayer provides. This was all brought home to me this week by our Governor's reaction to the terrible fires that have been sweeping Texas during a significan drought. Paul Waldman in the New Prospect:

Stand back, folks. the governor has everything under control (via Ben Smith):

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim the three-day period from Friday, April 22, 2011, to Sunday, April 24, 2011, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas. I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal and robust way of life.

America is a religious country by Western standards. And it's well known that many religious people would refuse to vote for someone who didn't believe in God, while nonreligious people don't have any choice but to vote for people who do believe in God. But do our politicians have to have such an infantile view of the way this just and loving deity's universe is supposed to be ordered?

The theory here seems to be that up until now God has been angry at Texas, or perhaps indifferent to Texas' plight, water-wise. So if enough Texans pray over the next three days, it'll basically be like everyone waving at once, saying, "Hey, God! A little help here!" Whereupon, God will say, "Oh -- Texas! I forgot you guys were there!" And then he'll say, "Well, I had this plan that stretches from here until the end of time, and the drought played a small but significant part in that plan...but heck, since you all prayed so nicely, here's some rain."

Thus my confusion. It seems to me that prayers of thanksgiving are consistent with the standard view of God and his power, but prayers for things are presumptuous. Is any of us powerful enough to change God's plan? Are we presumptuous enough to think that we can?